TLDR (Summary)
The best client management software for bookkeepers is Plutio ($19/month).
Bookkeeping practices need client management that connects accounts to projects, documents, billing history, and communication in one unified platform. Plutio keeps complete client records with searchable history across every single practice interaction.
Bookkeepers using Plutio typically recover 5-10 by eliminating searches through fragmented systems for client context.
For additional strategies, read our client onboarding guide.
What is client management software for bookkeepers?
Client management software for bookkeepers organizes complete client relationships including contact information, documents, projects, billing history, and communication in searchable, accessible records.
The distinction matters: contact databases store information, practice client management connects relationships to ongoing work and service delivery.
What bookkeeper client management actually does
Core functions include storing client contact information, organizing documents by client, tracking project history per account, maintaining communication logs, connecting billing and payment records, and providing client portals for self-service access.
Contact management vs practice management
Spreadsheets and basic CRMs store contact information but don't connect to practice workflows. Client management like Plutio integrates accounts with projects, time tracking, invoicing, and document storage.
What makes bookkeeper client management different
Bookkeeping clients provide many documents, span multiple service years, and require ongoing communication. Client management must handle document organization, multi-year history, and periodic service patterns that generic contact tools aren't designed for.
When client management connects to practice operations, every interaction builds searchable history. Client context accumulates automatically through daily work, making information retrieval instant when needed.
Why bookkeepers need client management software
Bookkeepers who grow beyond a handful of active clients face a compounding problem: every new client adds admin work that does not scale, and unified client and project management is where that admin tends to pile up.
Lead tracking, quoting, project management, payment follow-ups, and clients communication multiply with each engagement. Without a system that connects these functions, details fall through cracks, client-management tasks accumulate during busy engagements phases, and Spending evenings catching up on admin instead of resting or doing bookkeeping work.
The scattered client data problem
According to industry research, 36% admin. For bookkeepers specifically, that means 10-15 hours per week spent on non-billable tasks: scattered client data, no unified view, missed opportunities, and responding to clients questions.
Those 10 hours of admin represent significant potential billable time that goes unbilled. That's thousands per month in direct opportunity cost, not counting the mental energy spent on context switching between bookkeeping work and administrative tasks.
The fragmentation problem
You stack 4-7 disconnected tools: QuickBooks or Xero for accounting, practice management software, spreadsheets for client tracking, and email for client communication. Each tool handles one function, but none share data automatically.
Disconnected tools create daily friction: logging into multiple platforms to piece together a client's history, copying details from one system to another, manually cross-referencing entries with project scope, and hoping that the terms you quoted match what you're actually delivering. The cognitive admin work adds up, and the risk of errors increases with every manual handoff.
The fragmented data problem
Scattered client information affects nearly every bookkeeper at some point. According to research, 50-70% experience, with the average invoice paid 20 days.
The issue compounds because bookkeepers often work on multiple engagements with different schedules. Manual tracking across spreadsheets or disconnected tools leads to missed tasks, forgotten follow-ups, and opportunities left on the table.
The scaling tipping point
You hit a threshold where the manual approach breaks down. At this point, you're either spending more time on admin than bookkeeping work, or you're dropping balls. Tasks go out late, follow-ups get missed, and you start turning down good work because you can't imagine adding more complexity to an already chaotic system.
Connected client management software absorbs the admin work that would otherwise scale linearly with each new client. Plutio handles routine client-management tasks, tracking, and follow-ups automatically, leaving bookkeepers to focus on the work that actually generates revenue.
Client management features bookkeepers need
The essential client-management features for bookkeepers connect client relationships and project oversight with engagements delivery, time tracking, and clients communication while handling the unique patterns that bookkeeping work requires.
Core client-management features
- Custom templates: Add your logo, brand colors, typography, and terms. Create different templates for retainer relationships, project portfolios, client renewals. Set up once and apply with one click.
- Multiple payment methods: Accept credit cards through Stripe (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction), bank transfers via ACH (typically 0.8%), or PayPal. Offering multiple options increases completion speed.
- Automated reminders: Configure reminders before due dates, on due dates, and after. Follow-ups send automatically without you drafting messages or remembering to check status.
- Recurring automation: Schedule recurring tasks for retainer clients that send automatically on set dates. Pair with automation to complete without either party taking action.
