Questions people ask before the first call

If yours is not here, ask it on the call — it is free and there is no obligation either way.

My books are months behind. Is that a problem?

No, and it is more common than you would think. Catch-up work on historical books is quoted separately from the monthly fee, after I have looked at what is actually there. I would rather see the real state of it than a tidied version — the quote depends on the mess, and I have seen worse than yours.

I already have a bookkeeper. How much disruption is switching?

Less than most people expect. I need read-only access to your bank feed and accounting file, plus last year's records. From there I aim to have your first month reconciled and closed within two weeks, so you know quickly whether the arrangement works.

What access do you actually need?

Read-only access to your bank feed and your accounting file. Nothing more than that, and specifically nothing that would let me move money on your behalf. If your bank or platform cannot do read-only for a particular feed, we find another way rather than widening the access.

Do I have to change accounting software?

No. I work fastest in Zoho Books and SimplePay, and that is where I would put a new client if the choice were mine, but I pick up new packages quickly and have worked in Xero, Sage, QuickBooks and Pastel. I have no interest in making you migrate for my convenience.

What counts as a transaction?

One transaction is any line that has to be classified: a bank or card line, a supplier bill, a customer invoice, or a journal. Transfers between your own accounts count once, not twice. If a month runs over your included volume the overage rate for your tier applies, and I will tell you before it lands on an invoice, not after.

What happens if I go over my transaction limit?

You are charged for the extra lines at your tier's overage rate — R28 a transaction on Essentials, R18 on Growth, R12 on Full service. Nothing is cancelled, nothing is refused, and the month still closes.

You will hear from me before it reaches an invoice. If the overrun looks like a one-off busy month, paying the overage is usually the cheaper answer; if it looks like the new normal, moving up a tier is, and I will say which of the two I think it is. The rates are deliberately set above what the extra volume would cost you on the next tier up, so the overage never quietly becomes the expensive default.

Do you do payroll?

Yes, as a module on top of the monthly fee: R450 a month plus R95 per payslip. Monthly payroll runs in SimplePay, payslips issued to your staff, PAYE, UIF and SDL calculated, and EMP201 declarations filed. New starters, leavers and changes are handled without the month grinding to a halt.

Do I have to take payroll if I have staff?

No. The base fee covers the books, and it is priced on transaction volume alone — headcount does not enter into it. If your payroll is already handled elsewhere, or you would rather keep running it yourself, that is fine and nothing about the bookkeeping changes.

Do you handle SARS submissions?

EMP201 monthly declarations and both EMP501 employer reconciliations are prepared and filed on eFiling, with the deadlines tracked so nothing arrives late. They come with the payroll module rather than being billed separately — when the payroll has run here all year, the reconciliation is largely a by-product of it.

Can you do my annual financial statements or company tax return?

No — that is your accountant's work, and I am a bookkeeper rather than an accountant or auditor. What I do is prepare a clean year-end pack so your accountant is not billing you to sort out twelve months of loose ends first. Most accountants are noticeably happier to receive books that are already closed.

Is there VAT on your fees?

No. Ledger Room is not a registered VAT vendor, so no VAT is added and none appears on your invoice. The figures on the pricing section are what you pay. Should that change, you will have 60 days' notice.

How does billing work?

The monthly fee, and payroll if you take it, are fixed amounts payable monthly in advance — the fee for a month is due at the start of the month it covers. No hourly billing on the monthly work, and no surprise line items. Anything outside what you have taken is quoted before it starts, not invoiced afterwards.

The one variable amount is the overage, on a month that runs over your included volume, and you hear about that before the invoice rather than on it.

Do I pay extra for management accounts or the year-end pack?

No. Both are in every tier, whichever one you are on. You choose whether the management accounts come monthly or quarterly — one or the other, not both — and the choice does not change the fee. The year-end pack goes to your accountant either way.

Can I add or drop payroll later?

Yes. Payroll is the one thing billed on top of the monthly fee, and it is a separate line item: it can be started or stopped on one calendar month's written notice without touching the bookkeeping, and added again later on the same footing.

Do your fees change?

They are reviewed each March, and you get 60 days' notice of any change. If a change does not suit you, the ordinary one month's notice to end the engagement still applies.

What if I want to stop?

One calendar month's written notice, either direction, and an email counts. You get your records back and a clean handover of your accounting file. I will not hold your books hostage over a disagreement about a fee.

Where are you, and does it matter?

Saint Helena Bay, on the West Coast, working remotely with clients anywhere in South Africa. In four years of doing this the distance has never been the difficulty; getting documents on time is.

What are your hours, and how quickly do you reply?

Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 16:00. Email is answered within one working day. I work in Afrikaans or English, whichever suits you.

What sort of businesses do you usually work with?

Mostly professional services firms and e-commerce businesses — consultancies, agencies and online stores, where transaction volumes are high, the admin piles up quickly, and nobody in the building enjoys reconciling a payment gateway.

Still deciding?

The first call is thirty minutes, free, and carries no obligation. If I am not the right fit for what you need, I will tell you so on that call rather than three months into an engagement. Book one here.