Virtual bookkeeping that keeps you connected to your local expert.
You shouldn't have to choose between a national firm and a local office. Avenue provides virtual bookkeeping services designed to bridge that gap. As a Spokane-based firm, we offer the efficiency of remote collaboration without losing the personal touch of a partner who understands the Spokane and Coeur d'Alene business landscape. Avenue is here to help you gain clarity and control over your finances.
Avenue works with small business owners across the Spokane and Coeur d'Alene metros, including Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Cheney, Airway Heights, Deer Park, Medical Lake, Mead, Coeur d'Alene, and Post Falls. Through QuickBooks® Online's cloud platform, we work together directly in your books. You get a dedicated, certified bookkeeper — Melody Gerlitz — who knows your business by name, not a faceless support ticket or an anonymous national team.
How does virtual bookkeeping work?
Virtual bookkeeping means Avenue works directly inside your own QuickBooks Online account. Melody is invited as your accountant, which gives her access to categorize transactions and reconcile your bank and credit-card accounts monthly. You receive a profit & loss statement and a balance sheet on a consistent schedule, ensuring your records are always up to date.
Per Intuit, QuickBooks Online is accessible securely from any web browser or through the mobile app, meaning no software downloads are required for you to view your data. The platform connects to over 300 third-party apps (per Intuit), allowing receipts and bank feeds to flow directly into your books. We communicate via email, phone, or video, ensuring your questions are answered and your documents are handled digitally.
What virtual bookkeeping includes at Avenue.
Monthly Reconciliation and Statements
You receive consistent financial reporting every month. Avenue handles your bank and credit-card reconciliation and categorizes your transactions accurately. You will receive a profit & loss statement and a balance sheet on a regular schedule. These statements are built to hand straight to your CPA at tax time, keeping you organized and ready.
Paperless Document Flow
Your books connect directly to your bank and third-party apps, allowing data to flow into your account automatically. For receipts and other documents, we use digital sharing methods that keep your records organized and accessible. This integration keeps your bookkeeping current and reduces the administrative burden on your day-to-day operations.
Total Control Over Access
Your books remain in your own QuickBooks Online account at all times. You invite Melody as your accountant, and you can delete that access whenever you choose. Every QBO plan includes access for at least two accountant users, ensuring you maintain full ownership of your data without the need for shared logins or file transfers.
A Dedicated Certified Partner
You are not working with a pool of rotating staff. You are working with Avenue—specifically Melody Gerlitz. Melody holds three specific credentials: QuickBooks® Online Certified — Level 1, QuickBooks® Online Certified — Level 2, and QuickBooks® Online Payroll Certified. You get a consistent, certified human partner who is invested in your business’s success.
Does a virtual bookkeeper need to be local?
Even with virtual delivery, having a local partner makes a difference. Melody lives in the Spokane area with her husband and two sons, and Avenue understands the rhythm of our local business community. When you work with us, you are in the same time zone as your bookkeeper. You can call Melody directly and talk to someone who knows the Spokane and Coeur d'Alene region.
Unlike anonymous, large-scale national firms where you never know who is working on your books, Avenue is your single point of contact. This local connection ensures that your bookkeeping is handled by someone who is part of the same community where you operate. You get the efficiency of remote work with the reliability of a local professional.
Many business owners think they must choose between a human bookkeeper and an app-only software service. Avenue provides a professional, certified human to ensure the data is categorized correctly. Historically, bookkeepers visited each client's place of business; today, we use cloud technology to achieve the same results more efficiently.
If your books have fallen behind, Avenue can help. Whether you are a few months or a few years behind, we specialize in catch-up and cleanup projects. We will assess the scope of your specific situation and provide a clear quote before we start. You move from the stress of messy books to the confidence of a clear financial picture.
Three steps to virtual bookkeeping with Avenue.
Book Your Consultation
We start with a free, no-pressure consultation to discuss your business needs. We can meet by phone or via a video call to ensure we are a great fit for each other. This is your opportunity to ask questions and see how our virtual process can save you time.
Connect Your Account
We use your existing QuickBooks Online account. You simply invite Melody as your accountant through Intuit's accountant-access model — no file transfers or shared passwords. If you are not yet set up, or if you need a cleanup project to get current, we assess the scope and quote that work first.
Establish the Rhythm
Once we are connected, we move into a consistent monthly rhythm. Avenue handles your transaction categorization and reconciliations, delivering your financial statements on schedule. We stay in touch via email, phone, or video to address any questions, ensuring you have the clarity you need to focus on running your business.
A partner who knows your business.
Melody Gerlitz was born and raised in the Spokane area. Before founding Avenue, she spent over a decade managing restaurants and nearly a decade managing a dental office, where she handled operations, staff, and the books. She holds the QuickBooks® Online Certified — Level 1, QuickBooks® Online Certified — Level 2, and QuickBooks® Online Payroll Certified credentials. Avenue maintains a 5.0 rating on Google.
“Absolute rockstar. Incredible wealth of knowledge. The experience was effortless and stress-free.”
— Joshua Jamerson, Google review
Virtual bookkeeping questions, answered.
Is my financial data safe if we work virtually?
Per Intuit, QuickBooks Online is accessible securely from any web browser or through the mobile app, and your data is securely backed up. By using the accountant-invite model, you maintain ownership of your account and can revoke our access at any time.
Do I really need a local bookkeeper if the work is all online?
Having a local bookkeeper means you are working with someone who understands the Spokane and Coeur d'Alene business environment. You stay in the same time zone, and you have the peace of mind that comes from working with a named individual who is part of your local community. A free consultation can happen by phone or video before any commitment.
How do I get my receipts and documents to you?
Because the software connects to over 300 third-party apps (per Intuit), many of your bank feeds and receipts flow directly into your books. For other documents, we use digital document sharing, which keeps your records organized and accessible.
What if my books are months or years behind?
Avenue has helped dozens of small businesses across Spokane get their finances organized, cleaned up, and tax-ready. We assess the scope of your specific needs first and provide a clear quote before we begin. Once we are caught up, you can move forward with the clarity of current, accurate financial statements.
Which areas do you serve?
Avenue serves small businesses throughout the Spokane and Coeur d'Alene metropolitan areas. This includes Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Cheney, Airway Heights, Deer Park, Medical Lake, Mead, Coeur d'Alene, and Post Falls. Whether you are in Washington or Idaho, we provide consistent virtual bookkeeping that results in books that stay reconciled and statements that arrive on schedule.
Looking for bookkeeping in a specific area? See Spokane Valley and Coeur d'Alene, or browse all bookkeeping services.