Chapter 12 Resources

Putting It All Together—The 90-Day Plan

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Key Concept

A goal without a plan is just a wish.

The 90-Day Framework: Specific actions, timing, and milestones to move from wherever you are to a fundamentally different foundation.

Figures (Full Resolution)

Figure 12.1: 90-Day Implementation Timeline

90-Day Timeline The three phases of Tax Ready implementation: Foundation (assessment, cleanup, policy), Implementation (rules, automation, training), and Optimization (measure, refine, forecast).

Downloadable Resources

Implementation Planning Tools

The Three Phases

Overview

Phase Days Focus Exit Criteria
Foundation 1-30 Assessment, cleanup, policy All banks reconciled, zero suspense, 5 policies documented
Implementation 31-60 Rules, automation, training Policies running, team trained, first close complete
Optimization 61-90 Measure, refine, forecast Score 80+, 95% compliance, forecast operational

Phase 1: Foundation (Days 1-30)

Week 1: Assessment

Task Time Owner Done
Complete full 9-category scorecard 2-3 hrs Controller/Owner [ ]
Document specific gaps and priorities 1 hr Controller [ ]
Establish baseline metrics 1 hr Controller [ ]
Define success criteria for Day 90 30 min Owner [ ]

Week 2: Critical Cleanup

Task Time Owner Done
Clear all uncategorized/suspense transactions 4-8 hrs Bookkeeper [ ]
Complete reconciliations >45 days overdue 2-4 hrs Bookkeeper [ ]
Clean up vendor duplicates (merge names) 2-3 hrs Bookkeeper [ ]
Attach documentation to transactions >$1,000 4-8 hrs Team [ ]

Weeks 3-4: Policy Foundation

Task Time Owner Done
Document top 5 policies in English 4 hrs Owner/Controller [ ]
Translate to executable rules 2-4 hrs Implementer [ ]
Configure monitoring and alerts 2-4 hrs Tech/Implementer [ ]
Create first dual-language documentation 2 hrs Controller [ ]

Phase 1 Exit Criteria Checklist


  • All banks reconciled within 30 days

  • Zero transactions in suspense accounts

  • 5 core policies documented in dual-language format

  • Monitoring infrastructure ready

Phase 2: Implementation (Days 31-60)

Week 5: Rule Deployment

Task Time Owner Done
Deploy automated policy checks 4 hrs Implementer [ ]
Activate 10-day evaluation window 1 hr Implementer [ ]
Configure “What was this for?” prompts 2 hrs Implementer [ ]
Train team on exception handling 2 hrs Controller [ ]

Week 6: Documentation Automation

Task Time Owner Done
Configure QBO custom fields (if applicable) 2 hrs Implementer [ ]
Implement document intake automation 4 hrs Implementer [ ]
Enable AI categorization suggestions 2 hrs Implementer [ ]
Test learning loop with corrections 2 hrs Team [ ]

Weeks 7-8: Team Training & First Close

Task Time Owner Done
Update SOPs for new workflows 4 hrs Controller [ ]
Run first month-end close with new processes 8 hrs Team [ ]
Document issues and refinements 2 hrs Controller [ ]
Adjust thresholds based on reality 1 hr Owner/Controller [ ]

Phase 2 Exit Criteria Checklist


  • Policy automation running for all 5 core policies

  • Team trained on new workflows

  • First month-end close completed with new process

  • Exception handling documented

Phase 3: Optimization (Days 61-90)

Week 9: Measure & Score

Task Time Owner Done
Review compliance metrics across all categories 2 hrs Controller [ ]
Analyze AI accuracy and acceptance rates 1 hr Implementer [ ]
Re-run Tax Ready Assessment 2 hrs Controller/External [ ]
Identify remaining gaps 1 hr Controller [ ]

Weeks 10-11: Refinement

Task Time Owner Done
Reduce exception volume by 30%+ 4 hrs Team [ ]
Add policies 6-10 based on findings 4 hrs Controller [ ]
Fine-tune AI confidence thresholds 2 hrs Implementer [ ]
Optimize approval routing 2 hrs Controller [ ]

