Not every business has the same accounting needs. Some want to send their invoices and leave all the work to us; others run their own bookkeeping with their own team and only need the statutory closing, the returns and our opinion. That is why we offer the service in three models. The model is chosen together, based on the size of the business, its in-house staff and the software it uses, and is set out in a written engagement contract.
Which model suits you?
| Your situation | Model we suggest |
|---|---|
| You have no accounting staff; you want to collect and send the documents | Full service |
| You enter invoices, collections and payments in your own software | Shared bookkeeping |
| You have an accounting department; you want outside review, assurance on returns and tax advice | Advisory and review |
| You are a company with a foreign shareholder; group reporting is required | One of the three models + group reporting |
The model can change as the business grows. For example, a company that starts with full service can move to shared bookkeeping when it hires an accounting clerk; the switch is made at the start of a month, when the records are reconciled.
1. Full service
For whom: companies without accounting staff, sole proprietorships, newly formed businesses and owners who want to run the business without spending time on accounting.
What you do
- Send purchase documents, expense documents and documents for non-bank payments during the month
- Inform us about cash payments, payments to shareholders and unusual transactions
- Report hirings, departures, leave, sick leave and overtime for payroll on time
- Approve the summary of amounts due sent before filing, and pay the tax
What we do
- Bookkeeping: recording purchase and sales invoices, bank, cash, POS and credit card transactions
- Tracking customer and supplier accounts and month-end reconciliations
- Payroll, SGK filings, hiring and leaving notifications (Payroll and social security)
- VAT, withholding and premium, stamp duty, provisional tax and annual returns (Tax returns)
- Creating the e-Ledger, uploading and archiving the certificates (Books and e-Ledger)
- A monthly management summary and year-end financial statements
- Monitoring the e-notification box and forwarding incoming letters to you
Monthly cycle
| When | Task |
|---|---|
| First week of the month | Completing the previous month's documents, obtaining bank transactions |
| By the 10th | A list of missing documents is sent to you |
| Mid-month | Finishing the entries, reconciling accounts and bank |
| Filing week | The summary of amounts due is sent for your approval and the returns are filed |
| End of the month | The management summary is sent |
Filing and payment dates can change every month; see the tax calendar for current dates.
2. Shared bookkeeping
For whom: businesses that run their invoices, collections and payments in their own bookkeeping or ERP software but need a professional for the statutory books, returns and payroll.
What you do
- Record sales and purchase invoices, collections and payments in your own software
- Keep stock movements (if any) and customer and supplier accounts up to date
- Confirm at month end that the entries are complete
What we do
- A monthly review with a user set up in your software or with exported records
- Checking the chart of accounts, VAT rates, VAT withholding and withholding tax codes
- Statutory closing entries: depreciation, rediscount, FX revaluation, accruals
- Payroll, SGK filings and all returns
- e-Ledger and certificate procedures
- A list of errors found in the review, with suggested corrections
Point to watch: in this model your team is primarily responsible for the entries. Closing the entries on time at month end is a condition for meeting the filing deadline. If the entries are late, the return is filed with the information available and a correction note.
3. Advisory and review
For whom: companies with their own accounting department that want an independent outside eye, assurance on returns and tax advice; companies reporting to a foreign shareholder.
What you do
- All the accounting: entries, payroll, reconciliations
- Submit draft returns and supporting schedules for our review
What we do
- A monthly or quarterly review: trial balance, VAT and withholding consistency, unusual items
- Reviewing returns before they are filed
- Year-end closing, non-deductible expenses, prior-year losses and the tax computation
- Written updates on how changes in legislation affect the business
- Support in tax audits, invitations to explain and SGK inspections (Tax audits and invitations to explain)
The contract states clearly through which party the returns are filed and how responsibility is shared.
The models compared
| Full service | Shared bookkeeping | Advisory and review | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day-to-day bookkeeping | Us | You | You |
| Month-end closing entries | Us | Us | You, reviewed by us |
| Payroll and SGK | Us | Us | You or us |
| Returns | Us | Us | As agreed in the contract |
| e-Ledger | Us | Us | As agreed in the contract |
| Management report | Monthly summary | Monthly summary | Periodic review report |
| Staff you need | None | A bookkeeping clerk | An accounting department |
Monthly management summary
In the full service and shared bookkeeping models we send a one-page summary every month:
- Income, expenses and profit for the period
- Cash position and upcoming payments
- Ageing of receivables
- Tax and SGK amounts payable
- Items needing attention: cash building up in the till, shareholder current accounts, undocumented spending
For companies with foreign shareholders, reporting in the format the group requires (Excel, IFRS reconciliation) is planned separately.
Taking over from another accountant
We start the takeover with a handover review carried out before we assume responsibility. We share the findings in writing, so that issues carried over from the past are clear to both you and us from the outset.
Handover steps
- Request for information and documents: last year's returns, trial balances, e-Ledger certificates, payrolls, the fixed asset register and contracts are requested.
- Handover review: the checks in the table below are carried out and presented to you as a report.
- Notice to the previous colleague: under professional rules, the takeover is notified to the previous accountant in writing.
- Transfer of authorisations: the e-Return intermediary agreement, e-Ledger and e-Invoice access (private integrator or GİB portal), the financial e-seal or e-signature, and SGK e-Notification and e-notification users are set up for the new arrangement.
- Handover of books and documents: carried out with a checklist and signed record.
- First month: which party files the returns for the handover month is agreed in advance; the first closing is reviewed together.
What the handover review covers
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Returns filed against the book entries | Errors in returns can be corrected through voluntary disclosure |
| VAT carried forward and prior-year losses | Tax credits that can be used |
| Book certifications and e-Ledger certificate uploads | A missing certificate triggers a special irregularity penalty |
| Shareholder current account, cash and stock | Risk of hidden profit distribution and audit |
| Fixed asset register | Duplicated or missing expenses |
| SGK filings and incentives | Risk of incentives being cancelled retroactively |
| Transactions with related parties | Transfer pricing form and documentation |
| e-Notification box | Unanswered letters and running deadlines |
How is the fee set?
The fee depends on the number of documents and employees, the type of books, the volume of e-documents, branches and foreign currency transactions, and the reporting expected. The professional fee cannot be below the minimum fee tariff published by TÜRMOB each year. Scope and fee are set in a written contract; amounts may be updated when legislation or the scope changes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I send documents? e-Invoices are retrieved directly from the integrator or the GİB system. For other documents, photos, e-mail or a shared folder can be used; paper documents are collected at month end.
Can I use my own accounting software? Yes. In the shared bookkeeping and advisory models we work in your software.
Is a mid-month takeover possible? Yes. However, planning the takeover date around the filing period, for example having a single party file a month's VAT return, avoids confusion.
Can the model be changed later? Yes. The change is made at the start of a month and added to the contract.
Sources
Tax Procedure Law No. 213; Turkish Commercial Code No. 6102; Law No. 3568 on Certified Public Accountants and Sworn-in Certified Public Accountants and professional rules; Accounting System Implementation General Communiqués (Uniform Chart of Accounts).