A 10, 20, or 30-person accounting firm does not necessarily need a proportional number of IT employees as it grows. What changes is the amount of technology that must be operated, secured, documented, monitored, and supported.

A 10-person firm may need reliable help desk support, Microsoft 365 administration, cybersecurity, backup monitoring, and basic lifecycle planning. At 20 employees, the firm may require more formal processes for access, documentation, recovery, and technology planning. By 30 employees, the number of users, devices, applications, permissions, vendors, and business dependencies can make a more structured IT operating model increasingly important.

The better question is not simply "How many IT people do we need?"

It is: "What IT capabilities does our accounting firm need, and who is responsible for delivering them?"

Why Employee Count Alone Does Not Determine IT Support Needs

Two 20-person accounting firms can have very different technology requirements.

Firm A might operate primarily from one office using Microsoft 365, several cloud accounting applications, and standard Windows workstations.

Firm B might have:

  • Two offices
  • Remote employees
  • On-premises servers
  • Multiple tax applications
  • Document management
  • Client portals
  • VoIP
  • Complex Microsoft 365 permissions
  • Several third-party integrations
  • More demanding recovery requirements

Both firms have 20 employees. Their IT environments are not equally complex. That is why employee count should be treated as a starting point, not a staffing formula.

Five factors have a greater influence on the amount of IT support a firm needs:

  1. Number of users and devices
  2. Technology complexity
  3. Cybersecurity requirements
  4. Downtime tolerance
  5. Internal versus outsourced responsibilities

Let's look at what that can mean at three common firm sizes.

What IT Support Does a 10-Person Accounting Firm Need?

A 10-person accounting firm may have a relatively small technology footprint, but that does not mean its technology responsibilities are small. The firm may still depend on:

  • 10 to 15 computers
  • Microsoft 365
  • Tax software
  • Accounting applications
  • Document management
  • Client portals
  • Printers and scanners
  • Internet connectivity
  • Firewall and network equipment
  • Backup systems
  • Cybersecurity tools

Someone still needs to operate those systems.

Help Desk and Employee Support

At this size, support volume may not justify a full-time internal IT employee. Employees still need assistance with:

  • Password and MFA problems
  • Microsoft 365
  • Application issues
  • Printing and scanning
  • Workstation problems
  • Remote access
  • New employee setup
  • Vendor coordination

The challenge is that support requests are unpredictable. A firm may have almost no support issues one day and several urgent problems the next. During tax season, even one technology problem affecting multiple employees can quickly become an operational issue.

Cybersecurity

A 10-person firm still needs appropriate security controls. Those may include:

  • Multi-Factor Authentication
  • Endpoint protection
  • Email security
  • Patch management
  • Encryption
  • Administrative-access controls
  • Security awareness
  • Backup protection
  • Microsoft 365 security

Cybersecurity requirements do not disappear because the firm has only 10 employees. In fact, a smaller firm may have fewer internal resources available to detect and respond to a security problem.

Proactive Management

Someone should also be responsible for work employees rarely see, including:

  • Monitoring
  • Patching
  • Backup review
  • Hardware lifecycle tracking
  • Licensing
  • Documentation
  • Security reviews
  • Vendor management
  • Technology planning

For many 10-person firms, the question is therefore not whether there is enough work to keep an IT employee busy for 40 hours every week. It is whether the firm has reliable access to all of the IT capabilities it needs when it needs them.

What Changes at a 20-Person Accounting Firm?

At 20 employees, the technology environment usually involves more than twice the number of relationships and dependencies that existed when the firm had 10 people. There are more:

  • Devices
  • User accounts
  • Licenses
  • Permissions
  • Application users
  • Security events
  • Support requests
  • Employee changes
  • Hardware replacements
  • Vendor relationships

The need for repeatable processes becomes more important.

