CPA multi-location CAM plan guide
Multi-location clients need a different quote.
One location may have complete files.
Another may have no amendments.
A third may only need a screen.
Price the project in pieces.
Location worksheet
| Location | Years | Files complete | Review level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | ||||
| Standard | ||||
| Full |
Review levels
| Level | Use when |
|---|---|
| Screen | Basic fit check with limited files |
| Standard | Lease and one statement are ready |
| Full | Several years, backup, and partner readout |
Quote rules
Use these rules.
- Quote by location group.
- Cap included readout calls.
- Price new files as scope changes.
- Separate legal or landlord negotiation work.
- Keep partner review in the fee model.
Client wording
We will group locations by review level.
Some may only need a screen.
Others may need a deeper file review.
The quote will show which locations are included.
CAMAudit role
CAMAudit helps the partner process site packages and compare lease terms to statements.
The partner still reviews output and chooses client language.
Links for pricing
Use the plan guide for the base model.
Use the franchise review checklist for franchise clients.
Use the document SOP to check file quality.
Use the scope checklist before sending the quote.
Use the multi-year SOP when prior statements are included.
Practice use
CPA multi-location CAM plan guide should live inside the firm's advisory workflow, not in a loose folder of templates. Use it to protect margin before the work reaches the client. The best moment to use it is when one owner has several leased sites. The partner should name the client goal first. Some files need a quick screen. Some need a deeper workpaper. Some should stop because the lease set is thin, the client wants legal advice, or the fee will not cover the review time. Write that call down before staff begin.
What the team should build
Turn this page into a worksheet with these fields:
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Client and site | Legal name, location, lease year, and owner |
| Source set | Lease, amendments, statement, backup, GL detail, or AP support |
| Scope line | What the firm agreed to check |
| Open question | The exact item that needs review |
| Evidence cite | Clause, page, statement line, or ledger source |
| Partner call | Keep, revise, ask for backup, route to counsel, or close |
Keep the artifact short enough for a manager to review in one sitting. If the file needs a long story to explain the issue, the preparer should tighten the source trail before partner review.
Staff instructions
Give staff a narrow job. They should collect the source files, mark missing items, cite the lease language, and tie each issue to a statement line or ledger account. They should not promise recovery, argue with the landlord, or tell the client the answer is final. Use plain status labels: ready for partner review, waiting on client, waiting on landlord backup, outside scope, or closed. Those labels help the firm see where time is going. They also keep the next person from rereading the whole file.
Partner review notes
The reviewer should ask four questions before the client sees anything:
- Does the scope match what the client approved?
- Does every finding cite a lease clause or billing source?
- Does the math tie to the workpaper?
- Does the wording avoid legal conclusions?
If one answer is no, hold the packet. The fee comes from judgment and signoff, not from sending more pages.
Where CAMAudit helps
Use CAMAudit after the firm has priced the work and named the deliverable. It can speed up the source map and finding draft for multi location client pricing, but the partner still decides what belongs in the paid scope. Keep the economics visible. If the file needs extra landlord backup, legal review, or a second readout call, treat that as a scope call by the firm.
Related articles for this workflow
Pair this article with the service line checklist, fit scorecard, plan guide, scope checklist, QC rubric, and client readout script. Together they form a small launch kit for a CPA or CAS firm that wants to test CAM review with a few trusted clients before adding it to the broader advisory menu.
Partner review depth notes
Use CPA multi-location CAM plan guide before the file becomes paid client work. The partner should name the client group, the charge type, the source documents, and the review owner. That keeps the work out of commodity bookkeeping and inside an advisory package with a clear fee, scope, and review path.
Margin guardrails
Set a stop rule before staff begin. If the lease file is incomplete, the audit-rights window has closed, or the client wants legal conclusions, pause and re-scope. If the likely fee cannot cover document intake, source citation, partner review, and client readout, do not bury the time in monthly close work. CAM review is valuable because the firm applies judgment to a messy file. Price it that way.
Evidence standard
Every finding should tie to a lease clause, statement line, backup document, ledger account, or written client fact. Staff can prepare the trail, but the partner should decide whether the item is strong enough to send. If the support is thin, ask for backup or mark the item as closed. A short, well-supported packet beats a long report that forces the client to trust the software.
Client handoff
Keep the readout simple. Explain what was reviewed, what was excluded, what needs landlord backup, and what the firm recommends next. Avoid recovery promises. The client should leave with a clear record and a named owner for the next step. CAMAudit can help structure the packet, but the partner signs off before anything is delivered.
File stewardship
Before delivery, add a short manager note. State the approved scope, the source set reviewed, the items held back, and the owner for the next client step. For CPA multi-location CAM plan guide, that note should be plain enough for another partner to understand without rereading the full file.
Save the final packet with the lease year, client site, reviewer, and open questions. If the client returns next year, the firm should see which clauses mattered, which backup was requested, and which issues were closed because support was weak.
If the review expands, write the reason before doing the work. More locations, missing amendments, legal questions, or a second client meeting can all change the fee. CAMAudit can help keep the source trail organized, but the partner decides whether the extra work belongs in the current engagement or a new one.