Client Responsibilities By Service
A simple guide to what Graphite needs from clients across Accounting, Finance, Tax, Payroll, and HR.
Client Responsibilities Overview
Graphite manages the work included in your engagement, and the best results happen when both teams have the information they need at the right time. In most cases, that means your team may be asked to provide access, documentation, context, approvals, or decisions as work moves forward.
This article is not meant to create a long checklist. It is meant to give you a practical view of the kinds of inputs that help each service run smoothly, avoid unnecessary delays, and stay aligned with what is happening inside your business.
What Graphite May Need From You
Accounting
Accounting depends on timely access to the records and context needed to close the books accurately. That may include source documents, system access, approvals, payroll data, bank or credit card information, and answers to open questions that come up during the close.
Your team may also be asked to review financials each month and flag anything that needs more context. That review helps keep reporting accurate and prevents questions from carrying forward into future close cycles.
Finance
Finance works best when Graphite has visibility into both the numbers and the business decisions behind them. That may include financial data, operational updates, leadership priorities, hiring plans, revenue changes, spend decisions, or other context that affects models, forecasts, budgets, and scenarios.
Your team may also be asked to review assumptions, discuss changes in performance, and share material business updates early. The more current the context is, the more useful the financial guidance becomes.
Tax
Tax depends on accurate records, complete documentation, and timely visibility into business changes. That may include prior filings, current financial records, ownership details, supporting documentation, state activity, and updates related to structural changes, planning needs, or credit work.
Your team may also be asked to review draft filings, respond to tax questions, or provide information needed for R&D credit support where applicable. Earlier input usually makes the filing and review process easier to manage.
Payroll
Payroll depends on timely updates before each pay cycle is finalized. That may include new hires, terminations, compensation changes, bonuses, deductions, leave updates, corrections, and other events that affect employee pay.
When those updates are shared through the agreed process and timeline, payroll is easier to run accurately and with fewer last-minute issues. Clear communication is especially important as headcount grows, states are added, or compensation becomes more complex.
HR
HR depends on timely context around employee situations, company policies, manager concerns, lifecycle events, and decisions that may require guidance or documentation. That may include background on performance issues, disciplinary steps, onboarding or offboarding needs, policy questions, or sensitive employee matters.
Graphite can provide structure, recommendations, documentation, and support. Final employment and business decisions remain with the client, so HR work is strongest when Graphite has enough context to guide the process clearly.
Why This Matters
The smoother the information flow, the smoother the service experience. When Graphite has the right access, context, updates, and approvals, the work moves with less back-and-forth, fewer avoidable delays, and better outcomes across each service area.