Start with the source document
A bank description alone may not explain whether a payment bought stock, paid rent or reimbursed an owner. We match payment evidence with invoices or receipts and ask about missing information. The purpose is a traceable entry rather than a category chosen from an incomplete description.
For cash businesses, a daily sales summary and petty-cash record matter as much as bank statements. Transfers between your own business accounts should be identified so they are not counted again as sales.
- List cash, bank, card and other payment channels.
- Provide dated sales invoices, supplier documents and payment references.
- Separate business spending from personal withdrawals.
- Answer the exceptions list and approve any correction to earlier entries.
A clear division of responsibility
We can support recording and record organisation. The owner confirms the business purpose, supplies missing documents and authorises payments. Reconciliation identifies differences; it does not authorise the bookkeeper to move money.
| Task | Owner supplies | Bookkeeping output |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier payment | Bill, payment reference, expense purpose | Linked bill and payment record |
| Cash sale | Till summary and cash count | Daily sales and cash entry |
| Owner reimbursement | Receipt and approval | Business expense separated from drawings |
Cleanup and monthly work are different scopes
A backlog can involve uncertain opening balances or missing months. We discuss cleanup separately from recurring work so the monthly quotation does not hide an unknown reconstruction task.
Volume, channels, documents and the condition of your records determine the quote. Ask which schedules you will receive, when questions must be answered and how changes are logged.
Worked example
Separating a transfer from a sale
Fictional day: LKR 45,000 cash sales and LKR 20,000 moved from the till to the business bank account. No opening balance or expenses are included.
- Sales for the dayThe cash-to-bank transfer is not an additional sale.
- LKR 45,000.00
- Sales cash left in the tillThe same money has changed location.
- LKR 25,000.00
Recording both the sale and the transfer as income would overstate sales by LKR 20,000. Keeping the deposit reference makes the movement traceable.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send receipt photos?
Discuss the agreed document channel first. A usable image needs a readable date, amount, supplier and transaction purpose; a photo does not replace missing details.
Will you change my chart of accounts?
Any restructuring should be agreed after reviewing current reporting needs. Consistent categories are useful, but old periods should not be silently rewritten.
Sources and limits
Recording transactions is not an audit or a guarantee that every document is valid. Historical cleanup and tax work require separate scope confirmation.
- Finance Desk LK — current service scope
Current service boundaries. Confirm the work, exclusions and quotation in writing before an engagement begins.
Accessed: 2026-10-08