How Offshore CPAs Complement Your In-House Accounting Team

If your company plans to outsource accounting support from an offshore location, you must remember that your offshore accountants are not replacements for your in-house accounting team.  

In essence, companies with an established in-house accounting team employ offshore support to help them widen the scope of their services and capabilities, expand their operations, and handle overwhelming workloads – they act as an extension of your own team, adding value to your accounting processes. 

But why is offshore accounting support only considered as an extension of your team and cannot replace your in-house accounting team?  

For companies with an established accounting team, the foundation of your financial management practices and other accounting processes are mostly anchored in the fact that your employees are in-house. They are able to offer extensive insights, can address financial concerns and risks in real-time and lend their expertise by fully focusing on optimizing your company's processes. 
 
In this arrangement, offshore accounting support acts as relief for your in-house team instead of a replacement. With the institutional knowledge of your in-house accounting team and the extensive exposure of your offshore accounting support in the latest trends in finance and accounting, your accounting department can be positioned to be more than just back-end support that handles your financial management, but a department that can take active part in achieving your company's goals.  
 
 

When Do You Onboard an Offshore Accounting Team? 

As said earlier, onboarding offshore accounting support often comes when there is a gap to fill in your company's financial operations. Here, we listed the common signs that show it is time to onboard offshore accounting support.  

Expansion or Scaling Up of Operations 

If your company has begun to expand to different markets and locations or if you are taking on more clients and scaling up your operations, it means that your finance and accounting responsibilities are about to multiply. Remember, every change and decision in a company comes with a financial aspect – affecting your financial management and accounting efforts.  

When your in-house accounting team starts to become overwhelmed by the increase of their tasks, then you should take that as the first sign that it’s time to onboard additional support. 
  

The Need for Global Expertise 

If you are beginning to do business on an international and global scale, you can leverage the expertise of offshore accounting support when it comes to global standards. 
 
Offshore accountants are well-versed in various accounting standards and regulations, such as the GAAP and IFRS -- including any relevant updates, regulatory changes, and nuances that apply to your country or industry. 
 
This kind of support ensures that your entrance to a new market or country goes smoothly, paving the way for longevity and success. 

Lack of Internal Company Security Measures 

With the risks that companies face today, it is important for us to prioritize our data security and protect our information. However, if you have yet to be able to allocate resources to adopt technological advancements in your company-wide processes, then employing outsourced support with the technological proficiency for your accounting needs is a great first step towards digitalization. 

Because of the offshore nature of offshore accounting support, these outsourced providers often use the latest finance and accounting software and equip themselves with the latest in security efforts. By partnering with them and utilizing their services for your accounting needs, you are extending their security and technology efforts and merging them with your own – securing your financial information and your financial processes. 

Related: In-House Vs. Outsource Accounting: The Difference  

In-House Staff Accountant vs. Offshore Accounting Support: What's the Difference?  

What Does an In-House Accountant Do?  

Before we talk about why having an offshore accountant can be great for your in-house team, let's first look at what both in-house and offshore accountants do.   

In-house accountants are key members of your finance team who handle day-to-day accounting tasks.   

Their responsibilities typically include:  

General Ledger Management: Handling financial records, transactions, and account reconciliations.  

Accounts Payable/Receivable: Managing invoices, tracking payments, and ensuring timely collection of receivables.  

Tax Preparation: Assisting with tax compliance, deductions, and filing requirements  

Internal Reporting: Providing regular financial reports and analysis to the managers.  

Payroll Management: Managing employee payments, benefits, and deductions.  

What Does an Offshore Accounting Support Provider Do?  

On the other hand, offshore accountants are professionals located in a different country -- outside of your locality. They are often employed by third parties (outsourcing companies) and can act as back-end support to your in-house accounting team.   

They offer specialized services that can complement your in-house team – benefitting your company long term, such as:  

Bookkeeping: Recording daily transactions and keeping things organized. 

Financial Reporting: Preparing monthly reports and helping with budgeting.  

Account Reconciliation: Checking for any mistakes or missing info in financial records.  

Financial Analysis: Conducting in-depth financial analysis into your organization finances to give useful advice to the top management for key decision making.  

Tax Support: For companies that need help with preparing specific tax requirements, offshore accounting services can be an excellent option.  

Audit Support: For organizations that need help with audits, offshore accountants can assist in the preparation for both internal and external audits.  

Cost Management: Offshore accountants can also help identify cost-saving opportunities and advise on efficient resource allocation.  

