The short answer
UAE companies must keep proper books and records: for 7 years for corporate tax and at least 5 years for VAT. We record every sale and expense, reconcile every bank account and currency, match receipts and invoices, and close the month so your VAT and corporate tax returns are built on clean numbers. You send documents by the 10th; you get your report by the 25th.
What the law requires
- Every company must keep proper accounting records, including Free Zone companies and companies with no profit.
- Corporate tax: records kept for 7 years after the end of the tax period. Missing records can cost an AED 10,000 penalty.
- VAT: tax invoices, credit notes and records of every taxable sale and purchase, kept for at least 5 years.
- Financial statements: needed for the corporate tax return, and audited in some cases. See audited accounts.
What we do every month
- By the 10th: you send bank statements, invoices and receipts, or snap them in the app.
- We record every transaction in the right account and VAT code.
- We reconcile every bank account and currency to the statement.
- We flag missing receipts, VAT issues and unusual items, in one message.
- By the 25th: you get your report.
Bank reconciliation, in every currency
Reconciliation means checking that every line on your bank statement is in your books, and every entry in your books is on a statement. It is how errors, duplicate payments and missing invoices are caught early. Many UAE companies hold AED, USD and EUR accounts, plus payment platforms and cards; we reconcile all of them and record exchange differences correctly.
What you send us
Every month
- Bank statements for every account and card
- Sales invoices
- Expense receipts and supplier invoices
When it happens
- New contracts and loans
- Asset purchases
- Payroll changes
Once
- Trade licence and company documents
- Tax registrations
- Opening balances from your old accountant
Your monthly report
- Profit and loss for the month and the year so far
- Cash in every account, reconciled
- Who owes you and whom you owe
- VAT due for the quarter and an estimate of corporate tax
- Deadlines coming up in the next 60 days
Your first month: setting up the books properly
- Chart of accounts built for your business and for UAE VAT, so every entry lands in the right place.
- VAT codes on every type of sale and purchase: standard-rated, zero-rated, exempt, reverse charge.
- Opening balances from your old accountant or from your company's start date.
- Bank feeds or statement imports for every account and card.
- Your compliance calendar: VAT quarters, corporate tax year, renewals.
In-house bookkeeper or outsourced bookkeeping?
| In-house bookkeeper | Outsourced to us | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Salary, visa, insurance, software, office space | One fixed monthly price |
| Holidays and turnover | Books stop when they are away or leave | A team, so the work continues |
| Tax knowledge | Depends on the person | VAT and corporate tax prepared from the same books |
| Deadlines | Your responsibility | Our responsibility, with the Zero Penalty Guarantee |
| Best for | Large volumes needing someone on site daily | Small and medium companies, up to several hundred transactions a month |
Bookkeeping for online sellers
Marketplaces and payment platforms pay you net of fees, refunds and chargebacks. Your books must show the full sale, each fee and each refund separately, or your VAT return will be wrong. We reconcile payouts from marketplaces and payment providers to your sales, every month. See e-commerce licence.
Year-end close
Because the books are closed every month, year end is short: we check accruals, prepayments and assets, prepare the financial statements and the corporate tax return, and coordinate the audit with our partner audit firm if you need one. Your corporate tax return is due within 9 months of the year end.
Behind on your books?
It happens, especially in the first year. We catch up up to 3 months for free when you join. For bigger backlogs we agree a fixed price on the call, then bring the books up to date before your next tax deadline.
Signs your books need help
- You don't know your profit until year end.
- Your VAT return takes days to prepare.
- Receipts sit in emails and WhatsApp chats.
- Your bank asks for financial information and you have none ready.
- You are not sure whether you have passed the VAT threshold.
Plans and guarantee
Bookkeeping is part of every monthly accounting plan: Start (up to 50 bank transactions a month), Grow (51 to 150) and Scale (151 to 400), with corporate tax registration and the yearly return included. One fixed monthly price, confirmed on your free call.