Bookkeeping for consulting firms
Consulting firms sell expertise by the day, the project or the retainer, often to clients abroad. We track billing, collections and consultant costs by engagement, and make sure VAT and Corporate Tax are handled from the start.
Common challenges we fix
- Retainers and project fees billed in advance
- Associate and freelance consultant costs
- Clients in several countries and currencies
- No view of utilisation or margin per engagement
What we handle for you
- Engagement billing, retainers and unbilled work
- Associate and contractor payments with invoices
- Multi-currency receivables and bank accounts
- VAT treatment for UAE and overseas clients
- Margin by client and engagement
- Corporate Tax ready accounts, including free-zone checks
Frequently asked questions
Our consultancy is in a free zone. Do we pay 0% Corporate Tax?
Consulting income from mainland or overseas clients usually isn't qualifying income for the free-zone 0% rate. We check your income streams and whether Small Business Relief may be the better option.
How do we record expenses rebilled to clients?
Travel and other costs recharged to clients are generally part of your fee for VAT, so they're invoiced with VAT unless they qualify as true disbursements.
Guides for UAE businesses
Bookkeeping for Small Business in UAE: Step-by-Step Guide
Eight simple steps to set up and keep bookkeeping for a UAE small business, with basic examples and the UAE-specific rules you need.
Read the guide →VAT Registration Threshold UAE: Who Must Register?
AED 375,000 mandatory, AED 187,500 voluntary: how the UAE VAT threshold works, how to calculate it and when you must apply.
Read the guide →Corporate Tax Registration Deadline UAE (Including New Companies)
New companies have three months to register for Corporate Tax. Here's how the deadline works, the AED 10,000 penalty and the waiver.
Read the guide →Get your books in order this month
Tell us about your business and get a fixed monthly quote within one business day.