Support Needs Become More Visible

If each employee experiences only a small number of technology problems, multiplying that activity across 20 people can create a meaningful support workload. But ticket volume is only one part of the equation. Someone must also handle:

  • Escalations
  • Vendor cases
  • Hardware procurement
  • Employee onboarding
  • Employee offboarding
  • Application upgrades
  • Microsoft 365 administration
  • Security alerts
  • Backup issues
  • Technology projects

A 20-person firm may therefore need broader capabilities even if it still does not require a dedicated internal IT employee.

Documentation Becomes More Important

As the environment grows, the IT documentation an accounting firm maintains becomes increasingly important. Technology knowledge should not exist primarily in one person's memory. Documentation may need to cover:

  • Hardware
  • Network configuration
  • Microsoft 365
  • Vendors
  • Licensing
  • Applications
  • Backup systems
  • Security configurations
  • Administrative access
  • Recovery procedures

This becomes especially important if the firm relies on one internal employee, one outside consultant, or a small number of people who understand the environment.

Planning Should Become More Formal

At this size, leadership should have greater visibility into upcoming technology requirements. A useful planning horizon is 12, 24, and 36 months, giving leadership a practical framework for building a longer-term IT roadmap. Leadership should know when computers and servers are approaching replacement, along with upcoming firewall lifecycle, application, licensing, security, and capacity requirements. Leadership should know about:

  • Workstations approaching replacement
  • Server lifecycle
  • Firewall lifecycle
  • Application requirements
  • Microsoft licensing changes
  • Security improvements
  • Backup capacity
  • Office changes
  • Cloud projects
  • Expected technology spending

The objective is to turn foreseeable technology needs into planned decisions rather than emergency purchases.

What IT Support Does a 30-Person Accounting Firm Need?

At approximately 30 employees, the firm may still be considered a small business, but its technology can function more like an operational platform. Thirty employees may represent:

  • 30 or more user identities
  • 30 to 45 computers and other endpoints
  • Multiple administrative roles
  • Numerous software licenses
  • Shared mailboxes
  • Security groups
  • Application permissions
  • Remote users
  • Multiple vendors
  • Hundreds of technology dependencies

The consequences of weak IT processes become more significant because more employees can be affected by a single failure.

IT Support Needs More Structure

A 30-person firm should have clearly defined processes for:

  • Help desk support
  • Escalation
  • After-hours issues
  • Cybersecurity
  • Monitoring
  • Patch management
  • Backup and recovery
  • Employee onboarding and offboarding
  • Documentation
  • Vendor management
  • Hardware lifecycle
  • Technology projects
  • Strategic planning

That does not automatically mean the firm needs a full internal IT department. It means the operating model needs to cover these responsibilities consistently.

Coverage and Escalation Matter More

Consider what happens when the person normally responsible for IT is:

  • On vacation
  • Sick
  • Working on another critical issue
  • Unavailable after hours
  • Unable to solve a specialized problem

As a firm grows, depending on one individual for support, security, infrastructure, recovery, and planning can create operational risk. The firm needs access to different levels of expertise and a defined escalation process.

Leadership Needs Technology Visibility

At 30 employees, technology decisions can represent meaningful operating and capital expenses. Leadership should have visibility into:

What needs attention now? What will need attention next year? What risks are being accepted? What technology investments are coming? What should be budgeted?

IT should increasingly become part of operational planning rather than simply an expense that appears when something breaks.

A Practical 10, 20, and 30-Person Comparison

The following framework illustrates how IT requirements can evolve as an accounting firm grows.

IT Responsibility 10-Person Firm 20-Person Firm 30-Person Firm
Help desk Reliable support when needed Defined support and escalation Structured support, escalation, and coverage
Microsoft 365 Administration and security Formal access and configuration management More structured identity, permissions, and administration
Cybersecurity Core security controls Broader monitoring and review Formalized security operations and accountability
Backup Monitoring and basic recovery Documented recovery procedures Defined recovery priorities and regular testing
Documentation Core environment documentation More complete operational documentation Formal documentation and ongoing maintenance
Hardware Replace as needed with basic planning Lifecycle tracking Multi-year lifecycle and budget planning
Vendors Coordination as required Centralized vendor coordination Defined ownership and escalation
Planning Annual or periodic review 12 to 36-month planning Recurring strategic reviews and budgeting

These are not rigid rules. A 10-person firm with complex infrastructure may require more IT capability than a 30-person firm operating almost entirely on standardized cloud services. The table is useful as a framework, not as a staffing calculator.

