Bookkeeping that keeps your business records organized and up to date
Bookkeeping is more than recording transactions. Organized, up-to-date records help you understand what is happening in your business and make decisions with better information.
Whether you need ongoing monthly bookkeeping, help catching up on prior periods or cleanup of existing records, we start by understanding the condition of your books and what needs attention.
Service in English and Spanish from our Miami office, with virtual bookkeeping available when appropriate.
At a glance
- Service
- Bookkeeping and organization of business financial records.
- Who it's for
- Business owners who need to keep their books organized and current, or who need to catch up on prior periods.
- Service options
- Ongoing monthly bookkeeping, catch-up bookkeeping and bookkeeping cleanup.
- How we work
- In person at our Miami office, with virtual service available when appropriate, in English and Spanish.
- Getting started
- Schedule a consultation or reach out to us on WhatsApp.
Does any of this sound like your business?
These are common situations for small and mid-sized businesses in Miami and South Florida, regardless of entity type.
- You have months of transactions that were never categorized
- Your bank accounts have not been reconciled
- Personal and business expenses are mixed together
- You are not sure how the business is actually performing financially
- You manage several business bank accounts or credit cards
- Receipts are piling up without an organized system
- Tax season arrives and you have to rebuild the whole year
- You have bank activity you do not know how to categorize
- You do not have current financial reports
- Your books are behind
- You need organized information to work on your business taxes
- The business is growing and you need better visibility into the numbers
Bookkeeping is not only about recording transactions. The goal is to keep your financial information organized so it is available when you need it.
What bookkeeping actually covers
Bookkeeping is the work of keeping a business's financial records organized and current. Depending on the scope, it can include recording and categorizing transactions, reconciling accounts, organizing the chart of accounts, maintaining the books on a periodic basis, preparing internal reports and reviewing the financial information.
Bookkeeping
Organizes the financial information behind the business throughout the period.
Tax preparation
Uses that information, along with other tax documents and applicable rules, to prepare the tax return.
Bookkeeping categorization helps organize the financial records; tax treatment is determined separately based on applicable tax rules.
What's included
The scope depends on the business, the volume of transactions and the information available. Not every client needs all of these — we define the scope during the initial review.
- Categorization of business income and expenses.
- Bank account reconciliation for business accounts.
- Credit card reconciliation.
- Review of recorded transactions.
- Organization of the chart of accounts.
- Recording of the financial activity for the period.
- Review of accounts receivable, when applicable.
- Review of accounts payable, when applicable.
- Tracking of assets and liabilities, when applicable.
- Owner contributions and distributions, when applicable.
- Preparation of internal financial reports.
- Profit and Loss Statement (P&L).
- Balance Sheet, when applicable.
- Periodic review of the books at the agreed frequency.
- Organized information prepared ahead of tax season.
- Identification of transactions that need clarification.
Monthly bookkeeping, catch-up or cleanup?
These are different kinds of work, and they are often combined: first the outstanding or unreliable periods get organized, then the books are maintained on a periodic basis. The scope depends on how many periods are outstanding and the condition of the existing records.
Ongoing monthly bookkeeping
For businesses that want to keep their records organized on a continuous basis throughout the year.
- Keeping transactions categorized consistently
- Periodic bank and credit card reconciliation
- More current financial information to work with
- Arriving at tax season better prepared
Catch-up bookkeeping
Catch-up bookkeeping focuses on bringing previously unrecorded or unfinished periods up to date.
- Review of periods that were never recorded or completed
- Categorization of the transactions in those periods
- Reconciliation of accounts that are behind
- Bringing the books current before starting recurring service
Bookkeeping cleanup
Cleanup bookkeeping focuses on correcting and organizing records that already exist but are incomplete, inconsistent or unreliable.
- Review of inconsistent categorization
- Reconciliation of accounts that were left unreconciled
- Review of duplicate or unclear transactions
- Reorganization of existing records into a consistent structure
Catch-up is not the same as cleanup. Catch-up addresses periods that were never recorded or completed. Cleanup addresses records that already exist but are incomplete, inconsistent or unreliable. Bookkeeping cleanup is not an audit and does not include assurance or attestation services.
Reconciliation and financial reports
Bank and credit card reconciliation
Account reconciliation compares the activity recorded in your books against your bank and credit card statements so differences can be identified and reviewed. It helps keep the records consistent with your statements, but it does not guarantee that no errors exist.
