1. Bookkeeping & Payroll
Bookkeeping and payroll are often outsourced first because they are:
- repetitive
- rules-driven
- easy to document
- predictable in timing
- easy to quality-check
Ideal for:
✅ Week-to-week stability
✅ Clean monthly reporting
✅ Reducing internal admin load
2. BAS & Compliance
BAS outsourcing works best with the right structure:
Offshore team handles:
- reconciliations
- GST coding
- BAS worksheets
- working papers
- basic queries
Onshore team handles:
- review
- client discussions
- final signoff
This division keeps quality high and rework minimal.
3. Tax Return Preparation
Many firms outsource:
- individual tax returns
- company tax
- trust tax
- partnership returns
- rental schedules
- CGT working papers
It frees local staff to focus on higher-level review and advice.
4. SMSF
The most technical but also the most structured service to outsource.
Offshore team handles:
- investment reconciliation
- workpapers
- member statements
- tax return prep
- audit support
Onshore team handles:
- fund-level judgement
- compliance interpretation
- tricky events or restructures
5. Financial Statements
With clear templates and working papers, offshore teams can prepare:
- year-end journals
- depreciation schedules
- balance sheet reconciliations
- draft financials
The local team performs final review and adjustments.
6. The Hybrid Workflow Model
The best structure is:
Offshore = Preparation
Onshore = Review, advice, interpretation, client-facing
It keeps quality strong while freeing local capacity.
7. Where Firms Go Wrong
Common issues:
- unclear templates
- inconsistent bookkeeping
- undocumented expectations
- no central DMS
- unclear communication channels
These aren’t outsourcing problems — they’re workflow problems.
PRO TIP
Before outsourcing anything, create one “Master Job Pack” for each service:
- BAS
- SMSF
- Tax
- Financials
- Payroll
Include:
- templates
- naming conventions
- sample notes
- review expectations
- checklists
- examples of a “perfect file”
This one document will save hundreds of hours over time.
Final Thought
Outsourcing isn’t about replacing your local team. It’s about giving them the breathing room to focus on the work that actually needs their expertise.
When structured properly, outsourcing becomes a stable, predictable extension of the firm — not an experiment.
