I'm reading your request slightly differently to the above answer.
My reading is that you haven't got anything set up in Excel for any client yet and your asking whether building your spreadsheet framework should be charged to the first client.
To me that one's an emphatic no as the spreadsheet shell is something that one builds then can use for all clients so charging the first for it seems a little unfair.
For the actual bringing the clients data into the Excel spreadsheets even if you charge a fixed rate for normal monthly work I would charge an hourly rate for the initial data load which for some clients can end up quite time consuming espechially where they've been treating their businesses as a piggy bank so trying to work out what's business and what's private can rack up both your time and theirs as you will need them to confirm figures for you.
Don't forget to put in writing all verbal representations from the client and when you have finished the work get them to sign the record to confirm that the document is a true representation of what they have said. Then keep that document in the clients permanent file as a get out of jail free card.
Welcome to the forum and good luck with the new client.
kind regards,
Shaun.
P.S. Edited due to gramatical error.
-- Edited by Shamus on Thursday 29th of March 2012 10:31:25 PM
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I have recently set up as a part time bookkeeper and have got my first client.
She has about 2 months backlog of work to go through and then i will be doing each month moving forwards. Prob be no more than a couple of hours as she is not a big business yet.
My question for you is that when you have a new client, do you normally charge a fee for initially setting up her books? For example, i will be doing this in excel which she is happy with until i have a few more clients to move on to a system. I figure it may take a few hours to set this all up but do you normally absorb this cost or pass it on?
Thanks for reading and looking forward to being a part of this community :)
I agree with Shaun. I never charge for initial meetings or set up costs. That's not to say there is not a cost attached to these, but I absorb it into the overall client fees.
