Guides

Guides for professional services firms

Plain-English guides on writing accounting proposals, engagement letters, client onboarding, and electronic signature law in New Zealand and Australia.

Guide

Are electronic signatures legally binding in New Zealand?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally recognised in New Zealand under Part 4 of the Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017, provided they identify the signatory, indicate their approval, and are appropriately reliable. Here is what that means in practice.

Guide

Are electronic signatures legally binding in Australia?

Yes. Electronic signatures are recognised across Australia under the Electronic Transactions Act 1999 (Cth) and matching state and territory legislation, provided they identify the signer, show their intention, and are appropriately reliable.

Guide

Engagement letters: what to include and why they go unsigned

What an engagement letter should cover, the sections firms most often leave vague, and the practical reasons engagement letters end up unsigned even when they were sent.

Guide

How to write an accounting proposal: a section-by-section template

A practical structure for accounting and bookkeeping proposals that clients actually sign: the seven sections to include, how to write scope and exclusions, how to present fees, and the mistakes that leave proposals sitting unsigned.

Guide

Client onboarding checklist for accounting and bookkeeping firms

What to collect from a new accounting or bookkeeping client, in what order, and how to get it without a week of follow-up emails. Covers engagement, entity details, system access, previous-accountant handover and AML/CFT customer due diligence in New Zealand.

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