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Industry-focused CPA firm in Raleigh, NC, serving businesses across the US

(336) 203-7399info@acecpas.com
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CPA-led controller oversight, every month

Outsourced controller services that catch margin drift early.

A controller sits between your bookkeeper and your tax CPA. For businesses with $1M to $50M in revenue, we run payables and collections, track cost by job or department and review your margins every month. A licensed CPA signs off before any report reaches you, your lender or your partners.

Get my free controller review Compare with a full-time hire

30 minutes with a licensed CPA No card No contract

5-star Google reviews
98%client retention in 2025
AP + ARmanaged for you
Monthlymargin review
CPAsign-off on every report

What changes

Four moments that go differently with a controller.

Pick a moment to see what usually happens, and what happens when someone owns the numbers every day.

Fix the moment that costs you most
UsuallyYou learn the job's profit after the cash is spent. Estimates and actuals never get compared, so nobody sees the drift.
With AceCPAsCost is checked against progress every month. Drift gets flagged while you can still reprice or raise a change order.

The layer between your bookkeeper and your CPA

What does an outsourced controller do?

An outsourced controller checks and manages the numbers your bookkeeper records. We pay bills on schedule, follow up overdue invoices, track cost by job or department, review margins every month and prepare statements for lenders. A licensed CPA signs off on every report.

BookkeeperRecords it"What did we spend?"Transactions entered, accounts reconciled.
This pageControllerChecks it and runs it"Is it right, and is it paid?"AP and AR managed, costs tracked by job, margins reviewed, reports signed off.
CFOPlans what comes next"What should we do?"Forecasts, budgets, financing and board reporting.
Tax CPAFiles and plans tax"What do we owe?"Returns, estimates and year-round tax planning.

AceCPAs covers all four. Most clients add the controller layer when revenue passes a few million or when a lender starts asking questions.

Every month A margin review you can act on. Each month we show where the profit sits, which jobs or departments moved and what to do about it. On a call, with a CPA. Margin by job, department or clientEvery swing named, with the dollar amountA short list of decisions for youSigned off by a licensed CPA Get my free controller review
01 · Payables Bills paid on schedule, statements matched.
02 · Collections Overdue invoices followed up, not forgotten. Receivables aged and chased on a schedule.
03 · Job and department costing Estimate against actual, every month. Gray is estimate. Amber means a job is running over.
04 · Lender and partner reports Statements a bank accepts without rework.
05 · Works with your team We sit above the people you already have.

What a full-time hire really costs

Fractional controller vs full-time controller: the real cost.

Move the sliders to match your market. Salary is only part of the bill.

$135,000
25%
20%

Default figures are illustrative. Change them to match your market. They are not AceCPAs fees.

Full-time hire, first year $250,750
Salary$135,000
Taxes and benefits$33,750
Recruiting fee$27,000
Bookkeeper$55,000
Every month after year one$18,646
With AceCPAsA CPA-led team for one fixed monthly fee, quoted after a free review. No recruiting, no gap when someone leaves, bookkeeping included or kept in-house.
Get my fixed monthly quote
Setup AReplace the hire

We run the full controller function, with bookkeeping and tax on the same team. No full-time controller on payroll.

Setup BSit above your bookkeeper

Keep your in-house bookkeeper. We add payables and collections oversight, job costing and the monthly margin review on top.

How onboarding works

From first review to a steady monthly rhythm.

  1. Weeks 1 to 2 · Review. A licensed CPA looks at your payables, collections, job costing and reports, and lists the gaps with the steps to fix them.
  2. Weeks 3 to 6 · Set up. Payment schedules, collection follow-ups, cost codes for your jobs or departments and report templates built around how you earn.
  3. Week 7 on · Run it monthly. Weekly payables and collections, a CPA-reviewed close and your margin review call.
  4. Every month · Margin review. Where the profit sits, what moved and what needs your decision.

Typical timeline. Your dates are set at onboarding.

Reports every month

See what a controller puts on your desk.

Profit by job, while the job is still open.

Estimate against actual for every open job or department, so a slipping margin shows up mid-project, not at close-out.

