Question 1

What are managed financial services?

Accepted Answer

Managed financial services involve outsourcing some or all of your finance function to a dedicated external team. This can include bookkeeping, financial reporting, FP&A, payroll, AP/AR management, tax compliance, treasury management, and outsourced CFO support. The external team operates as an extension of your business, handling day-to-day finance operations under agreed SLAs.

Question 2

How much do managed financial services cost in Dubai?

Accepted Answer

Pricing depends on scope and complexity. Basic bookkeeping and VAT compliance packages for SMEs start from AED 3,000-8,000 per month. Mid-market packages with FP&A, reporting, and compliance management range from AED 10,000-25,000 monthly. Full outsourced CFO engagements with treasury and strategic advisory typically cost AED 25,000-60,000+ per month.

Question 3

What is an outsourced CFO and who needs one?

Accepted Answer

An outsourced CFO provides part-time or fractional strategic financial leadership. They handle financial planning, cash flow management, investor reporting, board presentations, and regulatory strategy. This model suits startups that need senior finance guidance without a full-time salary, and SMEs scaling beyond what a bookkeeper or controller can manage.

Question 4

How does managed financial reporting work for UAE companies?

Accepted Answer

We handle your full reporting cycle: monthly management accounts, quarterly board packs, annual IFRS-compliant financial statements, and all regulatory filings. Reports are delivered on a fixed schedule with standardised templates. We manage the month-end close process and ensure every report is audit-ready before it reaches your desk.

Question 5

Can managed financial services handle VAT and corporate tax compliance?

Accepted Answer

Yes. VAT return preparation and filing, corporate tax calculations, FTA registration, and audit preparation are core components of our managed service. We track all deadlines, prepare the required documentation, and file on your behalf. Our team stays current with the FTA penalty framework changes effective April 2026.

Question 6

What is the difference between managed financial services and a traditional accounting firm?

Accepted Answer

Traditional accounting firms typically handle year-end compliance and tax filings. Managed financial services cover your entire finance operation on an ongoing basis, including daily bookkeeping, monthly close, FP&A, payroll, treasury, and strategic advisory. We operate as your finance department, not just your auditors.

Question 7

How do you handle payroll management for UAE businesses?

Accepted Answer

We manage the end-to-end payroll cycle: salary calculations, WPS file generation and submission, gratuity provisions, leave accruals, MOHRE compliance, and employee payslip distribution. For companies with employees across multiple emirates or free zones, we handle the jurisdiction-specific requirements for each entity.

Question 8

What treasury management services does SKIMBOX offer?

Accepted Answer

Our treasury services include daily cash position monitoring, liquidity forecasting, working capital optimisation, bank account management, FX exposure hedging, and payment scheduling. We build treasury dashboards that give you real-time visibility into your cash across all bank accounts and entities.

Question 9

Can you manage finances for companies in DIFC or ADGM?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We serve companies across mainland UAE, DIFC, and ADGM jurisdictions. Each has different reporting requirements. DIFC entities follow DFSA rules, ADGM follows FSRA standards, and mainland companies follow FTA and DET regulations. Our team configures reporting and compliance workflows specific to your jurisdiction.

Question 10

How do managed financial services support audit preparation?

Accepted Answer

We maintain audit-ready books throughout the year, not just at year-end. This includes clean trial balances, properly reconciled bank accounts, documented journal entries, accrual schedules, and organised supporting documentation. When external auditors arrive, our team coordinates directly with them to resolve queries and provide evidence.

Question 11

What is FP&A and why does my business need it?

Accepted Answer

FP&A stands for Financial Planning and Analysis. It connects your financial data to business strategy through budgets, forecasts, variance analysis, and scenario modelling. Businesses that invest in FP&A make faster, better-informed decisions because leadership can see exactly how revenue, costs, and margins are tracking against targets.

Question 12

How quickly can SKIMBOX take over our finance function?

