Test whether the authorised bookkeeper can open and read the password-protected documents in the first company handover. Receiving a folder does not establish that its records are accessible, complete or usable for bookkeeping.

Hands signing a document at an office desk
Illustrative photograph by Pavel Danilyuk.

Identify the protected documents

Prepare a restricted index of relevant statements, invoices and other supporting records. Record the source, period, company and intended reviewer without copying passwords into the index. Separate a password-protected file from a corrupted file or an unavailable cloud link.

Ask the record owner to use the approved secure process for access information. Do not send credentials or account recovery codes through a broadly shared checklist. The recipient should receive only the access needed for the agreed work.

Test a representative sample

For example, the founder supplies bank statements as protected PDFs and assumes the bookkeeper can use them. Confirm the authorised recipient can open the files, see every page and read the transaction details. A preview of the first page is insufficient to establish the whole statement is available.

Check that dates and company identifiers match the handover index. Keep missing or unreadable items on a query list, with a named person responsible for obtaining a suitable copy from the genuine source.

Agree the ongoing document route

Retain the original records in controlled storage and establish how future protected documents will reach the bookkeeper. IRAS recordkeeping requirements concern the company's underlying business records; an inaccessible archive is not a practical substitute for retrievable support.

Record what was successfully opened and which items remain outstanding. Verify the agreed process with the next document delivery. The handover should support secure retrieval without granting unnecessary access to the founder's personal accounts or unrelated records.

Related practical guidance

For the surrounding records and responsibilities, see bookkeeping basics, company records to keep, bookkeeping and accounting.

Official guidance: the relevant official guidance.

Help with your company records

For corporate secretarial and company administration support, contact Raffles Corporate Services at [email protected] or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133. Tell us which records or process need attention so we can discuss the relevant next steps.