Bookkeeping Diagnostic vs. Cleanup: What Each Service Does

A bookkeeping diagnostic identifies and documents the problems in a file. A cleanup corrects the transactions and accounts. The two services have different deliverables, and the right starting point depends on what is already known about the records.

What a diagnostic covers

Our $500 bookkeeping diagnostic is a defined review of the available QuickBooks records. We look for issues such as unreconciled accounts, old balances in Undeposited Funds, missing support for loans, sales tax differences, or transactions that appear misclassified. The result is a written list of findings and a proposed path to correct them.

A diagnostic does not complete the historical bookkeeping. It also does not guarantee that every hidden error can be found before source documents are provided. If key statements or access are missing, we identify those gaps in the findings.

What a cleanup covers

A cleanup is the correction work. Depending on the file, it may include importing missing transactions, correcting duplicates, reconciling bank and credit card accounts to statements, reviewing balance sheet accounts, and documenting adjustments. The period and deliverables belong in the engagement scope before the work starts.

Example: A diagnostic finds $18,000 in old customer payments sitting in Undeposited Funds and deposits added from the bank feed as new income. Cleanup traces each payment to the statement, corrects the duplicate entries, and reconciles the affected periods. The diagnostic tells us what needs to be investigated; the cleanup performs and documents the corrections.

Do you need both?

Some small, well-documented fixes can be scoped directly. A complex or incomplete file often benefits from a diagnostic first so the cleanup quote reflects the actual records. A free consultation can help decide which path fits. The $500 diagnostic is also available as a separate service when you want a written assessment before committing to cleanup.

Bookkeeping and crypto reconciliation have different evidence needs. Missing crypto basis may require exchange history, wallet activity, and transaction tracing in addition to any QuickBooks review. We scope those services separately.

Start with the next useful step

Book a free consultation to explain what is happening in the file. If you need a documented review, ask for the $500 diagnostic. Cleanup is quoted after we understand the period, account count, transaction volume, and condition of the records. See our bookkeeping services for more detail.