Missions of chartered accountants: what you really need to understand

Updated April 4, 2026 - If you run a small business, an SME or a startup in France, you may still think that a chartered accountant mainly "does the bookkeeping" and produces the annual accounts. In reality, the missions of chartered accountants go much further. In 2026, a French chartered accountant can support a business on accounting, tax, payroll, legal formalities and management steering, provided the engagement is properly defined.

Short answer: a chartered accountant is a regulated professional registered with the French Order of Chartered Accountants. Their work may cover bookkeeping, review, annual accounts, tax filings, payroll assistance, legal secretariat and advisory work. The exact scope is always framed by an engagement letter.

The profession is governed by the French ordinance of 19 September 1945, later amended many times. This legal framework protects both the title and the most sensitive professional services.

In practical terms, only a properly registered chartered accountant can:

• act under the protected title of chartered accountant;
• issue certain accounting and tax certifications under their professional responsibility;
• perform regulated accounting engagements within the scope defined by French rules.

The profession is also subject to continuing education, professional liability insurance, ethical rules and quality reviews. That is what differentiates a regulated accounting firm from an unregulated administrative service provider.

For related reading, see Chartered accountant Paris: missions and obligations 2026, Accounting support and Directory of accountants.

1. Bookkeeping and accounting supervision

This includes the day-to-day accounting base:

• recording purchase and sales invoices;
• reconciling bank transactions;
• reviewing expense claims;
• monitoring accounts payable and receivable;
• organising supporting documents and digital archives.

In many firms, automation now reduces manual entry, but the real value remains in controls, consistency checks and proper classification.

2. Review work and annual accounts

Beyond basic bookkeeping, the accountant reviews the accounts, identifies anomalies, prepares year-end adjustments and helps produce the annual financial statements.

That work often includes:

• cut-off checks;
• accruals and provisions;
• depreciation and amortisation;
• balance sheet consistency review;
• preparation of the closing file.

3. Tax compliance

A large part of the accountant's mission concerns taxes:

• VAT returns;
• corporate income tax;
• business tax packages;
• personal tax coordination for managers when relevant;
• support during tax audits or information requests.

This is often where a manager gains the most immediate security, because late or inconsistent tax filings can quickly become costly.

4. Payroll and social support

Depending on the engagement, an accounting firm may also support:

• payroll production or payroll review;
• onboarding and offboarding formalities;
• DSN reporting;
• paid leave and benefits treatment;
• social compliance checks.

This is especially important for SMEs that do not have a dedicated in-house HR and payroll team.

5. Legal secretariat and recurring corporate formalities

Some firms also handle or coordinate recurring legal work, such as:

• annual approval of accounts;
• drafting minutes and corporate decisions;
• updating statutory records;
• changes involving managers, address or capital;
• basic legal follow-up of the company life cycle.

The exact legal perimeter must always be clarified, because not every accounting firm provides the same level of legal support.

6. Management steering and reporting

This is where the relationship becomes more useful for the manager:

• dashboards and KPIs;
• cash-flow monitoring;
• margin analysis;
• budget tracking;
• break-even and profitability review.

In other words, the chartered accountant can become more than a compliance provider. They can become part of the management system.

7. Advisory support for key decisions

Depending on the firm's positioning, the accountant may also help the manager on:

• remuneration choices;
• business creation or restructuring;
• financing strategy;
• investment projects;
• transfer or growth operations.

This does not happen automatically. Advisory support must be explicitly organised and budgeted.

The most important document in the relationship is the engagement letter. It defines:

• the exact scope of work;
• who does what;
• deadlines and deliverables;
• the client's own obligations;
• fees and reporting rules.

Many misunderstandings come from a gap between what the manager assumes is included and what the letter actually says.

• the exact services included;
• whether payroll and legal work are included or excluded;
• the review rhythm during the year;
• the tools used to collect and validate documents;
• who is the real day-to-day contact;
• what response time can reasonably be expected.

Hayot Expertise advice: the key question is not "what can a chartered accountant do in theory?" but "what is really included in your engagement letter, and with what level of follow-up?"

• expecting strategic advice in a purely declarative engagement;
• confusing bookkeeping assistance with full delegation;
• assuming payroll is included when it is not;
• assuming legal formalities are automatic;
• sending documents too late and expecting real-time reporting.

These gaps create frustration on both sides. Most of them disappear when the scope is discussed clearly from the start.

A basic compliance mission may be enough if:

• your business is simple;
• you mainly need year-end accounts and tax filings;
• you already monitor operations internally.

A broader support mission is often useful if:

• you hire employees;
• cash flow needs close monitoring;
• you want regular management dashboards;
• the manager expects help with decisions, not just compliance.

In 2026, the missions of French chartered accountants cover a wide spectrum: accounting production, tax security, payroll, legal follow-up and business advisory. The right mission is not the broadest mission on paper. It is the one that matches the maturity of your company, your internal organisation and the level of support you really need.