Frequently Asked Questions

Sanay specialises in virtual bookkeeping, remote financial controlling, and outsourced finance functions for growing businesses across all sectors. We partner with Xero to offer cloud-based bookkeeping, accounting, and financial analysis solutions that you can access anytime. In essence, we become an extension of your business so you can focus on what you do best – running and growing your company.

Our services are designed for small and medium-sized businesses that are serious about growth. You could be a founder who simply needs bookkeeping handled properly, a managing director who doesn’t want the hassle of hiring a dedicated finance resource, or a CEO who wants to outsource the entire finance function. Whatever your stage of growth, we make it work.

We are based in the United Kingdom, with offices in Leeds. However, being a cloud-based operation, we serve companies locally, nationally, and internationally. Our technology setup means geography is never a barrier to working together effectively.

A traditional accountant typically looks backwards – you send them your records once a year and they prepare your accounts. At Sanay, we transform what was previously a backwards-looking function into a forward-looking one. We provide real-time insights, proactive analysis, and strategy-level advice. We don’t just keep your books; we work as a partner in your business’s success.

Absolutely. This is one of the most valuable parts of the programme. We take your financial information, record it, analyse it, understand it, and use it as the basis for forecasts, budgets, and financial plans. What was previously a backwards-looking function is transformed into a forward-looking one – providing useful, strategy-level advice that works for your business.

Absolutely. Our plans are designed precisely for this. Your business fluctuates and is constantly evolving – our cloud-based services and flexible structure mean we scale with you effortlessly. You start with what you need today, and as your requirements grow, we grow with you, whether that means moving from bookkeeping to full financial controlling or adding payroll and forecasting.

That’s perfectly fine. We tailor our service to your needs. If you don’t need payroll or credit control but you do need financial reporting and forecasting, we’ll build the right package for you. Our approach is to be flexible and to ensure that what we deliver genuinely adds value to your business. We’d recommend starting with a conversation so we can understand exactly what you need.

We are Certified Xero Advisors and a Xero Silver Champion Partner. Xero is at the core of everything we do, and we use various Xero add-ons and cloud-based tools to create a robust, integrated solution for each client. This means your books are always accessible via simple, easy-to-use dashboards – no more complicated, eye-numbing spreadsheets.

Simply reach out to us via the contact form on our website, email us at info@sanaybpo.com, or give us a call. We’ll arrange a conversation to understand your needs and walk you through how we can help. You can also take our Plan Checkup quiz to get an initial recommendation. There’s no obligation – just a conversation to see if we’re the right fit.

Digital marketing agencies operate in a fast-paced, project-driven environment with variable revenue streams, multiple client accounts, and significant spend on tools and advertising budgets. Managing cash flow when client payments are often on 30, 60, or even 90-day terms while you’re spending on campaigns upfront creates unique financial pressures. At Sanay, we understand these dynamics and build financial structures around them.

We offer three plans to suit different needs: the Virtual Bookkeeping Partner – ideal for businesses needing bookkeeping and management accounting; the Remote Financial Controller – for growth-oriented businesses that require financial analysis, reporting, and strategic financial oversight; and the Outsourced Finance Department – our most comprehensive plan, where we take care of everything from bookkeeping through to forecasting, budgeting, and strategic financial planning.

The Virtual Bookkeeping Partner plan covers everything you need for solid financial record-keeping and management accounting. This includes transaction recording, bank reconciliations, accounts payable and receivable management, and generating actionable financial reports. It’s designed for businesses that need reliable bookkeeping to gain valuable insights without the complexity of a full finance function.

We have a quick 2-minute Plan Checkup questionnaire on our website that helps you identify the right service based on your needs. Of course, you can also get in touch with us directly for a conversation. We’ll take the time to understand your business, your challenges, and your goals before recommending the plan that fits.

With a local bookkeeper, you’re often limited by their availability, their familiarity with cloud technology, and their capacity to scale with your business. As your Virtual Bookkeeping Partner, we use Xero and cloud-based tools that give you real-time access to your books from anywhere in the world. You also benefit from a team of professionals rather than relying on a single individual.

