What is CAS in accounting? Client accounting and advisory services explained
Short answer: CAS stands for client accounting services, also called client advisory services. It is the part of an accounting firm that runs a business client’s accounting on an ongoing basis, such as bookkeeping, payroll, the monthly close, and financial statements, and then advises on the numbers with budgeting, forecasting, and CFO-level work. The AICPA describes CAS as a practice area for CPA firms and publishes resources for it at aicpa-cima.com.
For a business owner, CAS is another name for outsourced accounting delivered by a CPA firm.
What does CAS stand for?
Firms use the acronym two ways: client accounting services (the recurring accounting work) and client advisory services (the advice built on top of it). Most firms mean both. Some also use “accounting advisory services” or “business advisory services” for the advisory half.
What is included in client accounting services?
| Accounting layer | Advisory layer |
|---|---|
| Bookkeeping and reconciliations Accounts payable and receivable Payroll Monthly close and financial statements Controller review and internal controls | Budgets and forecasts Cash flow planning KPI dashboards Pricing and profitability analysis Fractional CFO work |
A CAS engagement usually starts with the accounting layer and adds advisory work once the monthly numbers are reliable.
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How is CAS different from tax and audit?
- Tax work prepares returns and plans for taxes, usually on an annual or quarterly cycle.
- Audit and assurance work gives an independent opinion on financial statements. Independence rules can limit how much other work an audit firm does for the same client.
- CAS is recurring, month-to-month work inside your finance function. It produces the books that tax and audit rely on.
Many CPA firms offer all three. If you want your CAS firm to also prepare your tax return, ask; it is common but not universal.
How is CAS priced?
Most CAS work is billed as a fixed monthly fee for a defined scope, sometimes in tiers (for example, bookkeeping only, bookkeeping plus close and controller review, or all of that plus CFO advisory). Clean-up of past months and special projects are usually billed separately. Use the cost calculator to describe your scope before you request quotes.
Who uses client accounting services?
- Owner-led companies that have outgrown do-it-yourself books
- Startups that need investor-ready reporting without a finance team
- Multi-location or multi-entity businesses that need consolidated statements
- Nonprofits and professional practices that need clean monthly reporting
- Companies whose in-house finance staff need senior review
How do you choose a CAS firm?
- Ask which services sit in each tier and what the monthly fee covers.
- Ask who your day-to-day contact is and who reviews the close.
- Confirm the close calendar and the reports you will get.
- Ask about experience in your industry.
- Confirm the software stack and who owns the data.
- Ask whether tax preparation is included or coordinated.
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Frequently asked questions
What is CAS in accounting?
CAS stands for client accounting services or client advisory services: the recurring accounting work a firm runs for business clients, plus the advisory work built on top of it.
What does CAS stand for?
Client accounting services. Many firms also use it for client advisory services, and most CAS practices offer both.
What is included in client accounting services?
Bookkeeping, reconciliations, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, the monthly close, financial statements, controller review, and often budgeting, forecasting, and fractional CFO work.
Is CAS the same as outsourced accounting?
For a business owner, largely yes. CAS is the term CPA firms use for the outsourced accounting and advisory work they provide.
How is CAS different from tax services?
Tax services prepare returns and plan for taxes on an annual or quarterly cycle. CAS runs your accounting month to month and produces the books the tax work relies on.
What are accounting advisory services?
Advisory services use your financial data to help you plan, such as budgets, forecasts, cash flow planning, pricing, and KPI reporting. They are often the advisory half of a CAS practice.
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