Pam's Miracles on Paper

Joe Maumie

Jul 18, 2023on

AVOID!!! I contacted Pam in January to do my books, after my accountant retired. WHAT A MISTAKE. She initially quoted 40 hours, said it would be flat rate and would email a formal quote. Two months later, no quote and a bill for 55 hours. First submission was simply the bank and CC statements scanned and balanced, no sales invoices, vendor receipts, cash transactions or PayPal, and it was after the business tax cutoff date that Pam promised would be no problem to complete it by. She does not understand accrual accounting and is clueless how to back out end of year transactions. The starting balance she entered was wrong and that threw off everything that followed, to the tune of $119K. Screwed up the asset depreciation and inventory, recorded 2 loan deposits as a product sales, randomly shifted sales tax around between 3 accounts. Total nightmare, and after six months of me being patient and her not returning calls or emails for weeks at a time, cut her loose and fixed the rest of her mistakes myself. You have been warned! Response... Pam was given ALL statements, invoices, receipts, tax filings and payroll filings, ALL CLEARLY ANNOTATED FOR THE YEAR AND ACCOUNT THEY WERE ATTRIBUTABLE TO and was specifically told about the paycheck not cashed for 11 months in our first meeting. Since she did nothing with my files for two months, she obviously forgot. First, she lost the savings account statement and did not record any interest for the year until I sent her another copy. She also lost the 4th quarter payroll forms and had to be sent another copy. She missed the previous years accounts payable for sales tax on the GL she admitted receiving and rolled the mistake into a bogus beginning balance correction. She entered a depreciable asset as inventory, even though the invoice was clearly marked. She then entered that depreciation incorrectly, so it showed up as a NEGATIVE expense on the P&L (..and she insisted she was correct, even though you cannot have a negative depreciation expense ) She entered a $50k loan as sales income, sold to myself, even though she had the paper showing the loan. She created an unnecessary sales tax account, even though one already existed, when that error was pointed out, she transferred those transactions to the Franchise tax account, where they also did not belong. After pointing out that mistake, she transferred all but one into the correct sales tax account and that entry is still sitting in the wrong account today. She missed separating material expenses from consultant expenses on an invoice (clearly marked) and after asking her twice to correct it, it is still wrong today. I use a separate MRP program for inventory and instructed her how we calculate COGS and to not enter any inventory into QB, she ignored me and then created a partial inventory in QB, tied to the invoices she created, that generated bogus COGS that had to be removed. Those are not mistakes tied to transferring accrual files into QB, those are data entry and procedural mistakes. The reason it took 6 months is she does not respond to emails or voicemail for weeks at a time, and finally, all my paperwork came back (the first time) wreaking of cigarette smoke. There are numerous other mistakes that I have since forgotten, but if you want to waste your time double checking all her work, that is your decision. ...again, you have been warned.

Terri Ellis

Oct 2, 2019on

Pam and I have been working together for 3 plus years. She stepped in when a bookkeeper left me high and dry 7 days before taxes were due with 7 returns to file. She is extremely personable, timely, helpful, knowledgeable and dedicated to her clients as well as funny. I would highly recommend her.

Cheri Gray

Sep 6, 2019on

Pam has guided the organization of my paper work flow in our small business. Everything is now in place and in order. She stream-lined several things for me which has allowed me to work much more efficently and make less mistakes. Her personality is positive and soooo supportive. She has always been available to help me thru any hiccups I have run into. I have her phone number taped to the top of my monitor and she is the first person I call for help!