8 Critical Elements of an Effective Engagement Letter CLIENT NAME. The first critical element may seem obvious—the identities of the parties involved in the engagement. SCOPE OF SERVICES. CPA FIRM RESPONSIBILITIES. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES. DELIVERABLES. ENGAGEMENT TIMING. TERMINATION AND WITHDRAWAL. BILLING AND FEES.
An engagement letter is a written agreement that describes the business relationship to be entered into by a client and a company. The letter details the scope of the agreement, its terms, and costs. The purpose of an engagement letter is to set expectations on both sides of the agreement.
For an engagement letter to be binding, there must be agreement to the terms on both sides. The engagement letter is drafted and, in most cases, signed by the firm, therefore there is clear evidence of the agreement of the contents of the letter on the firm's side.
Engagement letters set expectations for both the client and the party providing the service, it specifies the exact service or task to be performed by the firm and the information to be provided by the client. All engagement letters also generally contain various deadlines for each sub-task.
Schedule of Services or Scope of Services In this part of letter of engagement, you should list the services you will be providing to the client. e.g. if you are an accounting firm, this section should clearly state whether you will carry out bookkeeping, tax computation, tax return filing, payroll processing, etc.
How to write an engagement letter Write the name of the business leader. Specify the purpose of the partnership. List the duties of the client. Identify the timeline for completing the project. Include resources the client delivers. Attach a disclaimer. Validate the terms of the agreement.
Engagement letters set the terms of the agreement between two parties and include details such as the scope, fees, and responsibilities, among others. Some of the benefits of engagement letters are that they are legally binding documents, they reduce misunderstandings, and they set clear expectations.
An engagement letter is drafted by the company rendering the service, often with the help of a lawyer. It is than presented to the client, and both parties must sign in order for it to be legally binding.
You can e-sign almost any type of document. It's a faster and easier way of getting consent or approval on electronic documents or forms. (But consider using a digital signature when you need to validate a signature for a higher level of security.)