Transactions are categorized consistently so the reports built from them are more useful. Bookkeeping categorization organizes the financial records; tax treatment is determined separately based on applicable tax rules.
Profit and Loss Statement and Balance Sheet
Depending on the agreed scope, the service can include internal reports such as a Profit and Loss Statement (P&L) and, when applicable, a Balance Sheet. These reports reflect the information recorded in the books for the period covered.
They are internal management reports. They are not audited or certified financial statements.
Our process
A clear sequence that adapts to the current condition of your records and the agreed scope.
Initial review
We look at how your financial information is organized today and what the business actually needs.
Gather information and access
We determine which accounts, documents and records we need in order to work.
Organize and reconcile
We organize and reconcile the records within the agreed scope and flag transactions that need clarification.
Review and ongoing bookkeeping
We go over the main results with you and, for recurring service, set the periodic workflow.
For recurring service, each month we organize and reconcile the financial activity covered by the agreed scope, and let you know which transactions need clarification.
Information we may need
This list is a general reference to help prepare the initial review of your books.
- Business bank statements
- Credit card statements
- Business account information
- Access to or exports from your bookkeeping software, when applicable
- Income records
- Expense documentation
- Business loan statements
- List of business assets
- Payroll information, when applicable
- Contractor information
- Prior tax returns, when relevant
- Owner contributions and distributions
- Records or transactions that still need to be categorized
- Information about significant activity during the period
What we need depends on how your records are organized today and on the scope of the service. During the initial review we tell you exactly what to send.
Clearer numbers, better information for running the business
When the information is organized, it is easier to see what is actually happening in the business. Current records can give you clearer visibility into:
- Income recorded by period
- Expenses categorized by type
- Operating performance
- Cash movement and transfers between accounts
- Outstanding balances and obligations
- Financial trends over time
Organized financial records may also be useful when a business needs to provide financial information to a lender or another third party.
Your bookkeeping and your business taxes work together
Bookkeeping organizes the financial information behind the business. Tax preparation uses that information, along with other tax documents and applicable rules, to prepare the return. Keeping the books current during the year generally means fewer periods to rebuild when tax season arrives.
You are not required to use our bookkeeping in order for us to prepare your business return. If you prefer to work from your own records, we review them based on the information you provide.
Categorized transactions, reconciled accounts and current reports make it easier to review the income, expenses, assets and obligations of the business when the return is prepared.
Why Alemay Business?
Bilingual service
We work in English and Spanish, so you understand how your business information is organized.
Clear communication
We tell you what information we need and which transactions need clarification, without unnecessary jargon.
An organized process
We follow a defined order to categorize, reconcile and review the records for the period.
Personalized attention
We define the scope based on your business’s size, transaction volume and actual bookkeeping needs.
Recurring service available
You can keep your books current on an ongoing basis or start with catch-up work if you are behind.
Connected to Business Tax Preparation
Information organized during the year is put to use when it is time to prepare the business return.
A physical office in Miami
9380 SW 72 ST, Suite 230B, Miami, FL 33173. Virtual bookkeeping is also available when appropriate.
Digital access through Ale app
Ale app gives you a simple way to explore services, access helpful resources and schedule appointments from your phone.
A real team behind your bookkeeping
Real people review your records, take the time to understand how your business operates and keep communication organized — in English and Spanish, from a physical office in Miami.
When your bookkeeping ties into other services, such as Business Tax Preparation, we coordinate internally to help keep the information consistent.
Stay connected with Alemay through Ale app
Ale app is the digital platform of Alemay Business. From your phone, you can explore our services, access helpful resources and schedule appointments. It does not replace the bookkeeping service — it gives you a convenient way to stay connected with Alemay Business.
Frequently Asked Questions
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View serviceReady to get your books organized?
Schedule a consultation and let's review the current state of your bookkeeping and what needs to be brought up to date.
The information on this page is general in nature and does not constitute individualized accounting, tax or legal advice. The scope of bookkeeping services depends on the current condition of the records, the volume of activity and what is agreed with each business.
Alemay Business · 9380 SW 72 ST, Suite 230B, Miami, FL 33173 · 305-300-2346 · business@alemaybusiness.com · Fax 305-402-0706