IT & tech services

Books and taxes for intelligent workflow agencies.

A monthly retainer for a custom system that reads and drafts on a client's behalf, a language model usage bill that swings with how much the system runs, a subcontracted developer, and a build fee for a new client. Your own bookkeeper sorts it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.

Book a call What we handle
  • From $197 a month
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever
NovemberExample month
$11,800
what you made

November came in at $11,800. One client's system processed far more documents than usual, so their model usage cost more than double the prior month, and I flagged it so you can see whether that retainer's price still covers it.

  • Monthly retainers x6Retainer income
  • New client onboarding feeOne-time build fees
  • Model usage billingUsage-based model costs
  • Subcontracted developerContractor pay
  • Cloud hosting for client systemsInfrastructure costs
Money in$36,500
Money out$24,700
Set aside for taxes$2,800
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

Intelligent workflow agency books go wrong at the usage bill and the retainer.

A generalist sees a subscription and a bill. Your business runs on flat monthly retainers for custom systems, a language model usage cost that swings with how much a client's system actually runs, and subcontracted developers for bigger builds. When the books blend those, a heavy usage month looks like your costs got out of control.

  1. 1

    Model usage costs swing with a client's volume, not the calendar

    A client whose system suddenly processes far more documents or requests in a busy month can double or triple your language model usage bill for that one client, and if it is not tied to which client caused it, the whole month looks like costs spiked for no reason.

    What we doTies usage-based model costs to the client whose system generated them, so a spike reads as their volume, not runaway spend.
  2. 2

    A flat retainer does not always cover a heavy usage month

    A client paying a flat monthly retainer for a custom system can use it far more some months than others, and if usage cost is not tracked against that flat fee, a retainer that used to be profitable can quietly turn into a loss.

    What we doKeeps usage cost visible against each retainer's income, so a retainer that stops covering its own cost stands out.
  3. 3

    A paid pilot can drag on for months without converting

    A client testing a custom system on a small paid pilot before committing to a full retainer can stretch that trial for months, and if pilot fees are not tracked apart from full retainers, you cannot tell how much of your time is going to work that has not converted yet.

    What we doKeeps pilot project fees in their own line, apart from full retainers, so you can see how much unconverted pilot work is really costing you.
  4. 4

    A subcontracted developer on one build looks like a plain expense

    Bringing in a specialist developer for a complex client build and paying them like an ordinary bill hides whether that build actually made money once their pay and the usage costs came out of it.

    What we doKeeps contractor pay tied to the build it supported and tracks it toward the 1099 threshold.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for an intelligent workflow agency.

Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.

Money in

  • Retainer incomeFlat monthly fees for maintaining a client's custom system.
  • One-time build feesNew client onboarding and initial system builds.
  • Consulting hoursStandalone strategy or troubleshooting billed by the hour.
  • Usage marginThe difference between what a client is billed for usage and what the model cost you.

Money out

  • Usage-based model costsLanguage model usage billing that scales with how much a client's system runs.
  • Infrastructure costsCloud hosting for client systems, tied to the build it serves.
  • Contractor paySubcontracted developers brought in for larger builds.
  • WagesPay for developers on staff, kept apart from contractor pay.
  • Business insuranceGeneral liability and technology errors-and-omissions coverage.

What we watch for you

  • Retainer margin

    Retainer income against that client's usage cost, so a heavy month shows up before it turns unprofitable.

  • Usage cost per client

    What each client's system costs to run, since volume can swing month to month.

  • Contractor spend

    What outside developers are paid, tracked toward the 1099 threshold and tied to the build.

  • The set-aside

    The set-aside adjusts with usage-heavy months, so a spike in model costs does not throw off what you owe.

Ask Gus

Things intelligent workflow agency owners ask Gus.

Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.

One client's system ran way more than usual this month and my usage bill doubled. Am I losing money on them?

I tied that usage cost directly to their retainer income, so you can see for yourself whether the fee still covers it or needs a second look.

