"We need a bookkeeper" is something most growing UAE businesses say sooner or later. But what does a bookkeeper actually do all month? This guide lists the bookkeeping tasks involved, how often they happen, and what it costs to get them done.
The role of a bookkeeper, in one sentence
A bookkeeper records every financial transaction of a business and keeps the accounts accurate, reconciled and up to date, so the owner knows where the business stands and the accountant can prepare tax returns and financial statements without guesswork.
Bookkeeping tasks list
Daily or weekly
- Record sales invoices and receipts
- Record bills, receipts and expenses
- Match bank feed transactions
- File supporting documents
Monthly
- Reconcile every bank, card and payment-gateway account
- Review customer balances and chase overdue invoices
- Reconcile supplier statements
- Post payroll and WPS entries
- Record accruals and prepayments where needed
- Send a profit and loss, balance sheet and cash report
Quarterly
- Review VAT coding for the period
- Prepare the VAT return working papers
- Check for missing supplier tax invoices
Yearly
- Close the year in the accounting software
- Prepare year-end schedules for the accountant and auditor
- Support the Corporate Tax return
- Archive records (keep them for at least seven years for Corporate Tax)
What a bookkeeper doesn't usually do
The line varies, but bookkeepers usually don't:
- Sign off financial statements or give tax opinions: that's the accountant
- Audit the accounts: that's an independent auditor
- Make business decisions: that's you, using the numbers they produce
Read more in Bookkeeping vs Accounting.
Bookkeeping activities that matter most in the UAE
- VAT coding every transaction correctly, so the quarterly return is quick and right.
- Collecting tax invoices from suppliers. Without them you can't recover input VAT.
- Payroll and WPS entries that match the salaries actually paid.
- Tracking qualifying income separately for free-zone companies.
- Getting ready for e-invoicing, which changes how invoices are sent and received. See our UAE e-invoicing guide.
In-house bookkeeper or outsourced?
| In-house bookkeeper | Outsourced bookkeeping | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Salary plus visa, insurance, gratuity, software and desk | One fixed monthly fee |
| Cover | Stops when they're on leave or resign | A team covers holidays and absences |
| Review | Often no second check | Work reviewed before reports and returns |
| Best for | High-volume businesses that also need on-site admin | Most SMEs and free-zone companies |
For a full breakdown, read How Much Does Bookkeeping Cost in the UAE?
Signs you need a bookkeeper
- You're doing the books at night or at the weekend, or not at all.
- Your bank balance surprises you.
- VAT returns are a scramble every quarter.
- You can't say what your profit was last month.
- Your accountant charges extra to "clean up" at year-end.
A bookkeeper without the hiring
BooksGem gives you a named bookkeeper who handles every task on this list, for a fixed monthly fee.