See these with your numbers
Actual margin by open jobIllustrative
Clinic buildout33%
Tenant fit-out26%
Warehouse retrofit22%
Service contracts42%

Warehouse retrofit is 6 points under its 28% estimate. Labor is running over on framing.

Free 30-minute review

See where your margin goes this month.

Get my free controller reviewCall (336) 203-7399

From the blog

Latest guides on cash flow and growth

See all guides

Cash flow & growth

Top 7 Financial Mistakes Growing Businesses Make After $500K in Revenue

Crossed $500K in revenue? Avoid the 7 financial mistakes that stall growing businesses, cash flow, pricing, tax & reporting errors. Read the guide.

Cash flow & growth

Cash Flow vs Profit: Why Profitable Businesses Still Struggle

Learn the key differences between cash flow and profit, why profitable businesses can face cash shortages, and how to improve financial stability.

Questions

Outsourced controller questions, answered.

Still have a question? Call (336) 203-7399 or email info@acecpas.com. Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM ET.

Reviewed by Mubarak Shah, CPA · Updated November 2026

Ask a CPA directly
What does an outsourced controller do?

A controller makes sure your books are right, then runs payables, collections, cost tracking by job or department and a monthly margin review. A licensed CPA signs off on every statement we prepare for lenders and partners.

What is the difference between a controller and a bookkeeper?

A bookkeeper records transactions and reconciles accounts. A controller makes sure those numbers are right, manages the money moving in and out and turns the books into reports you can make decisions with.

Do I need a controller or a CFO?

A controller looks at the current month and makes sure it is correct. A CFO looks forward, with forecasts, budgets and financing. Most growing businesses need the controller layer first, because a forecast is only as good as the books under it.

When does a business need a controller?

Common signs: revenue passes a few million, you run several jobs or locations, collections slip past 60 days, a lender asks for monthly statements or covenant figures or the owner is still the one checking every bill.

Can I keep my in-house bookkeeper?

Yes. Some clients have us run the full function. Others keep an in-house bookkeeper and bring us in for payables and collections oversight, job costing and the monthly margin review.

Do you handle job costing and WIP for contractors?

Yes. We code costs by job, compare them with your estimates every month and keep a WIP schedule that ties to the books, with revenue recognized on percentage of completion.

Which accounting software do you work in?

We work in QuickBooks Online. If you use QuickBooks Desktop, Xero or another system, we move your file during setup at no extra charge.

How much does an outsourced controller cost?

It depends on your transaction volume, the number of entities, jobs or locations and how much of the bookkeeping we run. After a free 30-minute review you get a fixed-fee proposal with one monthly fee, before any work starts. No hourly billing. The calculator above shows what a full-time hire costs for comparison.

Other services

One firm for every layer of your finances.

The foundationBookkeeping & AccountingEvery account reconciled and your books closed by the 15th, reviewed by a CPA.Start with clean books Plan aheadFractional CFOCash forecasts, budgets, KPI and board reporting, plus a CFO in the room for big decisions.Plan with a CFO Pay lessTax PlanningIncome, deductions and credits reviewed during the year, then your business returns prepared and filed.Plan taxes before year end Sell or buyQuality of EarningsCPA-led QoE for SBA 7(a) lenders, buyers and sellers. Delivered in 2 weeks from a complete file.Price a QoE for your deal

Industries we serve

IndustryConstruction IndustryHealthcare IndustryEcommerce IndustrySaaS & AI

Further reading

InsightsCash Flow vs Profit: Why Profitable Businesses Still Struggle InsightsWhy “Clean Books” Are Not Enough for Business Growth InsightsDo You Need a Fractional CFO or Just a Bookkeeper?

Free 30-minute CPA review

Bring three months of statements. Leave with your first fix.

Thirty minutes with a licensed CPA. We tell you the first thing we would change, whether or not you hire us.

  1. 1Book a 30-minute callPick a time that works for you.
  2. 2Share three months of statementsOr read-only ledger access.
  3. 3Get a fixed feeOne price for the agreed scope, set before any work starts.
Book a free CPA reviewCall (336) 203-7399

No card, no contract. If we are not the right fit, we say so.