Categories / Invoicing/
HN: two-member LLC replaces QuickBooks bookkeeper with Claude + CPA review
Two partners drop the monthly bookkeeper and categorize bank exports with Claude, then send a clean packet to their CPA — same close, less bookkeeping overhead.
- Task
- bookkeeping without a human bookkeeper
- Result
- cancelled QuickBooks Advanced (~$3k/year saved); CPA said "the books look great"; bookkeeper role replaced, CPA kept in the loop. Reply in the same thread (onefiftymike): an AI-written local Python script maps bank CSV rows to GnuCash accounts from past categories, saving ~1 hour/week
- Tools
- Claude
- bank CSV exports
- CPA review; GnuCash + Python variant
- Setup
- AI categorizes expenses from bank CSVs
- human CPA reviews the books
- owner stresses the CPA was not replaced. GnuCash variant: AI writes the script → clean CSV → owner reviews import → reconcile to bank
Step-by-step setup guide + copy-paste prompt
Why this way: HN comment describing a two-member LLC's workflow. We use Claude Projects + CSV (or the QuickBooks connector). Money movement stays human.
Prerequisites
- Bank/credit-card CSV exports.
- Free Claude account.
- A CPA who will review (don't skip this).
- Optional: QuickBooks Online + Claude QuickBooks connector (US).
- Time: 30 minutes setup; 1–2 hours each month.
Step-by-step setup
Step 1. Claude Project "Books" → Instructions = the Copy-paste prompt (your chart of accounts).
Step 2. Monthly: download CSVs from each bank → upload to the project → "Categorize January."
Step 3. Review the table; fix anything marked [CHECK].
Step 4. Paste approved rows into QuickBooks/GnuCash (or ask the QuickBooks connector to draft expenses — you confirm).
Step 5. Export the P&L / categorization summary and send to your CPA.
What success looks like
Month-end categorization is a review, not a blank-sheet slog; CPA still signs off; bookkeeper hours drop.
Copy-paste prompt
You are my bookkeeping assistant for [LLC]. Chart of accounts: [PASTE]. Categorize each CSV row into an account; flag anything over $[THRESHOLD] or unclear as [CHECK]. Return a table: date | description | amount | account | notes. Never invent transactions. Summarize totals by account at the end.Sources
- HN thread comment
- QuickBooks + Claude: connector help
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