FreshBooks Accounting Services in Chicago, IL
Lewis.cpa provides FreshBooks setup and bookkeeping support to Chicago businesses and clients nationwide. We help service-based companies manage invoicing, track billable time, and keep financial records organized without the hassle.
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Why FreshBooks Works for Service Businesses
FreshBooks is built specifically for businesses that bill by the hour or on a project basis. Whether you're a solo consultant or running a growing agency, you’ll appreciate the platform’s ability to track time, send invoices, and get paid.
- Everyone gets access: Add your team, your CPA, and your bookkeeper at no extra charge. No per-user fees means true collaboration.
- Your bank feeds In automatically: Connect your bank accounts and credit cards. Transactions are imported daily and categorize themselves based on patterns you set.
- Work from anywhere: Desktop, phone, tablet — your financial data syncs across everything. Check an invoice status during a client meeting or log time from the job site.
- Get paid faster: Send professional invoices in seconds, accept credit cards and ACH payments online, and set up automatic payment reminders for overdue accounts.
- See your numbers in real time: Pull up profit and loss, outstanding invoices, or project profitability whenever you need it. No waiting until month-end to know where you stand.
What We Do with FreshBooks
Our team handles everything from initial setup to monthly bookkeeping, allowing you to focus on billable work instead of administrative tasks.
Financial Statements
Monthly profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow reports. We prepare them, review them with you, and explain what the numbers mean for your business.
FreshBooks Setup & Configuration
We build your chart of accounts, set up invoice templates with your branding, connect payment processors, and configure tax settings for your state and industry.
Daily Bookkeeping
We categorize transactions, match bank feeds, record bills and payments, and keep your books updated. You'll always know what you owe and what clients owe you.
Time & Project Tracking Setup
We configure project budgets, establish billable rates by team member or service type, and implement systems for turning tracked hours into invoices.
Invoicing & Collections
From estimates and proposals through final payment, we help manage the billing cycle. That includes creating templates, setting up recurring invoices, and following up on past-due accounts.
Expense & Receipt Management
Snap photos of receipts with your phone for us to categorize and record. We track everything from office supplies to mileage so you don't miss deductions at tax time.
Mileage Tracking
Set up FreshBooks' mileage tracking to automatically log business trips. We'll categorize them and calculate deductions based on current IRS rates.
Proposals & Estimates
Create professional-looking proposals and estimates that convert to invoices with one click when clients approve. We'll set up templates that match your branding.
Tax Preparation & Planning
We prepare quarterly estimated taxes, file your returns, and provide year-round planning to help minimize what you owe. Your FreshBooks data feeds directly into tax software.
Platform Training
We show your team how to log time, create invoices, submit expenses, and run reports. Training sessions cover what you actually need to know, not every feature that exists.
Ongoing Consulting
When questions come up, we're here to answer them. Need a custom report? Want to change how something's categorized? No problem; we handle it.
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Stop Wrestling with Invoices
Let Lewis.cpa set up FreshBooks the right way and keep your books current every month.
Who Does This Work For?
We work with service businesses across Chicago that need simple, effective tools for billing clients and tracking profitability.
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Track billable hours by attorney and case, manage trust accounts, send detailed invoices, and stay compliant with Illinois bar requirements.
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Track commission income by property, invoice for services, manage transaction expenses, and organize everything by client for clean tax reporting.
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Monitor job costs, track subcontractor expenses, bill clients with progress invoicing, and see which project types actually make money.
Bill patients and insurance companies, track supply expenses, manage multiple providers, and generate reports by service type or provider.
Set up proper billing systems from the start. Professional invoices, organized expenses, and financial reports that investors actually want to see.
Stop using spreadsheets to track who owes you money. FreshBooks handles invoicing, expenses, and basic accounting without requiring an accounting degree.
Bill accurately with detailed time tracking, create project-based invoices, manage client retainers, and analyze which clients and projects are most profitable.
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Track time across multiple clients and projects, send proposals that convert to invoices, accept online payments, and manage everything from one place.
FreshBooks Plan Options
FreshBooks charges based on how many active clients you bill monthly. Our team is here to help you pick the right plan and move up when you need to.
- FreshBooks Lite: Up to 5 billable clients. Includes unlimited invoicing, expense tracking, receipt capture, and basic reporting. Good for solo freelancers just starting.
- FreshBooks Plus: Up to 50 billable clients. Adds automated late payment reminders, proposal templates, recurring billing, and more detailed reports.
- FreshBooks Premium: Up to 500 billable clients. Includes team time tracking, project profitability reports, and a dedicated account manager.
- FreshBooks Select: Custom enterprise option with unlimited clients, advanced features, and priority support for high-volume service businesses.
Every plan includes the mobile app, automatic payment processing, unlimited users, and receipt scanning.
How We Get You Set Up
We follow a process that gets FreshBooks running smoothly without disrupting your current operations.
- Discovery call: On this call, we discuss how you bill clients now, what's working, what's frustrating, and what you need from an accounting system.
- Account setup: We configure your FreshBooks account with custom invoice templates, your logo and colors, payment gateway connections, and tax settings.
- Service catalog & rates: We build out your service offerings, set hourly rates, create project templates, and organize expense categories.
- Data migration: We bring over existing client information, open invoices, and relevant financial data so you start with complete records.
- Team training: We walk through creating invoices, tracking time, logging expenses, processing payments, and running the reports you'll actually use.
- Ongoing support: After launch, we check in regularly, refine processes, add integrations as needed, and ensure FreshBooks keeps working for you as you grow.
Why Work with Us?
Our CPAs have set up FreshBooks for dozens of service businesses. We know the software, and we know accounting.
We Know FreshBooks Inside Out
Your Data Stays Secure
We Do More Than Software Setup
We Connect Everything
Services That Fit Your Needs
Client Reviews
FAQs
Is FreshBooks good for service businesses?
Yes. FreshBooks was designed specifically for businesses that bill by the hour or on a project basis. As time tracking integrates directly with invoicing, it’s easy to turn billable hours into professional invoices.Does FreshBooks track mileage?
Yes. FreshBooks includes mileage tracking that logs your trips automatically when you drive. We can set this up and show you how to categorize business vs. personal miles for accurate tax deductions.What connects to FreshBooks?
FreshBooks integrates with Stripe, PayPal, Square, and other payment processors, plus project management tools, CRM software, and calendars. Our team handles the integration setup so that everything talks to each other.FreshBooks vs QuickBooks — which is better?
FreshBooks works better for service businesses that bill hourly or by project, with superior time tracking and simpler client management. QuickBooks handles inventory and more complex accounting better. Call us, and we'll help you figure out which fits your business.
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Get Your FreshBooks Account Running Right
Contact Lewis.cpa to set up FreshBooks properly and get ongoing bookkeeping support that delivers real value.