- Time-to-billing conversion: Select tracked time entries from engagements and convert directly to billable items. No copying hours from a time tracker. The description, duration, and rate pull automatically.
- Expense tracking: Log engagements expenses with receipts attached. Add to clients billing at cost or with markup (common practice is 10-15%).
Bookkeepers-specific features
- Deposit collection: Request upfront payment before work begins. Industry standard is 25-50% deposit. Plutio should connect deposits to final billing automatically.
- Milestone billing: Split engagements payment across phases. Each milestone triggers its own action when you mark that phase complete.
- Revision tracking: When scope expands beyond contracted revisions, the billing should reflect additional work. Connect revision logs to billing so extra rounds generate accurate charges.
- Proposal-to-project flow: When a client accepts a proposal, the schedule should generate automatically based on the payment terms defined.
Platform features that multiply value
- White-label branding: Custom domain, logo, colors, and fonts. All clients-facing communications show your brand. clients never see the software vendor's name.
- Unified inbox: All clients messages, engagements comments, and notifications arrive in one place. Reply without switching to email. Conversation history stays attached for context.
- Permissions: Control who sees what. Contractors see only their assigned work. clients see their portal, not your internal notes or margins.
- Customizable navigation: Rename menu items to match how you talk about your work. Hide features you don't use to reduce clutter.
- Mobile apps: iOS and Android apps for full functionality on the go. Work from anywhere with the same capabilities as desktop.
- Automations: Create rules that trigger actions without your involvement. Set up once, runs continuously.
The deciding factor for bookkeepers is integration depth. Client management software that connects with proposals, contracts, projects, time tracking, and clients communication eliminates the duplicate data entry that consumes hours every week.
Client management pricing for bookkeepers
Client management software for bookkeepers typically costs $30-80 per user per month for practice-specific tools, with general CRMs ranging from free to enterprise pricing.
What bookkeepers typically pay for stacked tools
Most practices piece together multiple subscriptions:
- Practice management: Karbon ($59-79/user), Canopy ($35-65/user)
- Document storage: Google Drive ($12/user), Dropbox ($15-24/user)
- Client portals: Separate portal tool or custom solution
A 3-person practice spends $200-400/month on client management plus document storage.
Plutio pricing (January 2026)
- Core: $19/month - Complete client management with projects, time tracking, and invoicing
- Pro: $49/month - Unlimited clients, 30 team contributors, advanced permissions, priority support
- Max: $199/month - Unlimited contributors, advanced reporting, white-label portals
The ROI calculation for bookkeepers
If organized client records save 1 hour daily in search and context recovery:
- Time saved: 1 hour x 22 workdays x $50/hour = $1,100/month
- Tool cost: $19-99/month for entire practice
- Net benefit: $1,000+/month in recovered capacity
Client management ROI comes from eliminated search time plus preserved institutional knowledge. Both compound over the life of each relationship.
Why Plutio is the best client management for bookkeepers
Plutio handles client-management as part of a complete platform where proposals, contracts, projects, time tracking, and clients communication work together rather than as separate tools that need manual connection.
Complete workflow integration
When a client accepts your proposal, Plutio can automatically create the project, set up the client-management schedule based on milestone payments, and prepare the contract for signing. When they sign, setup tasks generate. When you track time on bookkeeping work, those hours attach to the project. When a milestone completes, the action triggers. Every step connects to the next without copying data between systems.
White-label everything
Use your own domain (clients.yourstudio.com instead of plutio.com/yourusername). Upload your logo, set your brand colors and typography. Every client-facing touchpoint shows your brand: proposals, contracts, invoices, portals, emails, receipts. clients never see "Plutio" or any indication you're using third-party software. Brand perception matters for bookkeepers because professional appearance affects perceived value and justifies premium pricing.
Unified inbox for all clients communication
When a client messages about a engagement, responds to a proposal, approves work, or asks about billing, the message appears in one inbox. Reply directly without opening email. The conversation history stays attached to that client's record, so months later when they return, you have full context.
Granular permissions
Control exactly who sees what at the level that makes sense for your business. Contractors see only their assigned work. clients see their portal and documents. Neither sees your internal notes, profit margins, or other clients data.