It all begins with a conversation. From the minute we initiate that first discussion to understanding your requirements and setting up your systems, our process is designed to be seamless. We handle the Xero setup, integrate your bank feeds, configure add-ons, and establish reporting structures. Our onboarding is built on effective touchpoints, consistent communication, and a forward-looking attitude.

Not at all. As Certified Xero Advisors, we handle the full setup and configuration of Xero tailored to your business’s specific needs. Many entrepreneurs purchase accounting software but fail to customise it properly. We make sure your Xero is set up correctly from day one, integrated with your bank feeds, and configured with the right chart of accounts and reporting structure.

Absolutely. Accessibility is a cornerstone of what we do. With Sanay and Xero, your books are accessible whenever you need them. Instead of waiting for end-of-month reports, your accounts are updated in real time as payments arrive, immediately reconciling against your General Ledger. You always have a clear, actionable view of your business’s financial health.

Understanding your numbers is a big part of what we offer. Accessibility means more than just having information available – it means being able to digest and understand the analysis so you can make the right decisions. We present everything on simple dashboards and we’re always here to walk you through what the numbers mean and how they can be used to improve your business.

When you factor in salary, sick pay, holiday pay, pension contributions, office space, and software costs, hiring an in-house financial controller in the UK costs an estimated £68,000+ per year. By outsourcing to Sanay, you access a team of qualified professionals at a fraction of that cost, with no employment obligations and the flexibility to scale services up or down as your business evolves.

Absolutely. Real-time bookkeeping is the foundation of effective cash flow management. Because your accounts are updated as payments arrive, you’re no longer waiting until month-end to discover cash flow challenges. This means real-time problem-solving instead of scrambling after the fact. If you need more proactive cash flow forecasting and strategy, we may recommend our Remote Financial Controller or Outsourced Finance Department plan.

We provide unlimited communication across all plans. That includes email, telephone, instant chat, and a single point of contact for relationship management. We are responsive – our clients often say we’re quick to respond to both emails and calls. Communication is a core part of who we are; we don’t just deliver reports and disappear.

A Remote Financial Controller manages the financial reporting, analysis, and oversight of your business without being an in-house employee. At Sanay, this means we handle everything from building a strong financial reporting structure to interpreting data, managing KPIs, providing budget vs. actual reporting, and offering strategic recommendations. It’s about giving you the financial intelligence to make confident decisions.

Yes, this is something we deal with regularly. Many business owners come to us after trying to manage their own accounts or after working with an unskilled bookkeeper. We will unravel complicated transaction records, clean up your books, set up proper systems, and get everything back on track. From there, we ensure it stays that way.

If you’re a growth-oriented business that needs more than just accurate records – if you need to understand what the numbers mean, where to invest, how to optimise processes, and how to plan for the future – then you need a Financial Controller. Most established businesses that are serious about financial controls and growth require a strong financial reporting structure and help with analysis. A bookkeeper records the data; a Financial Controller turns it into strategy.

Yes. Depending on the plan, we handle VAT returns, payroll, and year-end accounts preparation. We ensure you are fully compliant and that all deadlines are met. We work to make sure you never face unnecessary penalties from missed filings.

An in-house Financial Controller in the UK earns an estimated £68,000+ per year in total compensation, plus you bear the costs of sick pay, holiday pay, pension, office space, and software. With Sanay, you access the same expertise through a dedicated team at a fraction of that cost, with no employment obligations and the ability to scale the service as your needs change.

We have deep expertise working with technology and software companies, manufacturing businesses, independent cosmetic brands, digital marketing agencies, and consultancy firms. That said, we work across all growing business sectors. Our experience with diverse industries means we bring valuable cross-sector insights to every client relationship.

Yes. Our Remote Financial Controller service includes monthly Business Review Meetings, KPI reporting, real-time dashboards, and a comprehensive Analysis and Recommendations Report. We don’t just send you numbers – we sit down with you to discuss performance, identify areas of focus, and help you plan ahead. The service also includes direct mobile contact and unlimited communication.

