AI won’t do your tax returns, and you shouldn’t let it. What it does well is the writing and admin around the work: the client emails, the checklists, the summaries and the explanations you write ten times a week. These 30 prompts cover exactly that. They work in ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, Copilot or Gemini.
Replace anything in [square brackets]. If an answer comes back too long or too generic, add “under 100 words” or a real example of what good looks like.
Before you paste anything: three rules
- No identifying client data. No names with financial details, no tax ID or social insurance numbers, no bank account numbers. Use “Client A” and round figures, or a business plan whose terms say your data isn’t used for training.
- AI drafts, you decide. Never send an AI answer about tax treatment without checking it yourself. Treat technical answers as a starting point for your own research.
- Check every number and date. Summaries are usually right; specific figures are where mistakes hide.
Client communication (1–8)
1. Turn notes into a client email
Rewrite these notes as a short, friendly email to a bookkeeping client. Plain English, no jargon, under 120 words, with one clear request at the end. Notes: [notes]
2. Ask for missing documents
Write a polite reminder to a client who still hasn’t sent [list of documents] for [month]. List the items as bullets, give a deadline of [date], and keep it under 100 words.
3. Explain a concept simply
Explain [accrual vs cash accounting / depreciation / a balance sheet] to a small business owner with no accounting background, in under 150 words, using an example from a [type of business].
4. Deliver unwelcome news
A client owes more tax than expected because [reason]. Draft a calm, clear email that explains why in plain terms, what the options are, and the next step, without sounding alarmed. Under 180 words.
5. Handle a fee increase
Draft an email telling a long-standing client that their monthly fee will rise from [old] to [new] from [date] because [reason]. Appreciative, direct, no over-apologising.
6. Reply to a complaint
A client is unhappy that [situation]. Draft a reply that acknowledges the problem, explains what we’ll do and by when, and doesn’t admit fault beyond the facts. Under 150 words.
7. Chase an overdue invoice
Write a friendly first reminder for invoice [number] for [amount], [X] days overdue. Include how to pay and offer a quick call if there’s a problem.
8. Year-end check-in
Write a short email to business clients before year end, listing five things they should do or send us before [date] to make their year-end smoother.
Onboarding (9–13)
9. Welcome email
Write a warm welcome email for a new bookkeeping client. Cover what happens in the first two weeks, what we need from them, and how to reach us. Under 200 words.
10. Intake questions
List the questions a bookkeeper should ask a new small business client during onboarding, grouped under: business details, bank and card accounts, software, payroll, sales tax, and how they want to communicate.
11. Engagement letter scope
Draft a plain-English scope section for an engagement letter covering monthly bookkeeping for a small business: what’s included, what’s not, client responsibilities and document deadlines. Mark it as a draft for professional review.
12. Kick-off call agenda
Create a 30-minute kick-off call agenda for a new bookkeeping client, with timings and the decisions we need by the end.
13. Onboarding checklist
Create an onboarding checklist for a new [type of business] client, from signed proposal to the first month closed, in order, with who does each step.
Review and quality (14–18)
14. Spot oddities in a summary
Here is an anonymised monthly profit and loss summary. List anything that looks unusual compared with a typical [type of business], and the questions I should ask the client. [paste summary]
15. Categorise transactions (first pass)
Suggest an expense category for each of these anonymised bank transaction descriptions, using a standard small business chart of accounts. Mark any you’re unsure about. [paste descriptions]
16. Review a reconciliation note
Read my reconciliation notes and tell me what’s unclear or missing for a reviewer who wasn’t involved. [paste notes]
17. Month-end close checklist
Write a month-end close checklist for a small business on [QuickBooks / Xero], in order, including reconciliations, reviews and what to send the client.
18. Write a review comment
Turn these review points into clear, polite notes for a junior bookkeeper, each with what to fix and why it matters. [points]
Marketing your practice (19–24)
19. Service page
Write a service page for [monthly bookkeeping / catch-up bookkeeping] for [audience]. Lead with the problem, then what’s included, then how to start. Under 300 words, no hype words.
20. LinkedIn post
Write a LinkedIn post from a bookkeeper sharing one practical tip about [topic] for small business owners. Under 150 words, conversational, ending with a question.
21. Newsletter
Draft a short monthly newsletter for small business clients with one deadline reminder, one practical tip about [topic], and one line about a service we offer.
22. FAQ for your website
Write eight questions small business owners ask a bookkeeper before hiring one, with short, honest answers.
23. Review request
Write a short message asking a happy client for a Google review, with the link [link], sent after we finish their [service].
24. Referral ask
Draft a brief, non-pushy email asking a satisfied client if they know another business owner who could use our help, and how to introduce them.
Admin and running the firm (25–30)
25. Summarise a long email thread
Summarise this email thread in five bullets, then list any decisions needed or deadlines, with dates. [paste thread, anonymised]
26. Meeting notes to actions
Turn these meeting notes into an action list with owner and due date for each item. [notes]
27. Write an SOP
Write a step-by-step standard operating procedure for [task], for a new team member, with the tools used and common mistakes to avoid.
28. Job description
Write a job description for a [part-time bookkeeper / virtual assistant] at a small accounting firm, with responsibilities, required skills and how we work.
29. Tracker design
Design a Google Sheets tracker for [purpose]: the column headings, which should be dropdowns and their options, and the formulas for any calculated columns.
30. Plan your week
Here are my tasks and deadlines for the week: [list]. Arrange them into a realistic plan, putting client deadlines first and leaving one hour a day free for interruptions.
Getting better answers
| Problem | Add this to the prompt |
|---|---|
| Too long | “Under 100 words” or “half the length” |
| Too generic | The business type, the audience, a real example |
| Wrong tone | “Write like a friendly accountant, not a salesperson” |
| Invented details | “Only use what I gave you. Say if something is missing.” |
| Overconfident on tax | “Flag anything that needs checking against current rules” |
From prompts to a system
Once a prompt works, you can stop copying and pasting. Prompts 2, 7 and 25 are the usual first candidates for automation: an AI assistant can prepare those drafts every week for you to approve, as described in how an AI assistant for accounting firms runs your daily work and the Grok Bot setup guide. For more everyday uses outside accounting, see 10 practical ways to use AI this week. Not sure which tool to use? Read ChatGPT vs Claude vs Grok vs Copilot.
