Measuring ROI of Outsourced Accounting: 5 Key Metrics

Here's a quick guide to measuring the return on investment (ROI) for outsourced accounting:

1. Cost savings
2. Productivity improvements
3. Quality and accuracy gains
4. Strategic benefits
5. Ability to grow and change

To calculate ROI: (Money Saved / Money Spent) x 100%

Metric	What to Measure
Cost savings	Compare in-house vs outsourced costs
Productivity	Time saved, tasks completed
Quality	Error reduction, compliance
Strategic benefits	Better decisions, expert help
Scalability	Handling growth, flexibility

Track these metrics regularly to determine if outsourced accounting is worth it for your business. Use tools like accounting software, time trackers, and project management apps to collect data. Compare your results to industry standards and use the insights to make informed business decisions.

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ROI in outsourced accounting

Defining ROI for outsourced accounting

ROI (Return on Investment) shows how much money a company gains compared to what it spends. For outsourced accounting, ROI helps businesses see if hiring outside help for their finances is worth the cost.

Here's a simple way to calculate ROI:

ROI = (Money Saved / Money Spent) x 100%

For example:

• Money spent on outsourcing: $10,000 per year
• Money saved on in-house accounting: $15,000
• Net savings: $5,000
• ROI: (5,000 / 10,000) x 100% = 50%

This means the company got back half of what they spent, plus their original investment.

Common ROI measurement issues

Measuring ROI for outsourced accounting can be tricky. Here are some common problems and how to solve them:

Problem	Solution
No past data to compare	Set clear goals before outsourcing
Hard-to-measure benefits	List all improvements, even small ones
Hidden costs	Keep track of all expenses related to outsourcing
Different service quality	Compare providers carefully

To get a clear picture of ROI:

• Set specific goals for outsourcing
• Choose key numbers to track
• Gather data on costs and results
• Look at both easy-to-measure and hard-to-measure benefits
• Check and update your outsourcing plan regularly

5 key metrics for ROI measurement

Cost savings

In-house vs. outsourced costs

Compare the costs of in-house accounting with outsourcing:

Cost Type	In-House	Outsourced
Salaries and benefits	Yes	No
Training	Yes	No
Software and equipment	Yes	Maybe
Office space	Yes	No
Service fees	No	Yes

How to calculate total savings

1. Add up all in-house accounting costs
2. Add up all outsourced accounting costs
3. Subtract outsourced costs from in-house costs

Example:

Cost Type	In-House	Outsourced	Savings
Salaries and benefits	$150,000	$0	$150,000
Training	$10,000	$0	$10,000
Software and equipment	$20,000	$5,000	$15,000
Office space	$30,000	$0	$30,000
Service fees	$0	$80,000	-$80,000
Total	$210,000	$85,000	$125,000

In this case, outsourcing saves $125,000 per year.

Productivity improvements

Measuring efficiency gains

Track these numbers:

• Time spent on tasks
• Number of tasks done
• Compare in-house vs. outsourced results

Time saved on accounting tasks

Example:

Task	In-House Time	Outsourced Time	Time Saved
Accounts payable	10 hrs/week	5 hrs/week	5 hrs/week
Accounts receivable	8 hrs/week	4 hrs/week	4 hrs/week
Financial reporting	12 hrs/week	6 hrs/week	6 hrs/week
Total	30 hrs/week	15 hrs/week	15 hrs/week

Tools to track productivity

• Time tracking: Toggl, Harvest
• Project management: Asana, Trello
• Accounting software: QuickBooks, Xero

Quality and accuracy gains

Reducing errors in reports

Keep track of:

• Number of mistakes in reports
• Time spent fixing mistakes
• Cost of fixing mistakes

Meeting compliance requirements

Make sure outsourced work follows:

• Financial reporting rules (GAAP, IFRS)
• Tax laws
• Industry rules

Improving financial report accuracy

Compare before and after outsourcing:

• Number of mistakes
• Time spent fixing mistakes
• Cost of fixing mistakes

Strategic benefits

Effects on business decisions

Outsourcing can help with:

• Better financial insights
• Smarter decision-making
• Keeping up with competitors

Getting expert accounting help

Outsourced accountants can offer:

• Financial planning
• Financial analysis
• Tax planning

Better financial planning

Outsourced help with:

