Bookkeeping Practice on AtlasOS
AtlasOS for Bookkeeping Practice (bookkeeping_practice) is tailored for practices delivering monthly bookkeeping, management accounts, VAT, and payroll processing for SME clients. It shares the same sidebar layout as Accounting Firm but with a different module set — AFS Reports and CIPC/Secretarial are OFF (like Tax Practice), while Payroll Obligations is ON.
Default Configuration
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Firm Type Key | bookkeeping_practice |
| Solo Mode | No |
| Default Landing View | Tasks |
| Entity Types | Pty (Ltd), Close Corporation, Individual, Sole Proprietor |
Modules Enabled by Default
| Module | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Smart Inbox | ON | AI-powered email triage via Gmail |
| Tasks | ON | Task lists, review checklists, assignments |
| Compliance Calendar | ON | SARS, DOL deadlines auto-generated per client |
| Client Portal | ON | Secure client document exchange |
| Time Tracking | ON | Billable hours per client / engagement |
| Billing | ON | Invoices and payment tracking |
| Management Accounts | ON | Income statements, balance sheets, KPIs |
| Payroll Obligations | ON | EMP201, EMP501, UIF compliance tracking |
| Contracts | ON | Engagement letters — draft, send, e-sign |
| Onboarding Forms | ON | Client intake forms |
| Chat | ON | Real-time chat with clients via portal |
| AI Agents | ON | Autonomous workflow agents |
Modules Disabled by Default
AFS Reports (OFF), CIPC/Secretarial (OFF), Broadcasts, Sales CRM, Audit, Accounting Sync, SLA Tracking, Project Milestones, and all Nonprofit modules.
Note: AFS Reports and CIPC/Secretarial are OFF by default — this vertical assumes you don't prepare annual financial statements or manage company registrations. Enable them in Settings → Modules if needed.
Compliance Bodies
| Jurisdiction | Bodies | Pre-Seeded Obligation Types |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | SARS, DOL | VAT eFiling, PAYE Filing, PAYE Payment, EMP501 Annual, UIF Monthly |
| Zambia | ZRA, NAPSA, NHIMA | ZM VAT Monthly, PAYE Monthly, NAPSA Monthly, NHIMA Monthly, SDL Monthly |
Terminology
Bookkeeping Practice uses standard accounting terminology:
| Standard Label | Bookkeeping Label |
|---|---|
| Client | Client |
| Engagement | Engagement |
| Compliance Deadlines | Deadline Rules |
| Service | Service |
Sidebar Layout
Identical to the accountingDefault layout:
| Group | Label | Items | Expanded? |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | (standalone) | Dashboard | — |
| — | (standalone) | Smart Inbox | — |
| Work | Work | Tasks, Projects, Calendar, Task Workflows | Yes |
| Clients | Clients Management | Clients, Entity Groups, Persons, Client Portal, Account Manager | Yes |
| Finance | Finance | Time & WIP, Billing | No |
| Compliance | Compliance | Deadline Rules, Onboarding | No |
| Documents | Documents | Documents, Bank Statements | No |
| Reporting | Reporting | Financial Reports, Practice Intelligence | No |
| Audit | Audit & Quality | Audit Engagements, ISQM 1, CPD Tracker | No |
| Admin | Administration | Activity Log, AI Agents, Settings | No |
Key Differences from Accounting Firm
- AFS Reports OFF — focused on management accounts, not annual financial statements
- CIPC/Secretarial OFF — no company secretarial work by default
- Broadcasts OFF — can be enabled for client segment communications
- Payroll Obligations ON — payroll is a common service line for bookkeeping clients
- Fewer compliance obligation types pre-seeded (VAT, PAYE, UIF only — no SARS IT returns)
Key Differences from Tax Practice
- Default landing view is Tasks (not Inbox)
- Payroll Obligations ON (Tax Practice has it OFF)
- Broadcasts OFF (Tax Practice has it ON)
- Management Accounts ON (same)
- No provisional tax or ITR obligations pre-seeded
Bookkeeping-Specific Workflows
Monthly Close
Use Tasks and Compliance Calendar together for the monthly close cycle:
- Create monthly task templates: data capture → review → management reports → delivery
- VAT return obligations auto-tracked per client VAT period
- Link bank statements and source documents via the client portal
Payroll Processing
Payroll Obligations module is ON by default:
- EMP201 deadlines auto-generated per employer entity
- UIF monthly submissions tracked
- EMP501 bi-annual reconciliation deadlines
- Use task workflows for structured payroll run checklists
Shared Features
These features work identically to the accounting vertical — refer to the linked docs:
- Smart Inbox — AI email triage
- Compliance Calendar — Deadline auto-generation
- Time & Billing — Billable hours and invoicing
- Documents — Upload, classify, and manage files
- Client Portal — Secure document exchange
- AI Agents — Autonomous workflow agents