Palmetto Commerce International

FAQs:

How big do we have to be?

This service was designed to serve small business owners. You don’t have to be a big company to afford our services (but you may become one with it).

How long is your contract?

There is no contract. We are “your” support service operation and if you don’t feel that we’re doing our job then you shouldn’t feel bound by any long-term agreements, yes? Work will begin once you accept a quotation from us and will continue uninterrupted as long as you make timely payments. Should you want us to allocate more time to your business, standard charges will be agreed to in advance…no one likes surprises.

Is there a set monthly rate?

Yes and no. Our rates are based on an introductory ‘Foundation Bookkeeping Package' rate that includes the accounting software and up to twelve hours of dedicated labor per month. If additional hours are needed, there is a set hourly charge. PCI offers a number of other services, most of which charge a set monthly fee, with additional labor support requests billed at a set hourly rate. If you would like additional pricing information, simply ask for a quotation.

What services do you offer?

PCI offers a broad range of back support services, to include the Foundation Bookkeeping Package, Quotation and Invoicing Preparation, Timesheet and Job Cost Accounting, Project Scheduling, Payroll Management, Purchasing, Marketing, HR Management, Calculation of Provisional Burdened Rates, Job Cost Estimating and more. If you have something special in mind, just ask.

How exactly can you manage our accounting if you’re ‘there’ and we’re ‘here’?

We live in a virtual world now. We communicate via web conference, telephone calls, email, etc. It works! We know it works because we've been working out the best way to do this for over two years now.

There is quite a bit of initial work to get your accounting set up correctly. This includes tailoring a chart of accounts to meet your business needs, getting your accounts receivable and accounts payable in good order, arranging for banking information (statements), etc. Once set up, it’s primarily a matter of recording income and expenses and making reconciliations. We can assist you with invoicing (accounts receivable) and recording your expenses.

Will I have access to use the accounting software?

You ‘could,’ but that would come at a considerable additional expense. In general practice, we provide you with portal rights that let you 'see' your data, 24/7. Our objective is to keep our services affordable. Even so, you ‘will’ find yourself closely involved with our team, working on your company information. We can’t help you without your direct participation.

How secure is your system?

The ERP software system that you would be using is safe. It uses SSL (cryptographic protocol); this secures communications between servers and web browsers. Rotational backups are made daily, weekly and monthly. We can grant you exceptional access to download your backup after each calendar year. All passwords are encrypted. For more information on security, please visit this page.

One of the biggest threats to online security is not the software but, rather, the users. As a PCI client, we will work with you to meet CMMC, Level 1 security standards. Our bookkeepers do not physically handle your money (or have direct access to your bank accounts); they will help to ensure that what you have in the bank matches up with your accounting records; discrepancies will be brought to your attention. Our employees are also bound by a confidentiality agreement, helping to ensure that your information is not being shared with those who have not been authorized to have it.

Can I do invoicing and make purchases through the software?

Yes, by working with us. These are separate modules and packages from the Foundation Bookkeeping Package, but they’re all integrated to work together.

Do you offer any discounts?

We do, from day one...to all our customers.

If I already have a good accounting system, can I subscribe to other services being offered?

PCI will consider this on a case-by-case basis. The ERP software system that we use has more than 30 core modules and thousands more developed by the user community. Many of these offerings are integrated with the accounting module (such as invoicing and purchasing). Others, less so. Working across different platforms may (and may not) reduce our efficiency and drive up costs. We can talk about this.

What happens to my data if I decide to leave?

It’s your data, simple as that. We will provide you, at a minimum, a digital copy of your data. There is no penalty fee associated with deciding not to use our services.