What can a virtual accounting assistant do for a CPA firm?
A virtual accounting assistant can manage recurring bookkeeping and administrative finance tasks such as transaction categorization, bank and credit card reconciliations, AR/AP workflows, invoice preparation, payroll administration, month-end close support, 1099 preparation, sales tax support, and reporting packages. SmartScale360 matches assistants to your workflow so CPAs can stay focused on advisory, review, and client-facing work.
Which accounting software can SmartScale360 assistants support?
SmartScale360’s accounting assistants commonly work inside QuickBooks Online, Xero, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, FreshBooks, Bill.com, Gusto, ADP RUN, QuickBooks Payroll, Rippling, Ramp, Brex, and Melio. During role scoping, SmartScale360 reviews your current tech stack and task requirements so the assistant is matched to the systems your firm already uses.
Do virtual accounting assistants work during US business hours?
Yes. SmartScale360 offers US-business-hours coverage for accounting firms, CAS practices, tax preparers, and SMB finance teams. Assistants are dedicated to your business, which helps them learn your client standards, reporting cadence, communication preferences, and close process. That consistency makes offshore support more practical for recurring weekly, monthly, and year-end workflows.
How much does an offshore accounting assistant cost?
SmartScale360 provides monthly per-seat pricing with no contract and no setup fee. The model is designed to reduce labor costs by up to 60-70% compared with hiring comparable in-house staff, while eliminating added expenses such as benefits, office space, equipment, and recruiting overhead. Exact pricing is scoped around the role, schedule, and required skills.
How does SmartScale360 screen accounting assistants?
SmartScale360 screens for English-speaking ability, role-specific skills, and fit for the required accounting workflow. Assistants are college-educated remote professionals from the Philippines and are selected based on the duties your firm needs covered, such as bookkeeping, AR/AP, payroll administration, reconciliations, or reporting. The process is designed to provide dedicated staff, not generic task-based labor.
Can my firm scale the assistant role up or down?
SmartScale360 is built for flexible, scalable staffing. Firms can add capacity during tax season, year-end close, client onboarding periods, or CAS growth phases, then adjust as needs change. Because the model has no long-term contract, it is easier to test offshore support, refine the role, and expand once the workflow is proven.
What tasks should a CPA firm delegate first?
Common first workflows include monthly bookkeeping cleanup, bank reconciliations, AR aging follow-up, invoice processing, Bill.com support, payroll administration, management report preparation, and month-end close packages. These tasks are usually repeatable, system-driven, and time-consuming, making them strong candidates for offshore delegation while CPAs retain final review and advisory control.
How does onboarding a virtual accounting assistant work?
Onboarding starts with a role-scoping conversation to define responsibilities, tools, reporting cadence, access needs, and success metrics. SmartScale360 then matches a dedicated assistant for the role and supports the transition into your workflow. Firms typically begin with documented recurring tasks, then expand responsibilities as the assistant learns client files and internal standards.