Daily transaction recording, weekly bank reconciliation, and GST-ready books — maintained by a dedicated bookkeeper on Zoho Books or Tally, with a monthly P&L and Balance Sheet. From ₹1,499/month.
*Listed amounts are IncorpX professional charges for end-to-end assistance. Government / statutory fees are charged separately at actuals.
Bookkeeping is the day-to-day recording of a business's financial transactions — every sale, purchase, receipt, and payment, logged against the correct ledger head as it happens. It's the raw, ongoing data-entry layer that everything else in a business's finances — GST filing, tax returns, financial statements — is built on top of.
Done well, bookkeeping means your books are never more than a day or two behind actual business activity, so you always know what's been earned, what's owed, and what's actually in the bank — not just a rough sense based on the account balance.
Statutory figures, thresholds, and due dates change from time to time — confirm the current position for your entity before relying on them.
The two are related but distinct — bookkeeping is the recording layer, accounting is the analysis layer built on top of it.
| Parameter | Bookkeeping | Accounting |
|---|---|---|
| Primary role | Recording and categorising every transaction as it happens | Interpreting those records into statements, tax computations, and advice |
| Typical output | Cash book, journals, ledgers, and a monthly trial balance | Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, MIS reports, and tax returns |
| Cadence | Daily recording with weekly reconciliation | Monthly, quarterly, and year-end |
| Handled by | A bookkeeper | A qualified accountant |
| Legal touchpoint | Books of account under Sec. 44AA (IT Act) and Sec. 128 (Companies Act) | Financial statements under Sec. 129; tax audit under Sec. 44AB |
| What it is for | Knowing exactly what was earned, spent, owed, and received | Filing returns, planning tax, and making financial decisions |
Every engagement covers the same core scope, delivered on a fixed cadence so your books never fall behind.
| Service | Frequency | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction recording | Daily | Every sale, purchase, receipt, and payment posted to the right ledger head |
| Bank & card reconciliation | Weekly | Books matched to bank and card statements, with mismatches traced and fixed |
| Accounts payable | Ongoing | Vendor bills tracked with due dates and an ageing view of what is owed |
| Accounts receivable | Ongoing | Customer invoices tracked with follow-up reminders and an ageing view |
| Invoice & expense entry | Daily | Invoices logged and expenses categorised against the correct account head |
| GST-ready books | Ongoing | Correct HSN/SAC coding and input-credit mapping so returns reconcile cleanly |
| Trial balance | Monthly | A debit-credit check confirming the books balance before month close |
| Financial reports | Monthly | A P&L extract and Balance Sheet snapshot shared after each monthly close |
| Cloud access | 24/7 | Live login to your books on Zoho Books or Tally, exportable anytime |
Which recording method and basis apply depends on your entity type and size — here's how the common ones differ.
| Method | How It Works | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|
| Single-entry | Each transaction is recorded once, like a running cash log | Very small businesses with simple, low-volume transactions |
| Double-entry | Every transaction is recorded as a matching debit and credit | Most businesses; the practical standard as volume and turnover grow |
| Cash basis | Entries are booked when money actually moves | Small proprietors and professionals tracking real cash flow |
| Accrual basis | Entries are booked when income is earned or an expense is incurred, regardless of payment | Companies — accrual is the basis required under the Companies Act |
Investors and auditors expect clean books from day one. Recording transactions correctly as they happen is far cheaper than reconstructing a year of activity before a funding round or audit.
Once income crosses the Section 44AA threshold, maintaining books becomes mandatory. Even below it, a clean record makes ITR filing accurate and substantiates the expenses you claim.
Marketplace settlements, platform fees, and high order volumes make e-commerce books involved. Small errors compound fast across hundreds of transactions, so daily recording matters most here.
Purchases, stock movement, supplier payables, and customer receivables all feed into GST reconciliation and into knowing which lines actually make money.
Section 128 requires companies to maintain books at the registered office regardless of turnover, and those books are the base for annual filings and any statutory audit.
As transaction volume climbs, owner-maintained books start slipping. A dedicated bookkeeping function keeps daily operations off the owner's plate and the books current.
Tell us your entity type, turnover, monthly transaction volume, and current software (if any). This lets us assign the right scope and a dedicated bookkeeper.
We set up your books on Zoho Books or Tally with a chart of accounts tailored to your revenue streams and expenses, GST configuration, and opening balances.
Share bank and card statements, sales and purchase invoices, and expense receipts through a secure channel. Any backlog is scoped and cleared first.
Sales, purchases, receipts, and payments are recorded daily against the correct ledger head, keeping the books current rather than backlogged.
Bank and card feeds are reconciled each week, catching missed entries, duplicates, and charges while they are still easy to trace.
A monthly close produces your trial balance, P&L extract, and Balance Sheet snapshot, plus a heads-up on upcoming GST, TDS, and filing deadlines.
This is what we typically ask for to set up or take over your bookkeeping — not everything applies to every business, especially at the very first onboarding stage.
| Document | Why It's Needed |
|---|---|
| Bank & credit card statements | To record and reconcile actual account activity and catch missed or duplicate entries |
| Sales invoices | The source documents for revenue entries and GST output matching |
| Purchase bills | The source documents for expense entries and GST input-credit matching |
| Expense receipts | To substantiate deductible expenses and keep the expense ledger accurate |
| GST credentials / returns filed | To reconcile book entries against what has already been reported to the department |
| Existing books or Tally backup | To establish opening balances and continue from where your records currently stand |
| Previous year's financial statements | To carry forward opening balances and keep year-on-year figures comparable |
The ₹1,499/month starting price covers a straightforward, low-volume setup. The actual scope and quote depend on a handful of factors specific to your business.
The number of entries recorded each month is the biggest driver of effort — a few dozen invoices costs far less to maintain than hundreds of daily transactions.
Each additional account adds its own weekly reconciliation cycle, so businesses running several accounts need proportionally more work.
A GST-registered business needs every entry coded and reconciled for input credit, which adds a layer that a non-registered business does not need.
Double-entry books and more frequent reporting take more effort than a simple monthly cash summary.
If prior months are unrecorded, clearing that backlog is a one-time effort scoped separately from ongoing monthly bookkeeping.
Maintaining your own books is possible at very low transaction volumes — here's how it compares once volume picks up.
| Factor | DIY | With ComplianceBharo |
|---|---|---|
| Time investment | A meaningful chunk of the owner's week | Fully handled by your bookkeeper |
| Accuracy | Depends on your familiarity with the software | Reviewed before every month close |
| Software | A separate cost you set up and manage | Set up as part of the engagement |
| GST readiness | Easy to miss coding or input-credit matching | Books kept GST-ready throughout the year |
| Audit readiness | Often a year-end scramble for records | Books stay current all year |
| Best suited for | Very low transaction volumes | Growing or higher-volume businesses |
Have questions about bookkeeping support for your business? Let our experts help you figure out the right scope.
Contact Support