Keep the ledger current
Record sales, purchases, receipts, payments and journal entries against supporting documents. Maintain the chart of accounts, resolve coding questions and keep a traceable general ledger.
Bookkeeping · Monthly reporting · Payroll
Accounting Services in Dubai
Clear books. Useful reports. Better-informed decisions. SAIF Chartered Accountants provides accounting, bookkeeping and payroll support tailored to the way your company operates—whether you need an outsourced finance function or support for your existing team.
Outsourced accounting and bookkeeping
Accountants in Dubai for clearer business decisions.
Looking for accountants in Dubai to manage your monthly books, support an in-house team or organise overdue records? Compare the reporting scope, relevant experience and access to your accounting data—not only the quoted fee.
Sales growth does not always mean healthy cash flow. Uncollected invoices, unrecorded supplier bills, stock differences and unclear shareholder transactions can distort the picture. Reliable accounting brings those balances together so management can see what needs attention.
Our work starts with your company profile, records and reporting priorities. We agree who supplies information, who reviews exceptions and which reports you need. Routine bookkeeping, financial reporting, payroll, tax work and advisory support are defined separately so the scope stays clear.
Choose the level of support you need.
- Outsourced bookkeeping: transaction processing and reconciliations for an agreed period.
- Monthly accounting: close adjustments, supporting schedules and management reports.
- Support for your finance team: backlog recovery, account review or additional reporting capacity.
- Finance advisory: budgets, cash-flow forecasts and decision support, separately scoped.
An outsourced accountant does not take over the owner’s responsibility for business decisions, payment approval or the completeness of records supplied.
Accounting and payroll services
One coordinated process, with clearly defined work.
Build a scope around actual transaction volumes, staff numbers, systems and reporting obligations—not a generic package.
Understand outstanding balances
Reconcile banks, payment gateways, customer and supplier accounts. Investigate unmatched receipts, duplicate entries, old advances and differences rather than carrying them forward without explanation.
Close with useful reports
Prepare an agreed reporting pack: profit and loss, financial position, receivable and payable ageing, cash movement and supporting schedules. Highlight exceptions and material changes for management.
Organise the employee pay cycle
Prepare payroll calculations, payslips, leave and benefit schedules and salary-file support within the agreed scope. Management approves employee changes and payments before release.
Connect returns to the accounts
Prepare reconciled data and schedules for VAT and Corporate tax work. Agree separately whether registration, return preparation, filing, tax advice and correspondence are included.
Restore a reliable starting point
Review incomplete books, reconcile opening balances and organise migration from spreadsheets or an existing system. Identify missing evidence and agree a recovery plan before promising a completion date.
Monthly management accounts and MIS
Reports that answer practical business questions.
The reporting pack is agreed for your business. These are common components, not an assurance report or a promise that every item is included in every engagement.
| Deliverable | What it shows | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Profit and loss | Revenue, direct costs, overheads and period comparisons | Which activities are earning money, and what changed? |
| Statement of financial position | Assets, liabilities, equity and reconciled control accounts | Are the balances supported and obligations visible? |
| Receivable and payable ageing | Outstanding invoices, credit notes and overdue items | Who owes us money, and which payments need planning? |
| Bank and cash reporting | Bank reconciliations, cash movements and unresolved items | Does the ledger agree to the bank, and where is cash going? |
| Supporting schedules | Fixed assets, depreciation, prepayments, accruals and payroll | Which adjustments and estimates support the month-end figures? |
| Management commentary | Significant movements, record gaps and agreed action owners | What needs a decision before the next reporting cycle? |
Compare performance consistently.
Use a stable chart of accounts and consistent cut-off policies. Where useful, compare results with the prior month, prior year or budget. Separate one-off items and explain material movements rather than delivering unexplained spreadsheets.
Distinguish cash reporting from forecasting.
A record of cash movements explains the past. A cash-flow forecast estimates future receipts and payments using assumptions. Budgeting, scenario analysis, board reporting and part-time CFO support need an agreed advisory scope.
A repeatable monthly close
From source documents to management decisions.
- 01 · CollectInvoices, receipts, statements, payroll changes and operational schedules.
- 02 · ReconcileMatch balances, resolve exceptions and prepare supported adjustments.
- 03 · ReviewCheck the reporting pack, significant movements and open questions.