Does a Growing Accounting Firm Need a Full-Time IT Employee?

Not necessarily. There are three common operating models. Firms deciding between internal staffing and outsourced support should also consider whether a dedicated IT person or an MSP is better suited to the breadth, coverage, and expertise the firm requires.

Model 1: Internal IT

An internal employee may provide:

  • Immediate onsite availability
  • Knowledge of employees and workflows
  • Direct involvement in business projects
  • Daily familiarity with the environment

The challenge is breadth. One person may be expected to handle:

  • Help desk
  • Microsoft 365
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Backup
  • Servers
  • Vendor management
  • Documentation
  • Projects
  • Strategic planning

Those are different disciplines. The question is whether one employee can realistically provide enough expertise, coverage, and time across all of them.

Model 2: Managed IT Provider

A managed service provider can distribute responsibilities across multiple people and technical disciplines, giving the firm access to capabilities that may be difficult for one internal resource to cover. Depending on the agreement, an MSP may provide:

  • Help desk
  • Monitoring
  • Microsoft 365 administration
  • Cybersecurity
  • Backup and recovery
  • Network management
  • Documentation
  • Hardware lifecycle management
  • Vendor coordination
  • Technology planning

This can give a smaller accounting firm access to broader capabilities without building an internal IT department. However, the firm should clearly understand what is included and which responsibilities remain internal.

Model 3: Hybrid IT

Some firms combine an internal employee with an MSP. For example, the internal employee might handle:

  • Employee support
  • Application coordination
  • Internal projects
  • Day-to-day business requirements

while the MSP handles:

  • Cybersecurity
  • Infrastructure
  • Backup and recovery
  • Escalation
  • Monitoring
  • Specialized projects
  • Strategic planning

A hybrid model can work well when responsibilities are explicitly defined. Without clear ownership, each side may assume the other is handling an important task.

The Better Metric: IT Capabilities per Firm, Not IT People per Employee

A ratio such as one IT person for every X employees can appear useful because it produces a simple number. But it can obscure the real question. Instead, accounting firms should identify the capabilities required to operate their technology. A practical capability checklist includes:

  1. Employee support
  2. Microsoft 365 administration
  3. Network and infrastructure management
  4. Cybersecurity
  5. Backup and disaster recovery
  6. Monitoring and patching
  7. Hardware lifecycle management
  8. IT documentation
  9. Vendor coordination
  10. Strategic technology planning

Then ask: Who owns each responsibility? Who provides backup coverage? Who handles escalation? How is the work verified? What happens when specialized expertise is required? That produces a much more useful picture of IT readiness than employee count alone.

Example: A 20-Person Accounting Firm Evaluates Its IT Model

Consider a 20-person accounting firm with one employee who has gradually become responsible for technology. That employee handles:

  • Employee support
  • Computer setup
  • Microsoft 365
  • Software vendors
  • Basic networking

The arrangement appears to work because employees generally receive help when they need it. Leadership then evaluates the broader IT environment. The review finds that:

  • Backup jobs are running, but backup and disaster recovery testing has not been performed recently, leaving leadership without verification that critical systems can be restored as expected.
  • Hardware replacements are handled only after computers become unreliable.
  • Microsoft 365 administrative privileges have not been formally reviewed.
  • Network documentation is incomplete.
  • There is no documented escalation process when the internal employee cannot resolve an issue.
  • Technology expenses are not projected beyond the current year.

The problem is not necessarily that the employee is doing a poor job. The issue is that the firm's IT responsibilities have expanded beyond the original support role. Leadership now has several options. It could expand internal staffing. It could move to a managed IT model. Or it could retain the internal employee and use an MSP for specialized responsibilities and coverage. The right answer depends on the firm's environment.

The important step is recognizing that support volume and IT capability are not the same thing.

