· Reviewed by Nimra Khalid
What are outsourced controller services?
Outsourced controller services provide the review layer that sits between bookkeeping and the owner: a senior accountant who checks the close, owns the accounting policies, tests the controls around cash and spending, and explains the financial statements. The controller does not do daily posting. They make sure what was posted is right and documented before anyone relies on it.
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Controller services: what we do and how it runs
Outsourced controller services provide the review layer that sits between bookkeeping and the owner: a senior accountant who checks the close, owns the accounting policies, tests the controls around cash and spending, and explains the financial statements. The controller does not do daily posting. They make sure what was posted is right and documented before anyone relies on it.
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What it is
Outsourced controller services provide the review layer that sits between bookkeeping and the owner: a senior accountant who checks the close, owns the accounting policies, tests the controls around cash and spending, and explains the financial statements. The controller does not do daily posting. They make sure what was posted is right and documented before anyone relies on it.
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What you get
A senior accountant reviews every close and signs a monthly review memo
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How it runs
Accounting policies, approval limits and controls written down and checked
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Discovery call
A 20-minute call about your entities, who does the bookkeeping today, what has gone wrong before, and what a lender, buyer or auditor will want to see.
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A named accountant, a backup and a team lead
Inside your own software, on a fixed close calendar, with a reply from a person within 1 business day. Call +1-657-777-0006 or start a quote.
Get a custom quote 06 / 06
Who it is for
Owners who have outgrown a bookkeeper
Revenue has passed a few million, there are two or three people in the finance function, and nobody senior is checking their work. A controller closes that gap without a full-time salary.
Businesses preparing for a loan, sale or audit
A lender, buyer or auditor will ask how the numbers are controlled. Written policies, reconciled balance sheets and a review log answer that question.
Multi-entity and multi-location groups
Several entities, intercompany balances and shared costs need someone who owns the accounting rules across all of them, not just the posting in each.
What's included
- Monthly review of every balance sheet reconciliation and journal entry
- Written review memo listing findings, corrections and open risks
- Accounting policy manual: revenue, cut-off, capitalization, accruals, expenses
- Approval matrix for spending, payments and credit notes, checked monthly
- Segregation-of-duties review across bookkeeping, payables and banking
- Chart of accounts ownership and change control
- Month-end close calendar owned and enforced through CloseTrack
- Revenue recognition and cut-off checks at each period end
- Intercompany, related-party and owner transaction review
- Financial statement walk-through with the owner each month
- Year-end coordination with your CPA, accountant or auditor
- Quarterly controls checklist with remediation dates
Deliverables and KPIs
| Deliverable | KPI we report | Cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Controller review memo | Issued within 3 business days of the close sign-off | Monthly |
| Reconciliation review | Every balance sheet account reviewed and initialed by the controller | Monthly |
| Policy manual | Policies documented within 60 days of start and reviewed annually | Annually |
| Controls checklist | Approval, access and segregation controls tested and logged | Quarterly |
| Close calendar compliance | Close sign-off achieved by the agreed business day | Monthly |
| Year-end package review | Adjusting entries and schedules reviewed before handover to your CPA | Annually |
KPIs are what we measure and report, agreed per engagement. Service-level commitments are set in your agreement.
How it works
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Discovery call
A 20-minute call about your entities, who does the bookkeeping today, what has gone wrong before, and what a lender, buyer or auditor will want to see.
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Controls and policy baseline
The controller reviews the last three closes, reconciliations and access rights, then drafts a findings list and a policy manual outline for you to prioritize.
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First reviewed close
The next month-end runs with the controller reviewing every reconciliation and journal before sign-off. The first review memo sets the baseline for open items.
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Monthly review and quarterly controls
Each month the controller signs off the close and issues the memo; each quarter the controls checklist is tested and remediation dates are set.
Software we work in
How much does controller services cost?
Controller services are priced as a flat monthly retainer based on the number of entities, the size of the finance team being reviewed, and whether policy and controls work is a one-time project or ongoing. The retainer is separate from bookkeeping. Pricing depends on volume and scope, so we send a custom quote within 1 business day.