- 04 · DiscussShare results, agree action owners and prepare the next close.
A closing calendar works only when the inputs arrive on time. Agree document cut-offs, review responsibilities and escalation for missing information before the first reporting cycle.
Payroll outsourcing in Dubai
A controlled salary process, from inputs to approval.
Payroll can cover employee master data, agreed salary components, approved leave, authorised deductions, payslips and payment-file preparation. Joiners, leavers, benefit accruals and final settlements require complete instructions and review under the applicable employment rules.
Keep payroll connected to the ledger: reconcile the payroll register, salary payable, bank payments and employee-benefit schedules. Restrict access to employee information and keep evidence of changes and approvals.
Explore payroll services and WPS support →WPS support is not payment authority.
Check the employer’s labour jurisdiction and applicable salary-payment requirements. Where WPS applies, agree the file format and process with the relevant bank or payment provider. Do not assume every free-zone entity follows the same route.
- The employer confirms employee terms and approved changes.
- The agreed payroll file is reviewed before submission.
- Authorised company representatives approve and fund payments.
- Payment results and rejected items are reconciled and followed up.
Submission assistance, employee-benefit calculations and historical payroll corrections should be specified in the engagement.
VAT, Corporate tax and financial reporting
Tax-ready books start with supported balances.
Reconcile sales, purchases, tax control accounts, credit notes, imports and relevant adjustments to the ledger. For Corporate tax, organise the financial statements, supporting schedules and analysis of items requiring a tax adjustment. Filing, tax opinions and representation are separate from routine bookkeeping unless expressly included.
The financial reporting basis must suit the entity and purpose. UAE Corporate tax rules generally use IFRS, with permitted alternatives or exceptions under the applicable decisions. A small company should not select cash accounting simply because it is easier without checking eligibility.
Corporate tax accounting and advisory →Retention and related-party records
Corporate tax Article 56 requires relevant records for seven years after the tax period. Other records or proceedings may need different retention periods. Keep readable source documents and accessible backups, not only a final balance sheet.
Identify shareholder balances, group charges, loans and related-party transactions correctly. Record-keeping supports transfer-pricing analysis; it does not itself establish an arm’s-length price.
Transfer pricing documentation support →Accounting software and cloud bookkeeping
Accounting Software We Support
SAIF is an authorised Zoho Books and Odoo partner, and we also support businesses using Xero, ERPNext, QuickBooks, Tally, Sage and other accounting or ERP systems. We scope bookkeeping, setup or migration around your existing records, integrations and reporting needs. Confirm the platform and version during the initial assessment.
Using QuickBooks, Tally, Sage or another platform? We can assess your existing records and required support before recommending a system change.
Our Zoho Books and Odoo partnerships do not limit your choice of software. We do not claim vendor certification for every other system named here, and using any product alone does not guarantee regulatory compliance.
Implementation may include a chart of accounts, opening balances, tax codes, document workflows, user roles and management reports. Test migration totals and reconciliation differences before relying on the new ledger. Software access, subscriptions, integrations and training should be clearly allocated.
Prepare for eInvoicing deliberately.
The UAE eInvoicing programme involves structured invoice data and an accredited service-provider framework. A PDF invoice or a software brand alone does not establish readiness. Check your applicable rollout requirements and assess data fields, process changes and integration needs.
Ministry of Finance — official eInvoicing portal →Protect access and preserve portability.
- Use individual accounts and role-based access.
- Separate vendor changes, payment approval and reconciliation where practicable.
- Agree who owns the subscription and administrator access.
- Retain source documents, audit trails and exportable data.
- Define backup, retention and exit-handover responsibilities.
- Review users when employees or service providers change.
Remote bookkeeping can reduce document movement, but it still needs controlled information sharing. Confirm confidentiality arrangements and use the agreed secure channel for financial and employee records.
UAE e-invoicing readiness
Connect invoice data with reliable accounts.
Prepare customer and supplier records, invoice fields and accounting workflows for structured electronic invoicing. Assess your applicable phase and coordinate the required work with your software team and Accredited Service Provider.
SAIF Chartered Accountants primarily supports Zoho Books for this work, with other systems considered according to your requirements. Preparation and accounting support are distinct from the provider’s accredited exchange and reporting role.
Explore UAE e-invoicing support →Readiness is more than a PDF invoice.
