The owner captures everything
Keep the working records you already use and agree which tasks Vatco takes over. The aim is a dependable monthly close with fewer unresolved transaction questions.
ACCOUNTING & BOOKKEEPING · SOUTH AFRICA
Monthly bookkeeping that keeps your business in focus.
Keep everyday transactions from becoming a year-end problem. Vatco helps organise your income, expenses and supporting records into a consistent monthly bookkeeping process, so you can understand the numbers and prepare for the next reporting or tax requirement.
Your requirements · A clear scope · Your next step
YOUR SERVICE GUIDE
Monthly bookkeeping
Monthly bookkeeping
01
Your recordsReview the starting point.
02
Monthly closeAgree the work and cut-off.
03
Useful reportsSee the results and outstanding queries.
Start with the details that matter.
A clear place to start.Tell us what your business needs.
A REGULAR RHYTHM
Start with records you can follow.
A busy bank account does not tell the whole story of a business. A payment could settle an old supplier invoice, repay a loan, buy equipment or cover a personal expense that needs to be separated. Monthly bookkeeping connects those movements to the documents and explanations behind them. That distinction makes the difference between a list of transactions and records you can actually use.
Vatco’s monthly bookkeeping service is for businesses that want a repeatable process for recording transactions, reconciling balances and producing understandable summaries. The starting point can be a spreadsheet, an existing accounting system or a collection of records that needs organising. We first establish what is complete, what is missing and whether earlier periods need attention before a reliable monthly routine can begin.
- Identify the information the owner or internal administrator already captures, so the service supports the work being done inside the business.
- Agree who performs each task and approves changes. Clear responsibilities help prevent duplicate entries, unapproved edits and missing invoices being overlooked.
YOUR SITUATION
Choose the monthly support your records need.
An administrator already captures invoices
Retain the internal capture role and define the checking, reconciliation and reporting work needed. Access and approval responsibilities should avoid the same transactions being processed twice.
Several months are behind
Start with the missing periods and accounts. Agree a cleanup stage before treating the recurring monthly fee as if the opening records were complete.
COSTS BEFORE YOU COMMIT
What the quote needs to cover.
Swipe across to compare all columns.
| Cost item | Amount or pricing basis | Inclusions and separate work |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring bookkeeping | Quoted by accounts, transaction volume and monthly scope | Confirm capture, reconciliation, query handling and reports included. |
| Historic cleanup | Quoted after reviewing missing periods and balances | Separate reconstruction and opening-balance work from the normal monthly routine. |
| Accounting software | Actual provider subscription, if required | Agree whose account is used, who pays and what access remains with the business. |
| Returns, payroll and year-end work | Separate scope where requested | Do not assume these are included in monthly transaction processing. |
Vatco confirms the professional fee, included work and any separate costs in writing after reviewing the records and scope. No unapproved price or package is implied.
WHAT THE WORK COVERS
A month-end close with a clear trail.
Capture and classify transactions
Sales invoices, supplier bills, receipts and other transactions are recorded against appropriate categories. Consistency matters: the same type of cost should not move between categories simply because a different person captured it.
- Unclear entries become questions for you to resolve rather than convenient guesses that distort the report.
Reconcile the moving parts
Bank and card balances are checked against the accounting records. Depending on the agreed scope, this can include customer balances, supplier balances, petty cash and loan movements.
- The point is to explain differences, identify missing or duplicated items and leave a traceable record of what was resolved.
Review and summarise the month
The agreed reporting pack can include an income statement, balance sheet and a summary of unresolved matters. The reports should state their period and any material limitations.
- A report built from incomplete information can still be useful, but its gaps need to be visible when you make decisions.
GET THE DETAILS TOGETHER
Documents and records to prepare.
Start with the records relevant to your situation. We confirm the exact scope and any authority-specific attachments before submission; briefing information is not automatically a mandatory filing document.
- Accounts in scopeBank, card and platform statements
Provide statements for every business bank account, card, loan account or payment platform in scope. Missing an account leaves an incomplete picture even when the main operating account has been reconciled.
- Tell us about new accounts, closed facilities and transactions paid personally on behalf of the business.
- Relevant transactionsInvoices, receipts and credit notes
Supply issued invoices, supplier invoices, credit notes and expense receipts in an agreed format.
- A bank transaction proves that money moved; it may not explain what was supplied or the correct treatment. Keep the supporting record connected to the transaction, especially where dates or amounts differ.