• Budgeting
• Financial forecasting
• Long-term planning

Ability to grow and change

Managing increased workloads

Outsourced accounting can:

• Handle more work as you grow
• Deal with busy times
• Support business expansion

Adjusting to business changes

Help with:

• Mergers and acquisitions
• Company restructuring
• New financial reporting needs

Cost-effective scaling

Benefits include:

• Flexible pricing
• Easy to scale up or down
• Access to expert help when needed

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Setting up ROI measurement

Creating a measurement system

To check if outsourced accounting is worth it, follow these steps:

1. Set clear goals
2. Choose what to measure
3. Gather and look at the numbers

Here's a simple table to help you get started:

Step	What to Do
1. Set goals	Decide what you want from outsourcing (e.g., save money, work faster)
2. Choose measures	Pick numbers to track (e.g., costs, time saved)
3. Gather data	Collect info on current and outsourced accounting

Useful tools and software

Use these tools to help measure your results:

Tool Type	Examples	What It Does
Accounting software	QuickBooks, Xero	Tracks money in and out
Time tracking	Toggl, Harvest	Measures how long tasks take
Project management	Asana, Trello	Helps organize work
Spreadsheets	Microsoft Excel	Helps sort and analyze numbers

Tips for data collection and analysis

When gathering and looking at your data:

• Use the same measures each time
• Make sure your numbers are right
• Look at all parts of your accounting work
• Check your data often

Understanding ROI results

How to review collected data

When you have your numbers, follow these steps:

1. Compare before and after: Look at the numbers before and after outsourcing.
2. Find patterns: Check if costs or other factors change in certain months.
3. Spot areas to improve: Use the data to find where you can do better.

Here's an example of what your data might show:

Category	Before Outsourcing	After Outsourcing
Monthly accounting costs	$10,000	$8,000
Weekly time on accounting	20 hours	10 hours
Monthly errors	5	1

Comparing to industry standards

To see how you're doing, compare your numbers to others in your field:

Method	How to do it
Online research	Find articles with data on accounting costs in your industry
Join trade groups	Get data from industry associations
Talk to other owners	Ask other businesses to share their numbers

Using results for business choices

Use your ROI data to make smart choices:

Decision	What to consider
Keep outsourcing?	If ROI is good, continue. If not, look at other options
Where to improve	Find ways to cut costs or work faster
Big decisions	Use data to decide on new tech or hiring staff

Conclusion

Key points recap

To check if outsourced accounting is worth it, look at these five main areas:

1. Money saved
2. Work done faster
3. Fewer mistakes
4. Help with big decisions
5. Ability to handle more work

By keeping track of these, businesses can make smart choices about their outsourced accounting and improve their money management.

When checking the results:

• Compare before and after outsourcing
• Look for patterns
• Find ways to do better

It's also good to see how your numbers compare to other businesses like yours and use what you learn to make choices.

Making outsourced accounting work better

To get the most from outsourced accounting:

What to do	Why it helps
Talk clearly	Avoid misunderstandings
Set real goals	Know what to expect
Work together	Solve problems faster

Check in often with your accounting partner to make sure things are going well. If something's not working, fix it quickly.

By working closely with your outsourced accounting team, you can:

• Find ways to improve
• Fix problems fast
• Change things when needed

Regular check-ins and open talks help make sure you're getting what you want from outsourced accounting.

FAQs

What is the ROI of outsourcing?

ROI for outsourcing shows if it's worth the money. Here's how to figure it out:

1. Add up all the money you save from outsourcing
2. Subtract the cost of outsourcing
3. Divide the result by the cost of outsourcing
4. Multiply by 100 to get a percentage

If the number is positive, outsourcing is saving you money.

How do you measure if outsourcing is working well?

To check if outsourcing is doing a good job, look at these key areas:

Area to Check	What to Look For
Money Saved	Are you spending less than before?
Work Quality	Are reports correct and reliable?
Speed	Is work done on time?
Happy Customers	Do people like the service?
Happy Workers	Are your in-house staff okay with it?
Getting More Done	Is more work finished now?
Working Smarter	Does accounting take less time now?

Keep track of these things to see if outsourcing is helping your business.

Related posts

• 10 Key Metrics for Evaluating Remote Accounting Software
• 10 Key KPIs for Outsourced Accounting Success
• Outsourcing Financial Reporting for Better Accuracy
• Understanding Accounting Outsourcing