Read: A Comprehensive Guide to Accounting Outsourcing Services   

Key Differences Between In-house Staff Accountants and Offshore Accountants  

Here’s a table comparing an in-house staff accountant and an offshore accountant so you can see how they complement each other:  

An accountant from finance and accounting outsourcing companies can be a great addition to your team. They can assist in managing day-to-day work, offering insights from global financial practices, and helping your team scale up during peak times while your in-house staff focuses their efforts on higher-level tasks.    

How Offshore Accounting Support Complement Your In-House Team  

Offshore employees can provide several benefits to your organization. Here are a few ways they can support your in-house team: 

Reducing Workload by Taking Over Repetitive Tasks

When offshore accountants take on tasks like data entry, account checking, and report preparation, it lightens the load on your in-house team. This gives your in-house accountants time to focus on other strategic tasks.

Lowering Costs Without Sacrificing Quality

Hiring an offshore accountant can be much cheaper than adding more in-house staff. By cutting costs, you can put more resources toward important areas like technology upgrades or training.   

For example, the latest data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that US-based accountants and auditors receive a median pay of $81,680 per year or $39.27 per hour 

On the other hand, working with accountants from offshore locations like the Philippines tend to cost you less. The median yearly salary of full-time Filipino accountants, for instance, is $6,120.93 yearly. This means hiring an offshore accountant from the Philippines can lower your overhead cost and help you to save you up on your monthly expenses.     

*Based on the converted amount. The original data shows that the average yearly salary of accountants in the Philippines is ₱339,133 with one US dollar being equivalent to 55.41 Philippine pesos.

Providing Fresh Perspectives

Offshore accountants often have a range of experiences and can offer fresh ideas to improve processes -- further optimizing your own financial processes. They may have worked with different types of clients and can suggest ways to make your workflows or processes more efficient.  

Round-the-Clock Productivity

Time zones can work in your favor. When your in-house team finishes for the day, your offshore team can keep the operation working.   

This means that you can have a 24/7 operation, which is especially useful if you have clients from different time zones and helpful if you’re working on a tight deadline.    

You’ll also have access to a larger pool of talent with offshore accountants, which means that you can find accountants with specific skills and experience that are hard to find locally.  

You might be interested: How Can You Manage the Risks of Offshore Outsourcing?  

Tips for a Smooth Offshore and In-House Partnership  

For your in-house and offshore teams to work well together, good communication and smart processes are key. Here’s how to make this partnership work:  

Set Up Clear Ways to Communicate  

One way to make the partnership work is to make sure to have centralized communication tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, or email. This way, you can ensure that everyone is working on the same page. Regular meetings and updates can also be facilitated through these tools, promoting consistency and clarity in the workflow of your organization.   

Define Roles and Responsibilities  

To fully utilize the benefits of offshore accounting solutions, you must also see to it that everyone knows their task and that you are aligned towards a common goal. By clearly defining the job description of your outsourced team members, it prevents confusion and duplication of efforts within the team, fully utilizing the time and resources of both your in-house and your offshore team. 

Set-Up Shared Platforms  

To make the collaboration easy, your outsourcing firm or partner may use cloud-based software for real-time collaboration and data sharing. Platforms like QuickBooks, Xero, or Google Workspace can help both teams work well together.  

Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)  

Consistency is the key to running a successful organization. Hence, creating data security processes and a standard SOP within the organization can facilitate a more consistent collaboration between your in-house and offshore accounting teams.  

Check-In Regularly  

Schedule regular performance reviews to see how things are going within your team. This helps spot any issues early on and make improvements if necessary.  

Encourage Team-Building Activities  

Even if your teams are in different locations, it is still important to conduct virtual team-building activities since it will help build rapport and foster a sense of unity within your accounting functions.  

Invest in Training and Development  

Offer ongoing training for both in-house and offshore teams. This ensures everyone stays updated with the latest accounting practices and software.  

By following these tips, you can create a friendly and productive partnership between your in-house and offshore accounting teams.  

Read Next: 6 Tips on How to Make your Accounting Outsourcing Engagement Work 

Find the Support You Need  

Adding offshore accounting support to your team doesn’t mean cutting back on your in-house staff—it’s about adding support where you need it most.    

By bringing in offshore accounting services, you can free up your in-house team to focus on the tasks that require their expertise and experience; while still getting the support you need to meet your financial goals. Contact us today and we'll help you find the right solution for your needs.  

You can also download our case study, How a US based Accounting and Audit Firm Resolve their Talent Shortages Through Accounting Outsourcing to learn how we helped and provided accounting and advisory services for our US client to help them overcome talent shortages by outsourcing their accounting needs. 

First Published on 13 November 2024 and updated on 9 May 2025 by Aly Tagamolila to update information and increase comprehensiveness