Week 12: Forward Focus

Task Time Owner Done
Deploy 13-week cash flow forecast 4 hrs Controller [ ]
Establish monthly review cadence 1 hr Owner [ ]
Document lessons learned 2 hrs Team [ ]
Plan ongoing maintenance 1 hr Controller [ ]

Phase 3 Exit Criteria Checklist


  • Tax Ready score 80+ (GREEN)

  • 95%+ policy compliance rate

  • AI categorization at 75%+ acceptance rate

  • 13-week forecast operational

Success Criteria Summary

Metric Target
Tax Ready score 80+ overall
No category below Yellow (50)
Policy compliance rate 95%+
10-day evaluation window Active
AI categorization acceptance 75%+
13-week cash forecast Operational
Team training Complete

Case Study: Meridian Engineering

Profile: 45-person civil engineering firm, $4.2M revenue

Day 1: Score 46 (RED)

Problem Status
Bank reconciliations 6 months behind
Vendors 340 total, 120 duplicates, 89 missing W-9s
Documentation rate 23% of expenses >$500
Approval process None documented
Year-end prep 80+ hours

Day 90: Score 82 (GREEN) — Up 36 Points

Improvement Result
Reconciliations Current (within 7 days)
Vendors 220 cleaned, 100% W-9 compliance
Documentation rate 89%
Dual-language policies 8 processes
13-week forecast Operational

Results

Metric Before After Improvement
Year-end prep 80 hours 15 hours 81% reduction
Month-end close 18 hours 6 hours 67% faster
Duplicate recovery – $4,200 Found money
Audit result Issues Clean First time ever

Investment: $8,500 engagement + ~60 hours internal time Estimated Annual Savings: $35,000+

Partner: “We built systems that prevent the mess from coming back. Our CPA literally thanked us.”

What You’ll Have at Day 90

Outcome Description
Books you can trust Clean, documented, audit-ready
Systems that enforce Policies that run, not sit
Questions asked early “What was this?” asked this week, not next March
AI that helps Categorization suggestions, pattern detection
Forward visibility Cash flow you can see, scenarios you can model
Foundation for growth Systems that scale, processes that onboard quickly

Two Paths Forward

Path 1: Do It Yourself

Everything in this book is implementable without outside help.

Factor DIY Reality
Timeline 6-12 months (vs. 90 days guided)
Learning curve You’ll discover gotchas the hard way
Technology You’ll need to evaluate and configure tools
Iteration Expect 2-3 attempts to get policies right

It’s doable. Many businesses do it. Just know what you’re signing up for.

Path 2: Guided Implementation

Expert eyes on your books. Proven methodology.

What you get: – Your current Tax Ready score – Top 3-5 specific findings – Clear recommendation: self-fix, engagement, or “you’re actually fine”

Who qualifies: – QuickBooks Online users – Established businesses ($250K+ annual revenue) – Ready to implement (not just research)

Pro Tip

Export a backup of your QBO data monthly. While Intuit maintains backups, having your own copy protects you from accidental deletions, gives you audit history, and ensures you can access your data if you ever switch platforms.

Key Takeaways

  1. 90 days is enough for fundamental improvement with focus and execution
  2. Three phases: Foundation (assess/cleanup), Implementation (rules/automation), Optimization (monitoring/forecasting)
  3. The 10-day window transforms year-end detective work into timely confirmation
  4. Specific milestones let you know if you’re on track
  5. Outcome: Trustworthy books, enforced policies, AI assistance, forward visibility

Your Next Step

You’ve made it through the book. The only question: Are your books actually tax ready?

Find out in 30 minutes. Apply for a complimentary assessment—no sales pitch, just facts.

Apply for Tax Ready Assessment →

(QuickBooks Online users with established businesses—apply to see if you qualify)

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