Agree who checks data, handles exceptions and reconciles processed invoices to the ledger. E-invoicing does not replace bookkeeping or applicable tax-return obligations.
Use the dedicated guide for current deadlines and scope, rather than treating July 2026 as a universal mandatory start date.
Read the updated requirements and deadlines →Industry-specific accounting
Industries We Serve
Transaction counts alone do not describe complexity. Contracts, stock, projects, currencies and customer-payment models affect the work.
Trading and e-commerce
Stock, landed costs, returns, marketplace fees, payment settlements and multi-currency balances. Reconcile channel sales to receipts rather than treating net payouts as gross revenue.
Construction and project businesses
Job costing, work in progress, milestones, retention, subcontractors and variations. Connect billing to the contractual basis and the applicable revenue-recognition policy.
Professional services and technology
Time or milestone billing, subscriptions, deferred income, contractor costs and cross-border transactions. Distinguish cash received from revenue earned.
Hospitality and retail
Point-of-sale totals, cash handling, card settlements, delivery platforms, wastage and stock movements. Investigate differences between sales systems and the ledger.
Healthcare and education
Patient or student billing, insurer balances, advance collections, refunds and payroll. Use appropriate access controls for confidential customer and employee information.
Property and logistics
Rental schedules, deposits, service charges, fleet costs, freight accruals and customer advances. Separate funds held for others from the company’s own income where appropriate.
Getting started or changing accountants
Make the handover complete before the next close.
Share the trade licence, company structure, reporting year, latest trial balance, prior financial statements and tax returns. Add bank and payment-platform statements, customer and supplier schedules, stock and asset records, payroll data and system-access details through an agreed secure process.
For catch-up work, identify the last completed period, unreconciled accounts and missing records. Agree how opening-balance differences will be investigated. Do not overwrite historical figures without retaining the evidence and approval for adjustments.
Explore catch-up bookkeeping and backlog accounting →Year-end and audit readiness
Prepare a reconciled trial balance, lead schedules and supporting documents for the auditor. Accounting assistance and independent audit are different engagements; independence must be assessed if both are requested.
Annual financial statement audit →Accounting for your legal entity
Accounting Services for Free Zone & Mainland Companies
The company’s licence is a starting point. Its activities, transactions, reporting obligations and ownership structure determine the accounting scope.
Mainland companies
Organise sales, purchases, payroll, stock and bank records around the business model. Reconcile the monthly accounts with VAT and Corporate tax schedules, and identify any reporting required by owners, lenders or the company’s governing rules.
For an SME, this may mean one monthly management pack. A multi-branch business may also need cost centres, branch comparisons and consolidated reporting, agreed separately.
Free-zone companies
Keep authority reporting separate from tax eligibility. Free-zone status does not automatically remove record-keeping obligations or establish a 0% Corporate tax outcome.
Explore the reporting context for DMCC, JAFZA and DAFZA. Confirm which annual statements, audit schedules or authority forms apply to the specific entity.
All free-zone reporting guides →Accounting fees and quotations
Priced for your company—not a fixed plan.
Accounting and bookkeeping fees are tailored to your company profile, transaction volume, number of employees, reporting needs and scope of work. Share a representative month of activity and your requirements so SAIF Chartered Accountants can prepare a customised proposal.
A growing multi-currency trading company with stock and several payment channels needs a different scope from a consultancy with a small number of invoices. Historical record gaps, multiple entities and additional review requirements also affect the work.
What the proposal should make clear
- Entities, periods and expected transaction volumes.
- Bookkeeping frequency and monthly reporting deliverables.
- Payroll headcount and processing responsibilities.
- Tax preparation, filing and advisory inclusions or exclusions.
- Software subscriptions, setup and catch-up work.
- Information deadlines, review meetings and changes in scope.
Frequently asked questions
Accounting, bookkeeping and payroll questions.
Practical answers for owners and finance teams comparing outsourced accounting services in Dubai.
01What do accounting and bookkeeping services in Dubai include?+
The scope can include transaction recording, reconciliations, monthly accounts, receivable and payable schedules, payroll and tax-data preparation. The proposal should specify the entities, reporting periods, deliverables and exclusions; filing and advisory work are not automatically included.
