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Efficiency, Profitability & Growth

Free Up Your Time: Bookkeeping Tasks SMEs Should Stop Doing

Free Up Your Time: Bookkeeping Tasks SMEs Should Stop Doing

As an SME director, your time is your most valuable asset.

Yet many business owners still find themselves tangled in day-to-day bookkeeping tasks — chasing invoices, reconciling transactions, stressing over VAT, or trying to understand SARS regulations.

The truth is: you shouldn’t be doing most of this yourself.

At Bletchleys, we see this every day: directors spending hours on admin when they should be focusing on clients, sales, and growth.

Here’s a practical list of bookkeeping tasks SME owners should stop doing — and what to do instead.

Free Up Your Time Bookkeeping Tasks SMEs Should Stop Doing
1

Manual Bank Reconciliations

The Problem:

  • Manually matching transactions to invoices is time-consuming.
  • It’s prone to errors and duplicate entries.
  • One missed item can throw off your entire set of accounts.

Why you should stop:

  • Modern accounting systems like Xero automate this process with bank feeds.
  • Professional bookkeepers reconcile accounts far faster and more accurately.

📌 Tip: At Bletchleys, bank reconciliations happen automatically as part of our monthly service.

2

Chasing Outstanding Invoices Yourself

The Problem:

  • Directors often spend hours emailing or calling clients about unpaid invoices.
  • It’s uncomfortable, repetitive, and distracts from business development.

Why you should stop:

  • Your bookkeeping team can monitor ageing debtors and escalate issues proactively.
  • Automated reminders and reporting tools handle collections more efficiently.

📌 Tip: Consistent debtor management boosts cash flow and protects relationships.

3

Trying to Calculate and Submit VAT Manually

The Problem:

  • VAT rules are complex and change often.
  • Incorrect claims or missed deadlines lead to penalties and SARS queries.

Why you should stop:

  • VAT calculations require precision, reconciliations, and supporting documents.
  • A professional team ensures full compliance with SARS.

📌 Tip: Bletchleys submits VAT returns on time, accurately, and fully backed up for audit-readiness.

4

Approving Every Supplier Payment

The Problem:

  • Reviewing and approving payments one-by-one eats up valuable leadership time.
  • Admin-level tasks take focus away from strategic work.

Why you should stop:

  • Outsourced bookkeeping includes supplier reconciliations, batching, and preparing payment runs for director-level approval only when necessary.

📌 Tip: Delegate preparation; retain final oversight for key payments only.

5

Updating Payroll and Payslips

The Problem:

  • Payroll errors lead to SARS penalties, frustrated employees, and compliance headaches.
  • Monthly submissions (EMP201, UIF, SDL, PAYE) become stressful.

Why you should stop:

  • Payroll should be handled by professionals who manage compliance, calculations, and submissions.
  • Directors should only approve final payroll runs.

📌 Tip: Bletchleys handles payroll processing, submissions, and reconciliations end-to-end.

6

Handling SARS Correspondence

The Problem:

  • SARS sends letters, verification requests, and queries that directors often don’t fully understand.
  • Ignoring or mishandling SARS letters creates bigger problems.

Why you should stop:

  • SARS queries are best handled by tax professionals who know how to respond correctly.
  • Bletchleys deals directly with SARS on your behalf.

📌 Tip: Outsourcing SARS correspondence saves directors enormous amounts of stress.

7

Spending Hours "Checking the Accounts"

The Problem:

  • SME directors often feel forced to double-check their own reports.
  • Lack of confidence in reporting creates ongoing admin work.

Why you should stop:

  • A professionally maintained set of accounts eliminates the need to constantly verify transactions yourself.
  • Clean, director-level reports give you confidence at a glance.

📌 Tip: Bletchleys reports are simplified, accurate, and focused on decision-making — not admin.

The Real Benefit: More Time to Run and Grow Your Business

Outsourcing these tasks doesn’t just save you admin time — it unlocks hours every month for:

✔ Client acquisition
✔ Business development
✔ Strategic planning
✔ Staff management
✔ Market growth

At Bletchleys, we free directors from the admin trap, allowing you to focus on leading your business — while we handle the accounts behind the scenes.

Still spending too much time on bookkeeping?
Let Bletchleys take full control of your financial admin — and give you back your time.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

Trusted Partners in Cloud Accounting

Proudly working with Sage, Xero, and QuickBooks to keep your business compliant, efficient, and in control.

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