Service 02 · Data Cleanup
Records That Have
Built Up Problems
Can Be Set Right
Accumulated errors in accounting records don't fix themselves — but they can be corrected methodically, producing a clean baseline you can actually rely on going forward.
What This Service Delivers
At the end of this engagement, you have a set of accounting records that accurately reflects your business activity as of an agreed date. Misclassified transactions are corrected. Duplicate entries are removed. Periods that have never reconciled are worked through and closed properly.
You also receive a written summary of what was found and what was changed — so you understand exactly what was in your records before, and what the corrected position looks like now.
How Records Accumulate Problems Over Time
Most accounting records don't go wrong all at once. They deteriorate gradually — a few misclassified transactions here, a month that never quite reconciled there, some duplicates introduced during a bank feed reconnection. Each individual issue is small enough to ignore at the time.
Over months or years, the small issues compound. Reports start producing numbers that don't feel right. Reconciliation becomes increasingly laborious because the underlying records no longer agree with the actual bank position. Preparing for year-end takes longer than it should, and the accountant's questions keep coming back to the same periods.
It's a situation that affects businesses that are otherwise well-managed. Growing quickly, changing bookkeepers, switching software, or simply operating without a dedicated accounting background — any of these can leave records that need to be properly reviewed and corrected before you can trust them again.
The Cleanup Approach
This is methodical, documented work — not a quick pass that misses the underlying issues. The approach is thorough because partial corrections often leave records in a worse state than leaving them as-is.
Initial Review
A thorough review of your existing records to identify the categories and extent of issues — before any corrections are made. This shapes the scope of the actual cleanup work.
Transaction Reclassification
Transactions sitting in incorrect accounts are identified and moved. Where the correct classification isn't clear, the decision is made with your input — not a best guess.
Duplicate Removal
Duplicate entries are identified — whether from double imports, manual re-entry, or feed issues — and removed cleanly, with the correct single entry retained.
Period Reconciliation
Periods that haven't reconciled properly are worked through one at a time. Bank and account balances are matched to actual statements, and outstanding differences are resolved.
Account Structure Review
Outdated, redundant, or incorrectly structured accounts are reviewed and rationalised. Where the chart of accounts needs simplification or reorganisation, that's addressed as part of the work.
Changes Summary
A written document summarising what was found, what was corrected, and the resulting position. You have a clear record of exactly what changed in your accounting records.
What Working Through This Looks Like
Cleanup work is a structured process, not an open-ended review. The scope is agreed before work starts — covering which periods are in scope, what the known issues are, and what a clean set of records should look like at the end.
Some decisions require your input — particularly around transaction classification where context about the business matters. Those questions are batched and brought to you efficiently rather than scattered through the process as interruptions.
At the end, you're walked through the corrected records and the changes summary. The goal is that you understand what your records now contain and can maintain that standard going forward.
Investment
Data Cleanup & Historical Correction is a fixed-price engagement. The cost is agreed before any correction work begins.
- Full review of existing records before work starts
- Transaction reclassification
- Duplicate entry removal
- Period-by-period reconciliation
- Account structure rationalisation where needed
- Written summary of changes made
Who This Is For
This service suits businesses in one of these situations:
The business has grown and what made sense two years ago — the account structure, the classification approach — no longer reflects how the business actually operates.
Before handing records to someone new, getting them cleaned up ensures the incoming person has a reliable starting point rather than inheriting a problem they'll spend months untangling.
Year-end preparation is considerably smoother when the underlying records are correct. Cleanup before year-end typically reduces accountant time on correction queries.
Data migrations between accounting platforms frequently introduce classification inconsistencies or structural problems that weren't apparent in the original system.
What Clean Records Change
The practical difference between messy records and corrected ones shows up across a number of areas — some immediately, some over time.
Reports you can read with confidence
When the underlying transactions are correctly classified, the profit and loss and balance sheet figures reflect what actually happened in the business.
A clean baseline to maintain
Corrected records as of a specified date give you a reliable starting point — ongoing maintenance is straightforward when the foundation is accurate.
Fewer questions at year-end
Accountants preparing year-end accounts from clean records spend considerably less time on classification queries — which reduces the time and cost of that process.
Reconciliation becomes routine again
Once the backlog of unreconciled periods is cleared, ongoing reconciliation returns to being a short, predictable monthly task rather than an investigation.
A documented record of changes
The changes summary means you understand exactly what was in your records before cleanup and what the corrected position is — useful for context in any future review.
Typical delivery: 2–3 weeks
Most cleanups covering one to two years of records are completed within two to three weeks from scope confirmation, depending on the volume and complexity of issues found.
How We Stand Behind the Work
The scope of what's covered in this engagement is agreed in writing before correction work starts. That includes the date range, the categories of issues being addressed, and what the deliverable looks like. If the completed records don't match what was agreed, it's corrected at no additional cost.
Some records contain issues that only become visible during the detailed correction process. Where something significant is found outside the agreed scope, it's brought to your attention with a clear explanation — not quietly extended and billed.
How to Get Started
The process starts with understanding what your records currently look like — before any commitments are made about what the cleanup will involve.
Describe your situation
Use the contact form to outline what accounting software you're using and a rough description of what's wrong — or just that the records haven't been maintained well.
Records review
Read-only access to your accounting system allows a preliminary review. This establishes what the records actually contain before any scope or cost is agreed.
Scope & confirmation
A written proposal covering what the cleanup will address, the timeframe, and the fixed cost. Work starts once you've confirmed you'd like to proceed.
Time to Sort Out Those Records?
A short conversation — and a look at what the records actually contain — is usually enough to determine what cleanup would involve.
Start the ConversationExplore Other Services
Each service addresses a specific stage of your accounting needs.
Accounting System Setup & Configuration
Full configuration of cloud-based accounting software tailored to your business, with training and a written workflow guide. For new platforms or platform switches.
Ongoing Technical Accounting Support
On-demand guidance on transaction classification, software questions, reconciliation, and report interpretation through monthly consultations.