Data security is something we take very seriously. We use Xero and other reputable cloud-based platforms that employ bank-level encryption and stringent data protection measures. We also operate with transparency and ethical practices at the heart of everything we do.

This is precisely what the service is designed for. Growth-oriented businesses face labour-intensive challenges: managing people, handling different projects at different stages, and serving clients across multiple regions. Why wait until the end of the month or quarter to realise a process can be optimised? A Remote Financial Controller helps you stay focused on developing outstanding products and services while we manage the financial controls and strategic direction.

Our specialism programmes are designed to deliver visible improvements to cash flow within 90 days. You’ll start seeing real-time financial visibility from the moment we complete the setup. Our goal is that you never have to wait until the end of the month to understand your financial position again.

The Outsourced Finance Department is our most comprehensive programme. It covers everything from bookkeeping, accounts payable and receivable, credit control, payroll, and treasury through to financial controlling, management accounting, forecasting, scenario analysis, cash flow management, financial modelling, and even support with funding, loans, and borrowing. It is a complete, all-inclusive finance function for your business.

We offer flexible contract terms because we believe in earning your business through results, not locking you in. Our plans are designed for long-term partnerships focused on sustained growth, but we understand that flexibility is important for growing businesses.

Although we work remotely, we work with you side-by-side. We make calls on your behalf, create and send invoices, manage credit control, handle payroll, and take care of anything else finance-related. We essentially become an extension of your business. Many of our clients describe the relationship as seamless – as though we’re sitting in the next office.

Jonathan is the Founder and Director of Sanay Ltd. He is a Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA qualified) and a Xero Certified Advisor who started Sanay in 2015 with the vision to make bookkeeping easier, faster, and more effective. He has a strong background in management accounting for large manufacturing businesses and a passion for integrating technology into finance functions.

Not at all. The Outsourced Finance Department is designed for small and medium growing businesses that are serious about their growth and achieving their potential. It allows you to access the full capabilities of a finance department without incurring the costs of hiring multiple staff. For many SMEs, this is the most cost-effective and impactful way to get holistic financial expertise.

Absolutely. Our Director, Jonathan Carling, has a strong background in management accounting for manufacturing businesses. We understand inventory valuation, cost of goods sold calculations, supplier payment management, and the financial planning required for production cycles. Whether you’re manufacturing in-house or working with contract manufacturers, we know how to manage the numbers effectively.

Our Savings Calculator allows you to compare the true cost of managing your finance function in-house versus outsourcing it to Sanay. It factors in salary, employment costs, software, office space, and other overheads to give you a clear picture of your potential annual savings. In just a few seconds, you’ll see exactly how much you could save by outsourcing – and more importantly, how that money could be reinvested back into growing your business.

The calculator considers the full cost of employing an in-house finance professional: base salary, employer’s National Insurance, pension contributions, holiday and sick pay, office space, accounting software licences, training, and recruitment costs. Many business owners only think about salary when they consider the cost of hiring, but the true cost is significantly higher. Our calculator gives you the complete picture so you can make a genuinely informed comparison.

Late payments are one of the biggest challenges for agencies. We implement robust invoicing processes, credit control procedures, and real-time cash flow monitoring so you can see exactly where you stand at any moment. We help you understand the timing gaps between campaign spend and client payments and develop strategies to manage that effectively, including helping with debtor recovery.

The calculator is designed to give you a strong, realistic estimate based on current UK employment cost benchmarks. It provides a ballpark figure that the vast majority of our clients find closely mirrors their real-world experience once they make the switch. Of course, every business is different – so we always recommend following up the calculator with a conversation where we can understand your specific situation and give you a tailored proposal.

Yes, this is something we set up from the start. We configure your Xero and reporting structure to track revenue, costs, and profitability by client, project, or campaign. This gives you the management information to identify which clients and services are truly profitable and which may need renegotiating. It’s the kind of insight that enables you to make smarter commercial decisions.

