On CheckTheBooks, a complete profile has two parts:
- Expert Profile (your bio): who you are and how you work.
- Service (what clients buy): your niche, scope, pricing, and availability.
Why this matters: Most clients filter and decide based on the Service—that’s where they see exactly what you deliver and at what level. Nail both, but give extra care to the Service.
These tips work anywhere, not just on CheckTheBooks. Follow them to look more attractive to potential clients, present your value clearly, and create the opportunities you want.
Quick Field‑by‑Field Guide
Keep it simple. Fill each field so a client can decide fast.
A) Expert Profile (about you)
Business Name
What to do: Use your real name or trading name + hint of specialty.
- Examples:
- Lola Phillips — Xero Bookkeeping & UK VAT
- Brooks Consulting (Daniel Brooks) — Management Accounts
Qualifications (selectable)
Pick from the list. If yours isn’t listed, add it in your Bio (see examples).
- Tip: Show level + software certs: AAT L4, ACCA, ICB, CIMA, Xero/QuickBooks Certified.
Availability (selectable)
Choose one: On demand, Part‑time, Full‑time.
- Guidance:
- On demand → ad‑hoc/short projects
- Part‑time → 5–20 hrs/week
- Full‑time → embedded/near‑FT support
Currency
Choose you desired currency and keep the same in your Services.
Hourly Rate
This is an anchor; you can sell fixed packages in the Service description.
LinkedIn Profile (URL only)
Paste the full link.
- Example:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lola-phillips
Profile Info (Bio) — keep it client‑focused (120–180 words)
Include: who you help → what you do → how you work (cadence/SLA) → proof → next step. Add your qualification here if it wasn’t in the dropdown. Keep the detailed scope/pricing for yourService—the Bio is aboutyou and how you deliver.
Example (new freelancer, UK‑based):
I help UK service businesses keep clean, up‑to‑date books in Xero/QuickBooks. I set up bank feeds, apply smart rules, and reconcile weekly so month‑end is fast and stress‑free. You’ll get a monthly P&L/Balance Sheet with a short Loom video explaining what changed and why. I reply within 24 hours on weekdays and keep two client call slots each week. Recent wins: fixed duplicate Stripe postings and reduced a consultant’s month‑end from 7 days to 2. AAT Level 3 (completing L4 in 2025), Xero Advisor Certified. Start with a 30‑day pilot—if the first month isn’t helpful, I’ll fix it at my cost.
Example (experienced niche, UK e‑commerce):
I specialise in Shopify/Amazon bookkeeping with UK VAT. Over 8 years I’ve migrated 40+ stacks and deliver 2‑day month‑ends. Scope includes daily feeds, SKU‑level checks, landed‑cost handling, and quarterly VAT (MTD). You’ll receive a simple KPI pack (AOV, gross margin, returns) and a 30‑min monthly review. Recent outcomes: recovered £14k in overpaid VAT; cut a brand’s close from 10 days to 2. ACCA, Xero Silver Partner. Let’s begin with a quick health check and a 30‑day pilot.
B) Create a Service (what clients can buy)
Create separate services for each Specialisation you offer
Specialisation (selectable)
Choose the closest niche. If you serve multiple niches, create additional services.
Images (optional)
Upload a clean cover (desk, dashboard snippet, or professional photo). Avoid heavy stock imagery.
Short Description / Summary (1–2 sentences)
Formula: niche + core tasks + outcome + cadence
Great summary examples (1–2 sentences)
- “Shopify & Amazon bookkeeping with UK VAT. Weekly reconciliations and a 2-day month-end for investor-ready numbers.”
- “Construction bookkeeping with CIS, payroll (≤10), and monthly management accounts for reliable cash-flow.”
- “Professional services bookkeeping (law/consulting). Monthly close in 2 days, AR/AP oversight, and partner-ready reports.”
- “Nonprofit bookkeeping with fund tracking and donor reports. Monthly management pack and quarterly trustee updates.”
Availability (selectable)
Choose On demand, Part-time, or Full-time to match how you’ll deliver the service.
Rate & Type (numbers only)
Choose Hourly, Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Fixed Project, then enter the amount (numbers only) — e.g., 15 (hour), 250 (day), 900 (week), 1,200 (month). Your Expert Profile currency is applied automatically. For Fixed Project, enter a typical fee and detail scope, deliverables, and milestones in the Full Service Description (use Add-ons for extras)..
Full Service Description
Use this mini-structure:
- Best for: niche + size
- What I do: bullets of deliverables
- How it works: 2–4 steps
- SLA: report timing + reply time
- Tools: platforms/apps
- Not included: prevent scope creep
- Add-ons: optional
- Start: onboarding + pilot
Example A — Monthly Bookkeeping + VAT (UK)
Best for: UK SMEs (≤200 tx/month) on Xero/QBO, including Shopify/Stripe/PayPal.
What I do: weekly bank/card reconciliations; sales platform rules & mapping; bills/invoices posted & matched; AR/AP ageing; month-end journals; P&L, Balance Sheet & cash-flow snapshot; VAT returns (MTD) if applicable.
How it works: 1) Quick review & access 2) Connect feeds & agree chart 3) 30-day pilot 4) Ongoing monthly close.
SLA: weekly status note; replies within 24h (Mon–Fri); month-end reports within 2 business days once docs/feeds are complete.
Tools: Xero or QuickBooks; Dext/Hubdoc for receipts; simple trackers on Google/Excel.
Not included: back-dated filings, complex VAT nexus, migrations or group consolidation.
Add-ons: cleanup/catch-up; payroll (≤10); KPI pack; process improvements.
Start: send a ledger invite + a recent bank statement; I confirm fit and quote a fixed monthly fee after a short assessment.
Example B — Cleanup / Catch-Up (Fixed Fee)
Best for: businesses 3–12 months behind or preparing for migration/audit.
What I do: bank feed rebuild; reconciliations; ledger tidy (duplicates, miscoding, suspense); VAT review; month-end journals; clean Trial Balance with notes; simple handover pack.
How it works: 1) Access + rapid diagnostic 2) Scope & fixed quote 3) Cleanup in sprints 4) Handover & optional monthly plan.
SLA: typical timeline 1–3 weeks after access (scope dependent); updates every 2–3 working days; replies within 24h (Mon–Fri).
Tools: Xero/QBO; import utilities; Dext/Hubdoc if receipts provided.
Not included: historical filings with penalties, multi-entity consolidations, complex VAT nexus or ERP-level migrations (quoted separately if required).
Add-ons: MTD VAT filing, bank rules setup, custom reporting pack, training for in-house staff.
Start: short discovery call; secure access; I return a fixed price and schedule the first sprint.
Micro-summary (≤60 chars): Catch-up & cleanup to a clean TB, fast
Quick submission tips
- Lead with who it’s for and what outcome you deliver.
- Keep bullets crisp (verbs first), and state SLA clearly.
- Use Not included to avoid scope creep; offer Add-ons separately.
That’s it—short, simple, and ready for clients to scan in seconds.