Critical Capacity for the Busy Season Crunch
Partnering with Elevated Tax & Accounting allowed us to manage high-volume transaction flow, hybrid QBO/Desktop environments, and accrual-based reporting during the tax deadline rush.
The Client Profile
Elevated Tax & Accounting, founded by Joe Holbrook, is a premier tax and accounting firm serving Montana and the Big Sky Area. Known for high standards and strategic advisory, the firm handles a diverse portfolio of clients ranging from local service businesses to complex entities.
Like all successful firms, they faced the "Capacity Paradox" during tax season: client demand surged, but the internal bandwidth to handle detailed month-end closings became strained.
The Operational Challenge
The firm needed more than a data entry clerk. They required a Senior-Level Accountant capable of jumping into a moving vehicle. The role required navigating a hybrid environment - switching seamlessly between cloud-based QuickBooks Online and hosted QuickBooks Desktop files via remote access.
1. The "Accrual" Complexity
Many clients required Accrual-Based Financials, not just Cash-Basis. This meant the accountant had to understand how to calculate and book Adjusting Journal Entries (AJEs) for prepaid expenses, accrued liabilities, and revenue recognition, rather than just coding bank feeds.
2. High-Velocity Deadline Management
With an April 15th deadline looming, there was no time for hand-holding. The firm needed a partner who could independently produce management-use financial statements that were accurate enough to be handed directly to the tax team.
The Strategic Intervention
We integrated as a "Fractional Senior Accountant." We allocated 15-20 hours per week of dedicated, high-level focus to clear the backlog and maintain real-time accuracy across the client portfolio.
Technical Execution & Strategy
Hybrid Environment Management
We managed the context-switching between platforms without friction.
- Managed 80% of the workload in QuickBooks Online for cloud-native clients.
- Accessed the remaining 20% via secure Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) for hosted QuickBooks Desktop files.
- Ensured security protocols were maintained across both environments.
Accrual-Based Adjustments (AJEs)
We moved the books from simple cash data to true accrual accounting.
- Calculated and posted monthly AJEs for depreciation, prepaid insurance, and accrued payroll.
- Reconciled Balance Sheet accounts to ensure the P&L reflected true economic performance.
- Prepared the books specifically for tax-readiness.
Management-Use Reporting
Data entry is useless if it doesn't result in a report. We produced the final deliverables.
We generated monthly "Management-Use" financial statements. These reports provided the client with clear insights into their financial position, formatted to meet the high standards of the CPA firm.
The Results
Elevated Tax & Accounting successfully navigated the busy season with zero downtime in their bookkeeping department. By outsourcing the technical execution to our team, their internal CPAs could focus entirely on high-value tax strategy.
"High quality, detailed work. Very responsive. We would work with Tallywise again!"