Absolutely. In fact, smaller businesses often see the most dramatic savings because the cost of a single in-house hire represents such a large proportion of their overheads. When you factor in that a Financial Controller in the UK costs an estimated £68,000+ per year in total compensation – before office space and software – and compare that to the cost of outsourcing to Sanay, the savings are substantial. Beyond that, you also gain access to a team of professionals rather than relying on one individual.

Absolutely. We have a strong background in technology and integrating multiple software platforms into one coherent ecosystem. Whether you’re using project management tools, time-tracking software, CRM systems, or advertising platforms, we ensure that your financial systems integrate smoothly with your operational tools so nothing falls through the cracks.

The calculator focuses on direct cost savings, which is the most tangible and immediately comparable metric. However, the true value of outsourcing to Sanay goes well beyond cost. You gain real-time financial visibility, proactive strategic advice, access to Xero-certified expertise, flexible scalability, and the ability to free up hours of your own time every week to focus on your core business. These are benefits that are difficult to put a number on but make an enormous difference to business performance.

This is exactly the type of business we work best with. Growth brings complexity: more clients, more staff, more tools, and more financial moving parts. We scale seamlessly alongside your agency, adding services like payroll management, financial forecasting, and strategic advice as your needs evolve. You don’t need to hire a finance team – we’re already here.

Consultancy businesses often face irregular revenue patterns due to project-based billing, challenges with work-in-progress tracking, complex time-and-materials invoicing, and the constant balancing act between utilisation rates and profitability. You may also be managing subcontractor costs alongside permanent staff. These factors create financial complexity that requires specialist understanding.

We set up your financial reporting to track revenue recognition by project, ensuring that work-in-progress is properly accounted for and that your financial position accurately reflects the value of work completed. This gives you a true picture of profitability and prevents the surprises that come when project accounting isn’t handled correctly.

That’s precisely why we exist. As a consultancy, your value is in the expertise you deliver to clients. Every hour you spend on financial admin is an hour not spent on billable work. We take over your invoicing, expense tracking, credit control, payroll, and financial reporting so that you and your team can focus entirely on delivering outstanding client work.

Yes. We serve companies locally, nationally, and internationally. For consultancies working with clients across multiple countries, we help manage multi-currency invoicing, understand the financial implications of cross-border work, and ensure your Xero is configured to handle these complexities. Our cloud-based setup means geography is never a barrier.

Our onboarding process is designed to be efficient and thorough. We start with a conversation to understand your business, then move through Xero configuration, bank feed integration, reporting structure setup, and initial data migration. Most consultancy clients are fully operational with us within a few weeks, though the exact timeline depends on the complexity of your existing records.

The cosmetics industry has specific financial challenges that we’ve developed deep expertise in. From managing inventory and raw material costs to handling wholesale and retail channels, seasonal demand fluctuations, and regulatory compliance costs, the financial landscape for cosmetic brands requires specialist attention. We’ve built our cosmetics programme specifically to address these challenges and help brands improve cash flow within 90 days.

Cash flow is often the number one concern for independent cosmetic brands, especially when you’re investing in production runs, packaging, and marketing before the revenue comes in. We implement real-time cash flow monitoring, set up structured credit control to reduce late customer payments, and help you plan production spend against forecasted sales. Our goal is to improve your cash flow within 90 days of working together.

Yes, and this is often a game-changer for cosmetic brands. We set up cost tracking that accounts for raw materials, production costs, packaging, shipping, and marketing spend per product line. This allows you to see which products are truly profitable and which might be eating into your margins. With this information, you can make informed decisions about pricing, product range, and promotional activity.

This is one of the most common situations we encounter with cosmetic brand founders. Managing accounting yourself becomes burdensome, taking you away from the day-to-day running of your business and preventing you from taking on more work and growing. By partnering with Sanay, you hand over the entire financial burden so you can spend your time on what matters – creating products, building your brand, and serving your customers.