No-code automations
Create rules that trigger actions without your involvement. Common bookkeepers automations include: send reminders before due dates, notify you when a client views a proposal, create follow-up tasks when items are overdue, send welcome emails when contracts are signed. Set up once during initial configuration, runs continuously without attention.
Native integrations for bookkeepers workflows
Connect Stripe and PayPal for payments with no additional configuration. Sync Google Calendar or Outlook for scheduling. Add Zoom links to booked calls automatically. Push financial data to accounting software or Leading bookkeeping tools for accounting. Use Zapier to connect 3,000+ other apps. Plutio handles the core workflow while integrating with specialized tools where deeper functionality is needed.
Everything runs from one app with your branding, your terminology, and your workflow logic. Instead of switching between 5-8 different tools to manage one client, you operate from a single platform designed to handle the complete service business lifecycle.
How to set up client management in Plutio
Setting up client management in Plutio takes 2-4 hours for initial configuration and client import, with ongoing organization building automatically.
Step 1: Configure client structure (30-45 minutes)
Set up how clients are organized:
- Custom fields: Service type, entity type, fiscal year end
- Tags: Monthly client, quarterly, annual
- Categories: Business type, industry, complexity
Step 2: Import existing clients
Bring in current client information:
- Spreadsheet import: Upload client list from CSV
- Manual entry: Create accounts individually
- Gradual migration: Add clients as you work with them
Step 3: Configure client portals
Set up portal access for clients who need it. Configure branding, permissions, and what clients can see.
Step 4: Establish organization habits
Build practices for ongoing organization:
- File documents to clients immediately
- Log important conversations as notes
- Tag clients consistently for easy filtering
Start with core client information. Organize documents as they arrive. History builds naturally through work rather than upfront setup.
Client organization templates for bookkeepers
Consistent organization structures make client information predictable and findable across your entire practice.
Recommended client categorization
- Service level: Monthly, quarterly, annual, project-based
- Entity type: Individual, partnership, corporation, nonprofit
- Industry: Client business category
- Status: Active, inactive, prospect
Document folder structure
- By year: 2024, 2025, 2026
- By type: Bank statements, invoices, receipts, tax docs
- By period: Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4
Standard client information fields
- Contact: Email, phone, address
- Entity: Legal name, tax ID, formation date
- Services: What you provide for this client
- Dates: Fiscal year end, engagement anniversary
- Access: Software credentials, login information
Consistent organization creates predictable information retrieval. Any team member can find any client detail without asking.
Client portals for self-service access
Client portals provide branded destinations where clients access their own documents, invoices, and project status without contacting you.
What portals provide
Configure visibility based on client needs:
- Documents: Files you share with them
- Invoices: Current and historical billing
- Projects: Work status visibility
- Payments: Pay invoices directly
- Uploads: Submit documents to you
Reducing admin requests
Self-service access eliminates routine inquiries: "Where's my invoice?" "Do you have my document?" "What's the status?" Clients answer their own questions. Your time stays on accounting work.
Professional client experience
Branded portals demonstrate practice professionalism. Clients get organized access to their relationship with you. Premium experience without premium effort.
Document collection
Portals double as document collection points. Clients upload files directly. Documents arrive organized by client automatically. No email attachments to sort.
Portals balance transparency with efficiency. Clients get access; you keep time. Self-service helps everyone.
How to migrate client management to Plutio
Migrating client management involves setting up new organization structure and transitioning client data. Most practices complete core migration in 2-4 weeks.
Step 1: Export current client data
Gather existing client information:
- Contact details from current systems
- Service agreements and notes
- Important dates and deadlines
Step 2: Import to Plutio
Bring clients into the new system:
- Bulk import: Upload CSV with client details
- Gradual entry: Add as you work with each client
- Priority order: Active clients first, then inactive
Step 3: Migrate documents
Options for document migration:
- Active documents: Upload current-year files per client
- Gradual migration: Move files as needed for current work
- Link-based: Keep historical docs in current storage, migrate going forward
Step 4: Set up portals
Configure portal access for clients who benefit from self-service. Invite clients to their new destination.
Step 5: Retire legacy systems
As Plutio becomes primary, reduce reliance on previous tools. Maintain archive access where needed.
Client management migration can happen gradually. Start with new work in Plutio. Backfill historical information as time permits.