Seven Signs Your Accounting Firm May Need More IT Support

Employee count alone should not trigger a staffing decision. Operational conditions are more useful indicators. An accounting firm should reevaluate its IT model when:

  1. Technology problems repeatedly interrupt employee productivity.
  2. One person has become the only source of critical IT knowledge.
  3. Security responsibilities are being handled inconsistently.
  4. Backups exist, but recovery is not regularly verified.
  5. Hardware is replaced primarily after it fails.
  6. Leadership cannot see technology requirements 12 to 36 months ahead.
  7. Important IT work is routinely delayed because day-to-day support takes priority.

A firm experiencing several of these conditions may not simply need "more help desk." It may need a more complete IT operating model.

How Much IT Support Should an Accounting Firm Budget For?

There is no reliable universal amount based solely on employee count. The cost depends on factors such as:

  • Number of users
  • Number of devices
  • Infrastructure
  • Applications
  • Cybersecurity requirements
  • Backup and recovery requirements
  • Support hours
  • Onsite requirements
  • Microsoft licensing
  • Cloud services
  • Projects
  • Internal versus outsourced responsibilities

A 10-person firm with servers, remote employees, complex applications, and strict recovery requirements may spend more on technology than a larger firm with a highly standardized cloud environment. That is why leadership should evaluate how much the accounting firm should budget for IT each year based on its total technology requirements, rather than comparing only the salary of an internal employee with an MSP's monthly invoice.

How Should an Accounting Firm Evaluate Its Current IT Support?

Start with a simple responsibility review. List the firm's critical IT functions and identify:

Primary owner: Who is responsible?

Backup owner: Who takes over if that person is unavailable?

Process: Is the work documented and repeatable?

Verification: How does leadership know it is being done?

Escalation: What happens when additional expertise is required?

For a 10-person firm, this exercise may reveal that a relatively simple support model is sufficient. For a 20-person firm, it may reveal gaps in security, recovery, documentation, or planning. For a 30-person firm, it may show that responsibilities have grown beyond what an informal IT model can reliably support. That is a more useful way to evaluate IT capacity than relying on a generic employee-to-technician ratio.

How Everleap IT Approaches IT Support for Growing Accounting Firms

Everleap IT's approach has been shaped by more than 20 years of operating production hosting environments, where technology must be monitored, secured, documented, maintained, and prepared for failure.

For accounting firms, those operating principles can be applied through:

  • Help desk support
  • Proactive monitoring
  • Microsoft 365 administration
  • Cybersecurity
  • Backup and recovery
  • IT documentation
  • Hardware lifecycle management
  • Vendor coordination
  • Strategic technology planning
  • Production Readiness assessments

The objective is not to assign an arbitrary number of IT technicians based on employee count. It is to make sure the firm has access to the capabilities, coverage, processes, and expertise required to operate its technology reliably.

Does Your 10, 20, or 30-Person Accounting Firm Have Enough IT Support?

Start by looking beyond ticket volume. Ask whether your current IT model provides:

  1. Reliable employee support
  2. Appropriate cybersecurity
  3. Proactive monitoring and maintenance
  4. Tested backup and recovery
  5. Current IT documentation
  6. Hardware lifecycle planning
  7. Coverage when the primary IT resource is unavailable
  8. Access to specialized expertise
  9. Clear escalation procedures
  10. 12 to 36-month technology planning

If several of those capabilities are missing, the firm may have an IT capacity problem even if employees are currently getting their support tickets resolved.

Everleap IT helps accounting firms throughout California's Inland Empire, including Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, Ontario, Chino, Claremont, and nearby communities, operate business-critical technology through proactive monitoring, cybersecurity, lifecycle management, recovery readiness, documentation, strategic planning, and Production Readiness assessments.

If your accounting firm is growing or evaluating whether its current IT support model is still appropriate, a technology assessment can help identify current responsibilities, uncover operational gaps, and determine which IT capabilities the firm needs as it grows. We are always here to chat about your IT needs and set up a technology assessment.