Find a CoPilot accountant
This article explains how to find a CoPilot accountant and send an enquiry to them in FreeAgent.
CoPilot is an innovative way of working with an accountant through FreeAgent to help simplify your business accounting and give you peace of mind. For an agreed monthly fee, you can choose an expert FreeAgent partner accountant who suits your business needs and then work with them directly within your FreeAgent account.
Please note:
- You can explore CoPilot accountants to work with without any obligation. Your FreeAgent subscription amount will not be altered in any way unless you explicitly confirm the purchase of a CoPilot subscription.
- The price of CoPilot will be dependent on the services agreed with the CoPilot accountant.
- CoPilot is currently only available for a subset of eligible businesses. If you’re interested in the service but you don’t see a CoPilot option in your account, please contact our support team by selecting the blue ‘Help’ button at the bottom of the screen.
- Only the listed account owner can access and view information related to the CoPilot service.
How to find a CoPilot accountant
Navigate to the drop-down menu under your business name and select ‘Connections & Add-ons’.
Next, select ‘Get started’ in the ‘CoPilot’ section.
Then, select ‘Find a CoPilot accountant’.
Choose the option most suited to your business. This will help us show you matches specific to your business type, and prioritise accountants with strong experience in your sector.
You'll see slightly different options depending on whether you have a sole trader, partnership, LLP, limited company or unincorporated landlord account type in FreeAgent. Limited company directors will be offered the option of working with a CoPilot accountant on their Corporation Tax return, which is not applicable to the other business types.
Once you’ve chosen the relevant option, select ‘Show matching accountants’.
Review the CoPilot accountants to find a few that may fit your needs. Select 'Learn more' next to each accountant’s details to find out more about them.
This will provide you with key information about the accountant and outline the services and packages they offer, as well as any additional services, to help you quickly find the right fit for your business needs.
You can visit each accountant’s website by selecting their website link next to their details.
How to send an enquiry to a CoPilot accountant
You can send enquiries to multiple accountants at the same time to get to know them and narrow down your ideal fit. FreeAgent can speed up this process by sharing high-level information with your prospective accountants to help kick off your conversations.
To get in touch with any accountants, select ‘Start new enquiry'.
Contact details
Provide the phone number and email address you’d like to be contacted on.
What you need help with
Next, choose the accounting periods you need help with and select the option which best describes your current situation in regards to working with an accountant. Please note that asking for help with previous accounting periods may incur additional costs.
What services would you like from your accountant?
If you’d like to share any details about your business, add them to the 'What services would you like from your accountant?' section. You can also include any questions you have for the accountant.
We would recommend entering as much detail and information as you can, for example, information regarding what support you're looking to receive, as this will allow the CoPilot accountant to better understand what kind and level of support you are looking for.
Finally, tick the checkbox to give permission for your details to be shared with the accountant and select 'Send enquiry' to complete the process.
What happens next?
When you send an enquiry to an accountant, they will normally get in touch with you within a few working days. However, if you've not had a response within this time and you want to speak to them urgently, get in touch with our support team by selecting the blue ‘Help’ button at the bottom of the screen.
You can contact more than one CoPilot accountant at a time to ensure you quickly find the best match.
To send an enquiry to additional accountants, select 'See CoPilot accountants' and repeat the process.
If you’re happy to work together, the accountant will carry out a simple ID check to verify your identity, along with some basic paperwork to set you up as a client on their system. If your business is a limited company, there may also be a check on your directorship of the business.
Once that’s complete, they’ll invite you to sign up to CoPilot.
Next steps?
When you hear back from the accountant(s), view their package proposal(s) and sign up to CoPilot with the accountant that’s the best fit for you and your business.