Accounting Software Setup Services: QuickBooks, Xero & More
Set up right once. Clean books from day one.
Luminara LLC sets up QuickBooks Online, Xero and the apps around them: your bank feeds, payroll, payments and bill pay. We build a chart of accounts that fits your business, connect everything so it flows into one set of books, and show you how to use it. We also move businesses from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online.
Signs your accounting software isn’t set up right
Most messy books start with a rushed setup. Fixing the foundation saves hours every month.
“Our books still live in a spreadsheet.”
It worked at the start, but now you can’t see profit, taxes or cash in one place.
“Half our expenses are in ‘Uncategorized.’”
The default setup doesn’t fit your business, so your reports don’t tell you much.
“Our apps don’t talk to each other.”
Payroll, Stripe and bank transactions get typed in by hand, or show up twice.
“We’re still on QuickBooks Desktop.”
You want to move to QuickBooks Online but don’t want to lose history or break your reports.
Accounting software setup, start to finish
A one-time project with a written scope. Add monthly bookkeeping afterward only if you want it.
QuickBooks Online or Xero setup
- The right plan for your business, so you don’t overpay
- Company settings, sales tax and opening balances
- Users and permissions for your team and your CPA
A chart of accounts built for you
- Accounts that match your industry and how you make money
- Classes or locations to track departments, projects or jobs
- Categories that line up with your tax return
Bank feeds and rules
- Bank, credit card and loan accounts connected
- Rules that sort routine transactions automatically
- Accounts reconciled so the starting point is right
Apps connected to your books
- Payroll: Gusto, Rippling, Paylocity, ADP or QuickBooks Payroll
- Payments and spending: Stripe, PayPal, Bill.com, Ramp, Brex
- See all the software we work with
QuickBooks Desktop to Online migration
- Lists, balances and history moved over
- We check what didn’t carry over and fix it
- Reports compared before and after so the numbers match
Training and automation
- A walkthrough for you and your team, recorded so you can watch it again
- Invoicing, receipts and reports set up to run themselves
- AI does the routine work, and a person checks the results
Already using other software? We work with it.
We set up, connect and clean up the tools growing businesses rely on, so everything flows into one set of books.
Don’t see your software? Ask us. On your free call we’ll tell you whether it connects to your books and what setup would take.
From first call to clean books
- DiscoverWe learn how you sell, pay and get paid, and what software you use now.
- BuildCompany file, chart of accounts, sales tax and opening balances.
- ConnectBank feeds, payroll, payments and bill pay linked to your books.
- TestWe reconcile and compare reports to make sure everything flows correctly.
- TrainA walkthrough for your team, plus a written guide for monthly tasks.
Moving your books from another service
If your bookkeeping provider changed owners, raised prices or moved you to new software, we can move your books into a QuickBooks Online or Xero file that’s in your name.
- Your data, your file: the company file is owned by you, and you can take it with you any time
- History checked: we compare balances against your bank statements and past reports
- No gap in service: payroll, sales tax and bill pay keep running while we switch
Need years of books brought up to date first? See our catch-up bookkeeping service.
Setup works by screen share, so we serve clients nationwide.
Who our setup service is for
New businesses
Starting your books the right way before the first sale.
Growing small businesses
Outgrowing spreadsheets or a quick do-it-yourself setup.
Startups
Investor-ready books and the tools your team will use as you scale.
Desktop users
Moving from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online.
Why business owners choose Luminara LLC
A real person, every time
The person who sets up your books is the person you call with questions.
AI-powered, human-checked
Automation handles routine sorting, and a person reviews the results.
Upfront estimates
You see a written estimate before we start, and we ask before doing any extra work.
Setup to CFO, one team
Setup, bookkeeping, payroll and CFO advice that all work from the same numbers.
QuickBooks and software setup FAQ
How much does QuickBooks setup cost?
It depends on how many accounts and apps you have, how much history needs to come in, and whether you’re migrating from QuickBooks Desktop. After a free consultation we give you a written estimate for the whole project. Your software subscription is separate.
Should I use QuickBooks Online or Xero?
Both work well for small businesses. QuickBooks Online is the most common choice in the U.S. and the one most CPAs know. Xero suits some businesses that want unlimited users or specific apps. We’ll recommend one based on how you work.
Can you move us from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online?
Yes. Intuit’s migration tool moves most of your data, but some things, such as certain reports, custom settings and payroll history, may not carry over cleanly. We check what moved, fix what didn’t, and compare reports before and after.
How long does setup take?
A new business can often be set up quickly. A migration, or a business with many accounts and apps, takes longer. Your written estimate includes a timeline.
Who owns the QuickBooks or Xero file?
You do. The subscription and company file are in your business’s name, and we’re added as your accountant user. If you ever leave, your books go with you.
Will you keep our books after setup?
Only if you want us to. Many clients add monthly bookkeeping after setup, but the setup project stands on its own and includes training so your team can run it.
Start with books that are set up right
Book a free 20-minute consultation. We’ll look at what you use now and tell you what a clean setup would take.
- Phone
- 510-306-4016
- inquiries@luminarallc.com
- Hours
- Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm PT
- Location
- San Francisco Bay Area · Serving clients nationwide
- The software and apps you use today
- QuickBooks Online, Xero, or a Desktop migration
- What to connect and automate first
- An estimate and timeline for setup