I charged a new client a flat build fee, then started billing their monthly retainer the next month. Does that confuse things?

No, I keep the one-time build fee apart from the ongoing retainer, so your recurring income stays honest from month one.

I brought in a contract developer for a big client build and paid him $5,500. Does he need a 1099?

Yes, since it crossed $2,000 and he is not on payroll. I have been tracking the total tied to that build, so the form is ready by January 31.

The tax side

The tax side of an intelligent workflow agency.

Most of what goes wrong here is usage cost that is not tied to the client that caused it, and a one-time build fee blended into ongoing retainers.

What your return has to get right

Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.

  • Contractor 1099sAny subcontracted developer not on payroll paid $2,000 or more in 2026 gets a 1099-NEC by January 31. Gus keeps the running list all year.
  • Software development cost treatmentCosts to build a custom system, especially one meant to be reused across clients, may need to be spread out over several years rather than deducted right away depending on the work. This is a call for the accountant.
  • Self-employment tax for solo ownersA solo agency owner pays 15.3 percent self-employment tax on top of income tax, so the set-aside has to cover both.
  • The pass-through deductionMost owners can take up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income when retainer, usage, and contractor costs are tracked apart all year.

Deductions intelligent workflow agencies miss

Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.

  • Language model usage billing
  • Cloud hosting for client systems
  • Contractor and developer pay
  • Development software licenses
  • Business insurance
  • Technology errors-and-omissions coverage
  • Developer workstations
  • Continuing education courses
  • Conference and networking travel
  • Business phone and internet
  • Code repository tools
  • Home office costs

General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.

All year, not just April

An intelligent workflow agency year, kept every month.

Usage swings with client volume, not the calendar. Your team stays on the books every month, not just at tax time. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.

  1. January

    Usage reset for the year

    Last year's return gets started, the developer 1099 list is finalized, and a monthly set-aside is planned around retainer and usage income.

  2. April

    Filed, usage accounted for

    Your return is filed and signed, with retainer income and usage costs already sorted apart by client.

  3. July

    Midyear on usage

    Where you stand, what you will owe, and whether any retainer's usage cost has crept past what the fee covers.

  4. October

    Before the year closes out

    Gus looks at tools or hosting worth buying before December and flags any build fees still owed against work already done.

What you get

Starts at$197a month

What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.

Book a call
  • Monthly bookkeeping

    Every transaction sorted into categories set up for intelligent workflow agencies. You never categorize a thing.

  • An accountant checks every transaction

    Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.

  • Your business tax return, filed

    Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.

  • The monthly number

    What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.

  • Your own bookkeeper

    A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.

  • On your books all year

    Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.

  • Cancel any time

    No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.

Straight answers

Questions intelligent workflow agency owners ask first.

One client's usage bill spiked hard this month. Can Gus tell me if that retainer is still worth it?

Yes. Gus ties usage cost to the client whose system generated it, so you can see whether that retainer's fee still covers what it costs to run.

A prospect has been on a small paid pilot for three months without committing to a full retainer. Does Gus flag that?

Yes. Pilot fees are kept apart from full retainers, so you can see exactly how much time is going toward work that has not converted yet.

I bring in a contract developer for bigger builds. Does that change the books?

It changes where the money goes, not what you do. Gus keeps contractor pay tied to the build and tracks it toward the 1099 threshold.

Does Gus handle whether my software development costs need to be spread out over time?

That is above his pay grade. Gus tracks the costs and flags them, but a real accountant makes the call on how they are treated.

My books are behind because usage costs and retainers were never tied together. Can Gus fix that?

Yes. Send what you have. Gus sorts retainer income from usage costs by client, the accountant checks it, and most owners know where they stand within a week.

Is a real accountant checking my books?

Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.

What does it cost, and can I cancel?

It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.

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What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for

Book a call

Pick a time. That's the whole signup.

Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.

  • $197 a month to start
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever