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Quick answer
Once you’ve chosen an outsourced accountant, the engagement is simple by design. Each month you provide sales invoices, supplier bills, bank statements and any supporting documents — and the firm does the rest: bookkeeping, reconciliations, VAT and Corporate Tax. In return you get monthly management reports (P&L and Balance Sheet, plus a draft VAT report to review in filing months) and a dedicated UAE-based accountant who replies to routine queries within about a business day. If you’re switching, the firm coordinates the transition — taking access to your existing system, reviewing the history and opening balances — so nothing breaks in the handover.
By the time a business is comparing final proposals, the price and the inclusions are usually clear. What’s often not clear is the day-to-day: “What will I actually have to do each month? What will I get back? And how painful is the switch from our current firm?” Those are the right questions to ask — so here’s exactly how a well-run engagement works.
Your side
What you provide each month — and that’s it
A good engagement is deliberately light on you. On a monthly basis, you mainly need to share:
- Sales invoices and credit notes you’ve issued;
- Supplier invoices and expense bills you’ve received;
- Bank statements for the period; and
- Any other relevant supporting documents (contracts, payment references, and so on).
From there, the firm handles the bookkeeping, bank reconciliations, VAT filings, Corporate Tax and ongoing compliance. You supply the raw material; they turn it into compliant, up-to-date books.
Their side
What you get back — the monthly reports
Good bookkeeping is only useful if it comes back to you as something readable. Monthly management reporting generally includes:
- Profit & Loss statement — how the business performed that month;
- Balance Sheet — what it owns and owes;
- Any additional or customised management reports you need to run the business.
And in VAT filing months, you should receive a draft VAT report to review before it’s submitted — nothing goes to the FTA without your sign-off.
Your point of contact
A dedicated accountant, not a call centre
You should have a dedicated, UAE-based accountant who knows your company and is your regular point of contact for accounting and tax questions — not a new face each time. A reasonable service standard is a reply to routine queries within about one business day. That responsiveness matters: FTA queries in particular can carry tight deadlines, so waiting a week for a callback isn’t good enough.
The switch
Moving from your current accountant — without disruption
If you’re changing firms, a proper transition is coordinated for you, not dumped on you:
- Identify the current system. Are your books on Zoho Books, Xero, QuickBooks or another platform? That shapes the handover.
- Get access to the existing accounting. During onboarding the new firm takes access to review the historical accounting, understand the opening balances, and raise any questions before taking over — so nothing is inherited blind.
- Complete a short onboarding form. This captures the company and accounting details needed to start.
- Take over cleanly. With history reviewed and balances confirmed, the new firm picks up the monthly cycle with no gap in your compliance.
The yearly rhythm
What the engagement looks like across a year
| Cadence | What happens |
|---|---|
| Monthly | Bookkeeping, reconciliations, and your management reports (P&L, Balance Sheet) |
| Quarterly | VAT return prepared, draft shared for review, then filed |
| Annually | Financial statements and the Corporate Tax return prepared and filed |
| Ongoing | Accounting and tax support, FTA queries, routine adjustments — as they arise |
Most routine work sits inside the fixed monthly fee; genuinely exceptional work outside the agreed scope should always be discussed and priced in advance, never sprung on you. (For what to look for when comparing firms and fees, see our guides on choosing an accounting firm and what packages actually include.)
Thinking of switching — or setting up — your accounting?
You send the invoices and statements; we handle the books, VAT, Corporate Tax and reports, with a dedicated UAE accountant and a clean transition from your current firm. All-in from AED 499 + VAT a month, no lock-in.
Related reading
How to choose an accounting firm in Dubai →What accounting packages actually include — compared →Related Fastlane services
FAQ
What do I need to provide my accountant each month?
Primarily your sales invoices and credit notes, supplier invoices and expense bills, bank statements, and any other relevant supporting documents. From there, the firm handles the bookkeeping, bank reconciliations, VAT filings, Corporate Tax and ongoing compliance. Your role is to supply the source documents; theirs is to turn them into compliant, up-to-date books.
What monthly reports should an outsourced accountant give me?
At a minimum, a Profit & Loss statement and a Balance Sheet each month, plus any additional or customised management reports you need to run the business. In VAT filing months you should also receive a draft VAT report to review before it is submitted, so nothing is filed with the FTA without your sign-off.
Will I have a dedicated accountant?
You should. A well-run engagement assigns a dedicated, UAE-based accountant who knows your company and is your regular point of contact for accounting and tax matters, rather than a rotating team. A reasonable standard is a reply to routine queries within about one business day, which matters because FTA queries can carry tight deadlines.
How does switching accountants work in the UAE?
The new firm coordinates the transition. It identifies your current accounting system (Zoho Books, Xero, QuickBooks or another), takes access to review the historical accounting and opening balances, raises any questions before taking over, and has you complete a short onboarding form. Done properly, the handover happens with no gap in your monthly compliance.
What does the accounting engagement look like across a year?
Monthly: bookkeeping, reconciliations and management reports. Quarterly: the VAT return is prepared, shared in draft for your review, then filed. Annually: financial statements and the Corporate Tax return are prepared and filed. Ongoing: accounting and tax support, FTA queries and routine adjustments as they arise — most of it inside the fixed monthly fee.
Is everything included in the monthly fee, or are there extra charges?
Most routine accounting and tax work — bookkeeping, reconciliations, VAT and Corporate Tax filing, financial statements, routine FTA correspondence and support — should sit inside the fixed monthly fee. Only genuinely exceptional work outside the agreed scope should be charged separately, and a good firm agrees that fee with you in advance rather than adding surprise charges.
General guidance on how an outsourced accounting engagement works in the UAE, current as of August 2026; not tax advice. Exact scope, reporting and onboarding vary by firm and engagement — confirm the specifics in a written engagement letter before appointing a provider.