What moves the quote
- Number of entities and whether there are intercompany balances
- Whether the bookkeeping is done by us, by your staff or by another provider
- Extent of policy and controls documentation needed at the start
- Lender, investor or audit deadlines that shape the close calendar
Market benchmarks
| Market | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US | Offshore senior accounting staff run $10 to $25 per hour against $40 to $75 for US-based; all-inclusive offshore staffing $8 to $35 per hour | Madras, Acculink, Rose Talent (2026) |
| UK | Hourly bookkeeping and accounting support £20 to £55, up to £90 for specialists | UK provider pricing surveys (2026) |
| Canada | Full-charge bookkeeping C$60 to C$90 per hour; in-house alternative C$45k to C$60k salary | Outsource Bookkeeping CA (2026) |
| Australia | A$2,200 to A$4,500 per month for a full finance function at 10+ staff | Australian bookkeeping fee surveys (2026) |
Third-party ranges for orientation, not our prices.
Get a custom quote No setup fee. Month-to-month.
Controller services for your industry
Case study
25-day close to 5-day close
Case studyFrom a 25-day close to a 5-day close for a marketing agency
A marketing agency on the US West Coast with retainer and project clients was closing its books around the 25th of the following month. By then the numbers were too old to act on. Client profitability was a guess, pass-through media costs were booked when the supplier invoice arrived rather than when the spend ran, and retainer revenue was recognized whenever the invoice went out. The agency engaged LedgerBPO for month-end close, financial reporting and invoicing and billing. A named accountant, a backup and a team lead worked inside the agency's QuickBooks Online, bill-approval tool and time-tracking system. The close moved from 25 days to 5 days, and the founders now review client margins in the first week of the month instead of the last.
- Days to close the month255
Security and compliance
- Controller holds review access; payment release stays with you. We never move money
- MFA on every login, access reviewed quarterly as part of the controls checklist
- Review memos and policy manuals stored in the LedgerDesk portal with version history
Full control list on the security page and country rules on the compliance page. Certifications are listed only when held.
Frequently asked questions
How much do outsourced controller services cost?
Pricing depends on volume and scope, and we send a custom quote within 1 business day. As a market reference, offshore senior accounting staff for US firms run $10 to $25 per hour against $40 to $75 for US-based staff, and all-inclusive offshore staffing ranges from $8 to $35 per hour (Madras, Acculink, Rose Talent, 2026). A controller retainer is a fraction of a full-time salary.
What is the difference between a bookkeeper and a controller?
A bookkeeper records transactions and reconciles accounts. A controller checks that work, owns the accounting policies, designs the controls around cash and spending, and explains the statements to the owner. Our outsourced bookkeeping service does the first job; controller services do the second. Many clients use both, but the roles are kept separate.
Is a fractional controller the same as a fractional CFO?
No. A controller looks backward and inward: are the numbers right, controlled and documented. A CFO looks forward and outward: financing, strategy, investor relations. We provide controller-level review and reporting. We do not provide CFO advice, investment advice or licensed opinions.
Can the controller review work done by my own bookkeeper?
Yes. Many engagements keep the client's in-house bookkeeper and add our controller as the reviewer. The controller works inside the same file, sends the bookkeeper a findings list each month, and reports to you. If you would rather hand over the posting too, our bookkeeping team can take it.
What goes into the monthly review memo?
A short document listing what was reviewed, corrections made, reconciliations that could not be completed and why, open risks with owners and dates, and any policy change proposed. It is written for the owner and kept in the portal so a lender or auditor can read the history.
Do you write our accounting policies?
Yes. Within the first 60 days the controller drafts a policy manual covering revenue recognition, cut-off, capitalization thresholds, accruals, expense approval and credit notes. You approve it, and the controller tests against it each month. Policies are reviewed annually or when the business changes.
Will this help us pass an audit or due diligence?
It helps you prepare. Reconciled balance sheets, written policies, an approval matrix and a review log are what auditors and buyers ask for first. Our audit support service then prepares the schedules on their request list. We give no audit opinions ourselves.
Do you provide licensed advice or sign anything?
No. Controller services are review, policy and reporting work. We do not sign tax returns, issue audit or review opinions, or give legal, tax or investment advice. Where a licensed opinion is needed, we prepare the workpapers for your CPA or auditor and they sign.
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