Case File 005: Detective Debit’s Evidence Locker
Case File 005 — Detective Debit’s Evidence Locker
Every case starts with the right tools. Here’s what you’ll find in Detective Debit’s utility belt when the numbers don’t add up.
🛠️ The Standard Issue Toolkit These are the tools I reach for when a new client’s books need untangling:
QuickBooks Online Audit Log — The black box of bookkeeping. I use this to track changes, spot patterns, and confirm whether issues are from error... or experiment.
Reconciliation Report — A must-have to find gaps between what’s cleared the bank and what’s just wishful thinking.
Undeposited Funds Register — The land of limbo, where payments go to vanish. You better believe I check it early and often.
Balance Sheet & Profit & Loss (a.k.a. Income Statement) — The dynamic duo of financial storytelling. When they don’t match reality, it’s time to grab a flashlight and dig deeper.
A/R & A/P Aging Summaries — Odd balances and aging invoices are like trap doors to hidden mistakes. Think: ghost payments, orphan invoices, and “wait… didn’t we pay that twice?”
🗂️ My Favorite Process Templates A few structured checklists I always have on hand (some in my brain,
some on my laptop):
New Client Intake & Diagnostic Checklist
Monthly Bookkeeping Review Flow (that doesn’t miss a beat)
Cleanup Project Tracker (because suspense is great in fiction, not in client timelines)
📌 Notes from the Field Sometimes it’s not about a fancy app—it’s about a solid naming system, a shared folder with receipts, or even a well-organized Chart of Accounts. My motto? “If I have to squint to find it... it needs rethinking.”
🔎 Your Takeaway Whether you’re doing the books yourself or working with a bookkeeper, having some kind of structure is key. You don’t need every tool—but you do need the right ones. And if your current setup feels more like clutter than clarity, that’s not your fault. Most people were never taught to run their back office like a pro.
📞 Need Backup? I’m not just here to solve the crime—I’m here to help prevent the next one. If your systems need a refresh or your books need triage, I’ll meet you where you are and take the overwhelm off your plate. Cute trench coat optional.
Case File 006 — The Chart of Accounts Conundrum
The client swears their reports are fine… but something smells off. Overlapping categories, vague labels, and accounts that read more like riddles than tools. Detective Debit wades into the swampy wilds of a cluttered Chart of Accounts and uncovers a trail of confusion that leads straight to the source.
