Bookkeeping in Plymouth
Bookkeeping that keeps your business up to date
Good bookkeeping should give you a useful picture of what’s happening in your business throughout the year – not simply produce the figures when a deadline arrives.
I provide regular, Xero-based bookkeeping for small businesses in Plymouth and across the surrounding South Devon area, keeping the records current, sorting the day-to-day detail and raising questions while they’re still easy to answer.
Devon based
Local bookkeeping, designed to work digitally
Invi is based near Newton Abbot and works with small businesses across Plymouth and the wider South Devon area.
The bookkeeping itself is designed to work digitally through Xero, receipt capture and email. There’s no need to save everything up for a monthly paperwork handover or arrange regular visits just to get the records from one place to another.
Being within reach of Plymouth still has its advantages. If it would help to sit down together when we get started, work through your Xero setup or deal with something that is simply easier face to face, we can arrange that.
You get the convenience of digital bookkeeping, with a bookkeeper who is still based here in Devon.
Bookkeeping Support
What can I help with?
Keep your books current
Regular bookkeeping in Xero, with bank transactions reconciled, paperwork matched up and questions dealt with as they arise.
VAT & quarterly updates
VAT returns for bookkeeping clients, alongside Making Tax Digital for Income Tax quarterly submissions where required.
Money in & money out
Support with customer invoices, supplier bills, payment information and the finance admin that sits around the bookkeeping.
Get more from Xero
Xero setup, tidy-ups and training, whether you’re starting from scratch or already using it and want to get things working more smoothly.
Who do I work with?
You might run a…
Trades & contracting businesses
Trades, contractors and other practical service businesses can generate a surprising amount of paperwork between materials, supplier bills, fuel, subcontractors, customer invoices and everyday expenses.
A regular bookkeeping routine keeps that activity organised without leaving you with a pile of transactions to decipher months later.
Professional & service businesses
Consultants, agencies, advisers and other service businesses where the bookkeeping needs to keep pace as clients, subscriptions, expenses and invoices increase.
I can keep the records moving regularly so you have a much more useful picture of the business as it develops.
Independent businesses
Shops, cafés, studios, hospitality businesses, creatives, trades and other owner-run businesses with plenty happening day to day.
I can keep the financial records moving in the background so the books don’t become a separate catch-up project every few months.
A good fit?
Bookkeeping for Plymouth businesses
Invi is aimed at small, owner-managed businesses that want their bookkeeping kept properly up to date without turning it into a whole department.
That might be a creative business, an independent shop, a wedding supplier, a consultant, a trades or service business, or simply a growing local business that has reached the point where keeping on top of the books is taking more time than it should.
You don’t need to be a certain size or fit a particular mould. What matters more is that you want a regular, digital bookkeeping routine and you’re happy working in Xero.
I’m particularly well suited to businesses that want someone to look after the detail, flag things that need attention and keep the records useful throughout the year – rather than only sorting everything out when a deadline appears.
Your regular bookkeeping can include:
- Bookkeeping kept up to date in Xero
- Bank and credit card accounts reconciled
- Supplier bills and purchase information recorded
- Receipts and supporting paperwork matched to transactions
- Missing information and queries raised as they come up
- Transactions checked for the correct treatment and VAT information
- Records kept tidy and ready for VAT returns, MTD or year end
- A clear handover to your accountant when they need the figures
The exact routine will depend on your business, but the principle is simple: deal with things while they’re current rather than letting the bookkeeping turn into a catch-up exercise.
Regular bookkeeping
The day-to-day books, properly looked after
The useful bit of bookkeeping happens between the deadlines.
I’ll keep your Xero records moving throughout the year – reconciling the accounts, recording the paperwork behind the transactions and raising questions while there’s still a reasonable chance you remember what happened.
For businesses with a mixture of income streams, online and in-person sales, seasonal work or simply a lot of small transactions, keeping things current also makes it much easier to see how the business is really doing.
Once everything is set up, the aim is for bookkeeping to become part of the normal rhythm of the business. Information comes in, the books are kept current and anything that needs your attention gets picked up while it’s still fresh.
How bookkeeping with Invi works
A simple routine
1. Talk it through
We’ll start with your business, what you’re doing now and where the bookkeeping is becoming difficult, time-consuming or simply needs more regular attention.