- Named business contactTransaction-query and approval record
Identify who can explain unusual payments, confirm customer receipts and approve corrections. A short list of specific queries is easier to resolve regularly than a large year-end investigation.
- An agreed document cut-off and response routine help the reporting date stay realistic without sacrificing accuracy.
- Where these movements occurCashbook and owner-funding records
Cash sales, reimbursements and money introduced by an owner need the same attention as bank transactions. Explain whether an amount is a sale, a loan, a reimbursement or another movement, and keep the available evidence.
- Transfers between your own accounts should also be identified so they are not mistaken for new income.
- If an owner regularly pays business costs personally, agree a way of recording those expenses and tracking the amount owed back.
- This makes the records more useful than simply treating every bank deposit as revenue and every withdrawal as an operating expense.
FROM BACKLOG TO ROUTINE
Set up the right starting point.
- 01
Review the opening position
We discuss your transaction volume, systems, reporting needs and how far the records are up to date. Existing opening balances, prior financial statements and unresolved reconciliations help establish a sensible starting point.
- Historical cleanup is identified separately so the ongoing monthly fee is not confused with a backlog project.
- 02
Agree scope and responsibilities
Confirm which accounts, entities and activities are included, which reports you need and whether you require related payroll or tax support. Establish who issues invoices, approves expenses and authorises payments.
- Bookkeeping records the financial activity; it does not automatically give another person authority to spend your business funds.
- 03
Close, review and repeat
Once records and answers are available, the month is processed and reviewed. You receive the agreed outputs and outstanding questions, with corrections carried through the records where necessary.
- The process is refined as your business changes, rather than assuming the original transaction volume or reporting needs will stay the same.
CLEAR EXPECTATIONS
Separate bookkeeping from the services around it.
Bookkeeping supports tax returns and annual financial statements, but those are separate tasks with their own scope. Payroll processing, VAT submissions, CIPC annual returns and detailed management analysis should only be treated as included when they appear in your agreed engagement. Ask for a clear list of monthly work, occasional work and items charged separately.
The quote depends on transaction volume, the number of accounts, the condition of existing records and the reporting required. Tell us whether you need a fresh start, catch-up work or a change from your current provider. We can then discuss a practical scope, handover requirements and timing based on the records available.
- Check the current SARS guidance on applicable tax-record retention arrangements, and keep supporting records organised alongside the bookkeeping output.
- Retain the evidence behind transactions where required. A summary spreadsheet should help locate information rather than become the only remaining record.
CONNECT THE NEXT PIECE.
Related support
for your business.
YOUR QUESTIONS. A CLEARER NEXT STEP.
Monthly bookkeeping:
frequently asked questions.
01Can Vatco take over from my current bookkeeper?
Yes, discuss a handover that includes the accounting data, latest reconciliations, opening balances, unresolved queries and relevant supporting documents. Confirm who will close the last period before the change. A clean handover prevents the same month being processed twice or a gap being left between providers.
02What if my bookkeeping is several months behind?
Start by explaining which periods are incomplete and what records you still have. Catch-up work can be scoped separately from the future monthly routine. Missing documents and unexplained balances may require your input before the backlog can be finalised.
03Do I need to buy new accounting software?
Not automatically. The existing system, business complexity and required reporting should be reviewed first. If a change is recommended, confirm the subscription cost, data migration, access permissions and who owns the records. Do not assume a software licence is included in the bookkeeping quote.
04Are VAT returns included in monthly bookkeeping?
Only where specifically agreed. Recording transactions and preparing supporting reports is different from reviewing and submitting a VAT return. If your business is VAT registered, mention it at the start so the accounting process and separate filing responsibilities can be aligned.
05Can I still issue my own customer invoices?
Yes. Agree how invoices enter the accounting records and how changes, credit notes and receipts are communicated. Keeping one consistent invoice sequence and avoiding duplicate capture helps customer balances remain understandable. The best arrangement depends on your existing process.
06How do you price monthly bookkeeping?
The scope is quoted after reviewing the number of transactions and accounts, the quality of records and the reports required. Historical cleanup, payroll, additional entities and specialist reporting can affect the cost. Ask for the agreed monthly work and exclusions in writing.
Have a question about your situation?
USEFUL INFORMATION, CLOSE TO HAND.
Resources for
your next step.
Go deeper with guidance from the relevant authorities.
LET’S FIND YOUR NEXT STEP.
Ready to discuss
monthly bookkeeping?
Share your requirements with Vatco.
Confirm the scope, documents and fees before proceeding.