02What is the difference between bookkeeping and accounting?+
Bookkeeping captures and organises transactions. Accounting also addresses adjustments, reconciliations, reporting policies and interpretation of the figures. A company may need both routine processing and a more experienced review of its monthly or year-end accounts.
03How much do outsourced accounting services cost?+
Fees are tailored to the company profile, transaction volume, number of employees, systems, reporting needs and scope. SAIF Chartered Accountants does not use fixed accounting plans. Historical cleanup, software costs, tax filing and additional advisory work should be identified separately.
04Can a small business outsource its accounts without hiring a full-time accountant?+
Yes. An outsourced arrangement can provide an agreed level of bookkeeping and reporting support. The business still needs someone to provide documents, approve payments, resolve queries and make management decisions. Compare the full scope with the responsibilities of an in-house role.
05Do you provide payroll and WPS support?+
Payroll calculation, payslips and salary-file preparation can be scoped together. Confirm the applicable labour authority and payment route before processing. WPS requirements are not identical for every jurisdiction. The employer remains responsible for accurate employee instructions, approval and timely salary payment.
06Can you work with our existing accounting software?+
We can discuss your existing platform, data quality and access arrangements before recommending a change. The assessment should cover reporting, tax configuration, integrations, audit trails and export options. Software subscriptions and substantial migration work are separately agreed.
07Are VAT returns and Corporate tax returns included?+
Only when included in the engagement. Reconciled books support return preparation but do not replace tax analysis. Agree who reviews the tax treatment, approves the return, submits it and retains the supporting records.
08Can you help with overdue bookkeeping or incomplete records?+
Yes, subject to the information available. Start with the last reliable trial balance, bank statements, invoices, prior returns and financial statements. Missing evidence and opening-balance differences need to be resolved or clearly documented before accounts can be relied upon.
09Do free-zone companies need bookkeeping?+
Free-zone status does not remove the need to assess accounting, tax and authority reporting obligations. Keep records that explain the company’s transactions and balances, including related-party dealings. A 0% tax outcome should never be assumed from the licence alone.
10How often will we receive management accounts?+
Agree the frequency and closing timetable in the engagement, commonly monthly for an active business. Delivery depends on complete information and timely answers. More frequent cash reporting or a board pack can be added where the business requires it.
11Can the same firm prepare accounts and carry out the audit?+
Not automatically. Audit independence and the nature of the accounting assistance must be assessed before accepting the combination. Management remains responsible for the accounts and decisions, and an accounting service does not provide an independent audit opinion.
12How long should Corporate tax records be kept?+
Article 56 of the UAE Corporate tax Law requires relevant records to be kept for seven years following the end of the tax period. Other laws, records and ongoing proceedings may require different or longer periods. Agree a retention policy rather than applying one rule to every document.
13Will we retain access to our accounts if we change providers?+
Access, ownership, backups and handover should be agreed at the start. Request exportable ledgers, the chart of accounts, supporting schedules, documents and a list of unresolved items. Avoid relying only on PDF reports without the underlying accounting data.
Accounting insights
Outsourcing, systems and financial visibility.
Related reading on organising the finance function and connecting records to useful reporting.
AccountingOutsourced Accounting in Dubai: In-House or External Support?
Compare outsourced, in-house and hybrid accounting for a UAE business. Understand deliverables, responsibilities, costs, software access and the questions to ask before appointing a provider.
Read insight ↗
AccountingUAE Monthly Bookkeeping Checklist: Documents to Reports
A practical monthly bookkeeping checklist for UAE businesses: collect source documents, reconcile balances, review tax schedules and prepare a clear management reporting pack.
Read insight ↗
AccountingAccounting and Bookkeeping Costs in Dubai: A Quotation Guide
Understand what affects accounting and bookkeeping fees in Dubai, compare proposals fairly and prepare the information needed for a company-specific quotation without fixed package assumptions.
Read insight ↗Official references
- FTA — Corporate tax Law, including Article 56 on record retention
- FTA — guidance on accounting standards and methods, section 7.1
- Ministry of Finance — eInvoicing programme
Updated 21 September 2026. Requirements depend on the entity, reporting period and applicable legislation.
SAIF Chartered Accountants
Build a more dependable accounting routine.
Tell us about your business, existing records and reporting priorities. We will discuss the scope and information needed for a tailored proposal.
Request accounting support →