2. Review your setup
I’ll look at your Xero organisation, bank feeds and existing bookkeeping setup so we know what’s working, what needs tidying and what needs changing.
3. Agree the routine
We’ll decide how receipts, bills and other information will reach me, how often the bookkeeping will be updated and how I’ll send any queries back to you.
4. Keep the books current
I’ll work through the bookkeeping regularly, reconcile the accounts and make sure the records behind the transactions are where they should be.
5. Deal with queries
If something is missing or unclear, I’ll ask while the transaction is still relatively recent rather than trying to reconstruct it several months later.
6. Keep things ready
Your records stay in good shape for VAT returns, quarterly submissions, year-end and whatever else comes next.
At year end
Current books make year end a lot easier
Keeping the bookkeeping up to date throughout the year means there should be far less to unravel when your accountant needs the figures.
I’ll make sure the agreed bookkeeping is complete, the relevant accounts are reconciled and any outstanding queries are dealt with where possible. Your Xero records and reports can then be handed over in a much tidier state.
If your accountant has bookkeeping questions while they’re preparing the year-end accounts, I can deal with those directly too – so you don’t have to act as the go-between for things you may not know the answer to.
Invi doesn’t prepare statutory accounts or submit Corporation Tax or Self Assessment returns. My job is to make sure the bookkeeping behind them is in good shape for whoever does.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you only work with businesses in Plymouth?
No. Invi works with businesses across Devon and further afield.
Plymouth is close enough for an in-person meeting when one would genuinely be useful, but the day-to-day bookkeeping is designed to work digitally.
Are you based in Plymouth?
Invi is based in Abbotskerswell, near Newton Abbot, and I work with businesses across Plymouth and the surrounding area.
Most routine bookkeeping is handled remotely through Xero and digital records, so there’s no need for regular trips backwards and forwards.
Do we need to meet in person?
Not usually.
Xero, receipt capture, email and online meetings mean most of the bookkeeping can be handled without either of us needing to travel.
If you’d prefer to sit down together for setup, Xero training or a more detailed discussion, we can arrange that too.
Do I need to already use Xero?
No.
If you’re already using Xero, I can review what you have and take things from there. If you’re starting from scratch or moving from another system, I can help get Xero set up before the regular bookkeeping begins.
I work exclusively with Xero for ongoing bookkeeping.
Can you take over from another bookkeeper?
Yes.
I’ll first review the existing records and establish where everything is up to. That gives us a chance to identify any outstanding work or problems before the new routine begins.
Where appropriate, I can also liaise with your previous bookkeeper or accountant during the handover.
What sort of Plymouth businesses do you work with?
Invi is designed primarily for small, owner-managed businesses rather than one particular industry.
That might include consultants, agencies, creatives, trades, hospitality businesses, independent retailers and growing service businesses.
The more important consideration is whether you want the bookkeeping kept current and are happy working digitally in Xero.
Can you help with bookkeeping for a trade or contracting business?
Yes.
Businesses working across different jobs can quickly accumulate supplier invoices, material purchases, fuel costs, customer payments and other expenses that need properly recording.
Regular bookkeeping helps keep that information organised as you go rather than trying to work out which transaction related to what several months later.
Can you do my VAT returns?
Yes, where VAT returns form part of an ongoing bookkeeping service.
Because the underlying bookkeeping is already being maintained throughout the VAT period, preparing the return becomes part of the regular routine rather than a separate catch-up exercise.
Will you work with my accountant?
Yes.
I can keep the day-to-day bookkeeping current, prepare the records for year end and liaise directly with your accountant if they have bookkeeping questions or need further information.
That gives them cleaner records to start from and saves you having to relay questions backwards and forwards.
Can you help with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax?
Yes.
For businesses within MTD for Income Tax, I can keep the bookkeeping current in Xero and prepare and submit the required quarterly updates.
The annual Self Assessment tax return is separate and isn’t included in Invi’s quarterly submission service.
How much does bookkeeping cost?
Bookkeeping is priced according to the amount of work involved rather than using one standard package for every business.
Transaction volume, bank feeds, VAT requirements, the quality of the existing records and any additional finance administration can all affect the monthly price.
Tell me a little about your business and how you currently handle the books, and I can give you a clearer idea of the likely cost.
