For accountants and bookkeepers

Proposals, engagement letters, and billing software for accountants

One place for bookkeepers, tax preparers, and accounting firms to win the client, get the engagement letter signed, bill the monthly fee, and get paid without a paper check.

PROPOSAL Monthly Accounting Services
L
ledgerline
Prepared by
Ledgerline Accounting
Bookkeeping and tax
Presented to
Harbor Coffee Co.
Three locations
Proposal date
Jan 12, 2026
Valid through
Feb 11, 2026
Scope
Monthly bookkeeping and close for three locations: bank and card reconciliations, financial statements, payroll and sales tax filing coordination, and a monthly advisory call, plus a year-end package for your tax preparer.
ServiceQtyPriceAmount
Growth package (months)12$1,950$23,400
Onboarding and setup1$750$750
First year USD $24,150
Dana Ruiz · Owner, Harbor Coffee Co.
Accepted
Jan 14, 2026
Active Engagement In progress
Harbor Coffee: March Close
Phase Reconciliations
Tasks 7 of 12 done
Invoice #2031 Paid
March retainer
Growth package, March $1,950
Approved extra hours $825
Paid by ACH $2,775
Engagement Letter Signed
2026 Accounting Services
Signed by Dana Ruiz
Term Jan to Dec 2026
Time · This week Live
31.5 hrs logged
Clients 14 this week
Billable cleanup 6.5 hrs

Proposals in Word. Engagement letters by email. Payments by paper check.

You write the proposal in a word processor, chase the signed engagement letter through three emails, invoice in one tool, track time in another, and wait for checks to arrive in the mail. Every new client means setting it all up again.

Clientary brings it together: proposals, engagement letters signed online, monthly retainers, time tracking, a client portal, and card and ACH payments in one place. Your monthly fees bill themselves.

Built for the way your firm works

Whether you're a solo bookkeeper with twenty clients or a small firm with a team, the path is the same: proposal, engagement letter, monthly fee, the work, payment.

Bookkeepers

Monthly bookkeeping on a fixed fee, with catch-up and cleanup work tracked and billed by the hour.

Tax Preparers

Engagement letters signed before tax season, and invoices that get paid online when the return is ready.

CPA Firms

Proposals with service tiers, engagement letters, and retainers for every client, in one place for the whole team.

Fractional CFOs and Controllers

Monthly advisory retainers, with the hours behind each one tracked so you know what every client really takes.

Payroll Providers

Recurring monthly invoices for payroll services, paid by card or ACH without chasing a check.

Advisory Firms

Project proposals for planning and advisory work, signed online and billed by milestone or by the hour.

From the first proposal to the monthly fee

Proposals with service tiers

Send a proposal with good, better, and best service packages. The client picks one and accepts online, so the monthly fee is agreed before the work starts.

Engagement letters signed online

Send the engagement letter as a contract for e-signature. Clients sign from any phone or computer, and the signed copy stays with the client's record.

Monthly retainers that bill themselves

Set up a retainer or a recurring invoice for each client's monthly fee, and it goes out on schedule without you building it each month.

Time by client and service

Track time against the client and the service. Bill cleanup and advisory work by the hour, and see what each fixed-fee client really takes.

A client portal and project templates

Clients view and pay invoices, sign documents, and download files you share in a branded client portal. Save the monthly close or a tax return as a project template with its phases and tasks, and start it for each client.

Paid online, synced to QuickBooks

Clients pay by card or ACH bank transfer from the invoice, and payment reminders follow up on anything late. Invoices and payments sync to QuickBooks Online, so they land in the books.

Turn tracked time into the invoice your client expects

Choose how hours appear on invoices: one layout for every invoice, or a pick each time you bill. On projects with phases, hours group under each phase, except in the one-line layout.

Detailed, by timekeeper

Every entry with who did the work, for legal and audit-style bills.

Every entry

Each time entry as its own line, without names.

By person

One line per team member and rate.

By job title

People who share a title, like Senior Engineer, roll up into one line.

By task

One line per task, ideal for deliverables or disciplines.

By date

A daily summary, common for deposition and expert witness work.

By rate

One line for each billing rate on the project.

One line

All the hourly work as a single line, for clients who want the total.

10,000+
Service businesses run on Clientary
14 days
Faster when clients pay online
Since 2008
Built for service businesses

Frequently asked questions

Common questions from bookkeepers, tax preparers, and accounting firms evaluating Clientary.

What software do accounting firms use for billing and engagement letters?

Most small firms piece it together: a word processor for proposals, email for engagement letters, one tool for invoices, another for time, and paper checks in the mail. Clientary puts proposals, engagement letters signed online, monthly retainers, time tracking, a client portal, and card and ACH payments in one place, and QuickBooks Online keeps the books.

Can clients sign engagement letters online?

Yes. Send the engagement letter for e-signature, and the client signs from any phone or computer. The signed copy stays with the client's record, and the client can find it again in their portal along with your proposals and invoices.

How do monthly retainers work?

Set up a retainer for the monthly fee in your proposal, and Clientary invoices it automatically each month. Clients can pay by card or ACH bank transfer from the invoice, and reminders follow up on anything unpaid.

Can I track time for cleanup and advisory work separately?

Yes. Track time against the client and the service, such as catch-up bookkeeping or advisory calls, then bill that work hourly on its own invoice or alongside the monthly retainer. The time you track for fixed-fee work shows what each client really takes.

Does Clientary work with QuickBooks Online?

Yes. Invoices, payments, and clients sync to QuickBooks Online, so what you bill lands in the books without being entered twice.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. 14 days, no credit card required. That's enough time to send a real proposal and engagement letter, set up a monthly retainer, and see the client's side of the portal.

Win the client, sign the letter, bill the month, get paid.

Free 14-day trial. No credit card required. Cancel any time.

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