Our Client
Onboarding Process
Join. Integrate. Elevate.
How Collective Finance Sets Up Your Finance Department for Long-Term Success
Strong financial operations start with a structured onboarding process.
Collective Finance onboarding is designed to bring clarity, identify risk early, and align your financial operations to a proven standard. Our goal is to ensure your finance department is set up correctly from day one, with no rushed transitions and no surprises later.
Onboarding is led by a dedicated Controller and typically completed within approximately 14 business days, depending on complexity and access timing.
Step 1 – Controller Assignment & Financial Audit
Your onboarding begins with the assignment of a dedicated Controller who leads the entire process.
The Controller performs:
A full audit of your historical financial records
Identification of inaccuracies, gaps, or inconsistencies
A review of current workflows, approvals, and systems
An assessment of compliance and operational risk
This step ensures we fully understand your financial landscape before any changes are made.
Step 2 – Findings Review & Alignment
Once the audit is complete, your Controller meets with leadership to review the findings.
This includes:
A clear summary of any historical inaccuracies
Options for addressing or leaving historical items unchanged
A review of current processes and recommended refinements
Alignment on how your operations will be brought in line with Collective Finance standards
Nothing is changed without discussion or approval. You remain in control of decisions.
Step 3 – Systems Setup & Standardization
After alignment, your Controller oversees the setup and configuration of your finance systems.
This may include:
Dext for receipt and invoice submission
Plooto for accounts payable approvals and payments
Financial Sense for task management and visibility
Other tools required for your engagement
Systems are configured to ensure proper controls, auditability, and continuity.
Step 4 – Team Training & Knowledge Transfer
Once systems are live:
Your assigned bookkeeper is trained on your file and workflows
Your leadership team is trained on where and how they interact with the finance department
Training typically covers:
How to submit receipts and invoices
How approvals work
Where leadership touches the process
What to expect at month-end
The focus is clarity and consistency, not added complexity.
Step 5 – Go Live & Ongoing Support
After onboarding is complete, your finance department goes live.
From there:
Financial operations run according to your engagement
Check-ins occur based on service level
Oversight and continuity are maintained by the Collective Finance team
Your finance function transitions smoothly into ongoing operations.
What to Expect During Onboarding
As part of onboarding, you receive a detailed reference guide outlining:
How your finance department operates
Key responsibilities and workflows
Where leadership and staff interact with systems
This documentation supports continuity and can be shared internally in the event of role changes or growth.
Documentation & Continuity
A rushed onboarding creates long-term problems.
Collective Finance onboarding ensures:
Risks are identified early
Expectations are clearly set
Systems and processes are aligned
Leadership understands their role without added burden
This is how stable finance departments are built.