The Bookkeeper's Monday Morning

By Keith Donoghue | Vancouver City News | October 20, 2026
Editor: Karalee Greer
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The Work Before The Work

The first thing I look at when I sit down with a Vancouver bookkeeper is the first of the month. Specifically, how client document collection works before any bookkeeping begins.

In a practice with ten to 15 clients, the same request goes out repeatedly: please send last month's bank statements, receipts, and expense records. Three clients may reply within 24 hours. Four respond by the following week after a chase. The rest need another reminder.

Four to six hours each month can disappear into collecting information before the paid work starts.

Make The Request Automatic

A structured collection sequence can send the request on the first of the month with a direct upload link. A reminder goes out on day three to clients who have not responded, and another on day seven.

By day ten, the bookkeeper reviews what has arrived and contacts only the clients who still need a conversation.

Reserve Attention For Exceptions

The follow-up becomes systematic rather than personal and repetitive. Clients who always deliver on time get a frictionless process. Clients who need chasing are contacted on schedule without the bookkeeper writing the same message again.

A well-run monthly cycle should begin with the documents already in the folder. Reclaiming that time does not necessarily require another employee. It requires a sequence that runs without being restarted manually each month.

Why It Matters

This is not just about document collection. It reflects a broader shift.

Professional time is expensive when it is spent repeatedly chasing information the client is responsible for providing.

Automating routine collection can move the bookkeeper's attention back to the work clients are actually paying for.

Keith Donoghue | Vancouver City News

Keith Donoghue is the founder of Highridge AI Consulting, helping Vancouver small businesses reduce manual work and run more efficient operations.

Website: Highridge AI Consulting
Email: keith@highridgeai.com
LinkedIn: keith-donoghue
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