Filing season is the worst time to discover that a workstation will not boot, Tally will not open the company, or last month's backup never ran. For a CA firm, an hour of downtime in the last week before a GST or income tax deadline costs far more than the repair itself. An AMC for CA firm (Annual Maintenance Contract) exists to stop that from happening, but only if it covers the right things.

This checklist explains what a good AMC should include, what to ask before you sign, and how to tell whether the price is fair.

What an AMC actually is

An Annual Maintenance Contract is a yearly agreement with an IT partner to look after your computers, printers, network and software for a fixed fee. Instead of calling someone only when something breaks, you get planned maintenance, priority support and a team that already knows your setup.

For a CA office the value is simple: fewer surprises during deadlines, predictable IT costs, and someone accountable for backups and security.

The AMC for CA firm Checklist

Use this list when you compare AMC plans. A plan that misses several of these is a repair contract, not maintenance.

1. Preventive maintenance visits

  • At least one scheduled visit every quarter
  • Cleaning, health checks on hard disks and SSDs, and pending Windows updates
  • A short written report after every visit, listing what was found and fixed

2. Response time you can hold them to

  • Same-day or next-day on-site visits, written into the contract
  • Remote support for small problems, so you are not waiting for a visit
  • A named contact person and a WhatsApp or phone line that is answered during office hours

3. Tally and accounting software support

Most IT vendors stop at hardware. A CA firm needs more:

  • Tally Prime installation, licence renewal help and multi-user server setup
  • Data backup and recovery for Tally company data
  • Help with Zoho Books, BUSY or other software your clients use

4. Backups that are tested

A backup that has never been restored is a hope, not a backup.

  • Automatic daily backups of client data and Tally companies
  • A second copy kept off-site or in the cloud
  • A restore test at least once a quarter, recorded in the visit report

5. Security basics

  • Licensed antivirus on every system, kept up to date
  • Windows and browser updates applied regularly
  • Separate user accounts for staff, with admin rights only where needed
  • Advice when a new threat is in the news, such as alerts published by CERT-In

6. Network, printers and the e-filing essentials

  • Office Wi-Fi and LAN kept stable, with a secure guest network for visitors
  • Printers and scanners set up on every system that needs them
  • Digital signature (DSC) drivers and utilities working for income tax, GST and MCA portals

Questions to ask before you sign

  1. How many systems are covered, and what does it cost to add one more?
  2. Are parts included, or only labour?
  3. What happens if a system cannot be repaired the same day? Do you provide a standby?
  4. Who owns the backups, and where exactly are they stored?
  5. Can I see a sample visit report?

What a fair AMC price depends on

The fee mainly depends on the number of systems, how far the office is, whether you want parts included, and how fast the response must be. A small office with three to five systems usually needs a simpler plan than a multi-partner firm with a server and branch offices. Ask for a written quote per system, and compare what is included rather than the headline price.

Need an AMC built around filing season? Imaglance Virtuals looks after CA firms, professionals and SMEs with quarterly visits, same-day response, Tally support and tested backups. See our AMC plans or ask for a quote.

The short version

A good AMC for a CA firm is not just a repair promise. It covers scheduled maintenance, a written response time, Tally support, tested backups, security updates and the e-filing essentials. Use the checklist above, ask the five questions, and you will know within one conversation whether a plan is worth signing.

Need help with this? Imaglance Virtuals handles it end to end for CA firms and SMEs. Book a free consultation or WhatsApp us on +91 93424 34151.