Bookkeeping & Software
Do I need a bookkeeper?
This depends. If you’re a small business such as a sole trader then the bookkeeping is something that you may be able to keep on top of yourself. A good time to consider bringing in a bookkeeper is when the business’s record keeping requirements start to become too time consuming or complex.
The benefits of having a bookkeeper
A bookkeeper can help with recording your business transactions and keep the financial records accurate and up to date, freeing up more of your time to focus on the business.
A bookkeeper can also help the business avoid costly mistakes when it comes to submitting the relevant information over to HMRC.
A bookkeeper can help save tax, as they will be familiar with the latest ways of reducing your tax liability. Note, this will depend on the experience level of the bookkeeper and the familiarity that they develop with your business.
What to look for in a bookkeeper
Always check to see if they have the appropriate experience and qualifications.
Try and shop around and speak to a few different providers at different price points. While it’s important to get a competitive price, don’t select purely on price. You may find that the saving you make on the bookkeeping is offset by the higher taxes that may become due, leaving the business worse off.
If your business uses particular software then always check that the bookkeeper is comfortable with using it.
Think long term. Find someone that will personally undertake your bookkeeping for many years to come and build the necessary familiarity with your business. You are more likely to find this with an independent bookkeeper. It’s harder to find when using accountancy firms, as the bookkeeping will be commonly undertaken by juniors that will invariably change from year to year.
Our Bookkeeping Service
At Wiseborne, we do not use juniors for our bookkeeping. Furthermore, your bookkeeping will be undertaken by the same experienced bookkeeper for many years to come.The first thing that we will do is sit down with you and discuss which aspects of the bookkeeping that you would like us to handle.
Once you’ve decided that you would like to use our bookkeeping service then we evaluate your current bookkeeping system and obtain a thorough understanding of how the transactions flow in and out of the company. The main aim of this would be to make the record keeping as efficient as possible, reducing manual data entry and to work around your requirements so that you can spend more time focusing on the business than on the books.
We are happy to work with whatever method of record keeping that you are comfortable with, whether it be manual, spreadsheets or software. You can send us your paperwork to us by email, software apps, post or drop these off to us at out our premises.
Our bookkeeping service is usually undertaken remotely so you will not need to worry about accommodating a bookkeeper on site. We can have the bookkeeping undertaken on your premises if this is what you would rather prefer.
We also provide a one-off service where we can undertake a review of your bookkeeping system and identify ways of reducing the amount of time that you, your staff or bookkeeper spend on recording your business transactions.
Software
More and more businesses are now using bookkeeping software due to the introduction of the Making Tax Digital law. There’s a lot of options out there to choose from and it can be rather daunting to decide on which one to use. We are partners with Sage, Quick books & Xero and can help you decide between them. Alternatively, you may prefer to use another software provider, or have your own specifically built in house software. Whatever your requirements, we’ll be happy to help.
Free installation and training (Sage, Quickbooks & Xero)
We will be happy to install the bookkeeping software free of charge and get you up and running with free on going training until you are comfortable with using it.
Staff training, Help & Support (Sage,Quickbooks & Xero)
We also offer onsite/remote training and help & support packages for your staff, should you feel the need to require it.
Custom built software solutions
Your business may require industry specific software solutions due to the products,commodities & services, that you sell. We can help you during the development phase and identify workaround solutions, to reduce the amount of money that you will pay over to the software developer, which could run into tens of thousands.
How much is it?
We offer competitive bookkeeping rates, flexible to your specific needs, so that you only pay for the services you require. If you would like a quote then please contact us.
Frequently asked questions
Will you prepare my VAT return and submit it to HMRC? Yes. Your VAT returns will be handled with the bookkeeping.
My records are prepared by pen and paper…can you help? Yes. We can work with manual records.
Do I have to use bookkeeping software? No. You can continue to use applications such as excel if you prefer.
Do I have to use particular software? No. We will be happy to work with whichever software you choose to use.
Which bookkeeping software should I choose? Factors such as whether you trade in multi currency, the volume of transactions, the bank accounts/business apps that you use to receive and make payments and many other considerations mean that the requirements will vary from one business to another. We have hands on experience with using various software and can help advise you further according to the business’s particular circumstances.
Do you prepare management accounts and reports? Yes. We can give you whatever you require. Lists of who owes you money and who you owe, profit and loss accounts and so on.
Will I keep having to revisit the same queries over again with new inexperienced staff? No. We do not use juniors for our bookkeeping services. Your bookkeeping will be undertaken by the same experienced person year on year at no extra cost.