Accepted Answer

A typical transition takes 4-8 weeks depending on complexity. We start with a diagnostic of your current processes, chart of accounts, and systems. Then we migrate data, set up reporting templates, and run a parallel period before going fully live. Critical functions like payroll and tax filings are protected throughout the handover.

Question 13

Do you work with our existing accounting software?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We operate on whatever platform your business already uses, including Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, Zoho Books, Odoo, SAP, and Oracle NetSuite. If your current system is not fit for purpose, we recommend and implement a better solution with full data migration and staff training included.

Question 14

What internal controls does SKIMBOX implement?

Accepted Answer

We design and enforce segregation of duties, approval workflows, access controls, reconciliation procedures, and exception reporting. For companies preparing for external audits, we document the full control framework in line with COSO standards and test controls quarterly to identify gaps before auditors do.

Question 15

Can managed services handle multi-entity or group reporting?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We regularly manage finances for groups with multiple entities across mainland, free zones, and international jurisdictions. We handle intercompany eliminations, consolidated reporting, transfer pricing documentation, and currency translation. Each entity gets its own compliance calendar while group reporting runs on a unified timeline.

Question 16

How do you ensure data security for our financial information?

Accepted Answer

We follow strict data handling protocols including encrypted file transfers, role-based access controls on all accounting systems, regular access reviews, and NDA coverage for every team member. Financial data is stored on UAE-region cloud infrastructure with full backup and disaster recovery procedures in place.

Question 17

What accounts payable and receivable services do you provide?

Accepted Answer

We manage the full AP/AR cycle: invoice processing, vendor payment scheduling, credit control, customer invoicing, collection follow-ups, ageing analysis, and reconciliation. For high-volume businesses, we implement automation to reduce manual processing time and improve cash collection speed.

Question 18

Do you support companies going through funding rounds?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our outsourced CFO service includes investor-ready financial models, data room preparation, due diligence support, cap table management, and financial projections for pitch decks. We have supported startups through seed, Series A, and Series B rounds in the UAE and internationally.

Question 19

What happens if our business grows and we need more services?

Accepted Answer

Our engagement model is designed to scale. You can start with basic bookkeeping and compliance, then add FP&A, treasury, or CFO advisory as your business grows. We review scope quarterly and recommend adjustments based on your evolving needs. There are no lock-in contracts preventing you from scaling up or down.

Question 20

How do managed services differ from hiring an in-house finance team?

Accepted Answer

An in-house team requires recruitment, office space, benefits, training, and management overhead. Managed services give you immediate access to a full finance function at a fraction of the cost. You also get built-in redundancy: if one team member is unavailable, others step in. Most SMEs save 30-50% compared to equivalent in-house headcount.

Question 21

Can you prepare budgets and rolling forecasts for our company?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We build annual budgets, quarterly reforecasts, and rolling 12-month forecasts tailored to your business model. Our FP&A team works with your leadership to define KPIs, set targets, and produce monthly variance reports that explain exactly where performance deviates from plan and what is driving the difference.

Question 22

What is the ESR notification and do I need to file it?

Accepted Answer

The Economic Substance Regulation requires all UAE entities conducting relevant activities to file an annual ESR notification with the relevant authority. Even if your company does not conduct relevant activities, you still need to submit the notification. Failure to file results in penalties starting at AED 20,000 for the first offence.

Question 23

How do you handle financial compliance for free zone companies?

Accepted Answer

Free zone companies face specific requirements depending on their authority. We manage QFZP compliance, maintain separate accounting for qualifying and non-qualifying income, prepare audited financial statements when required, and file all necessary returns with both the free zone authority and the FTA. We track every deadline across jurisdictions.

Question 24

What industries benefit most from managed financial services in Dubai?

Accepted Answer

Trading, e-commerce, real estate, professional services, healthcare, and technology companies in Dubai benefit most from managed finance. These industries have high transaction volumes, multi-entity structures, or complex compliance requirements that make outsourcing more efficient than building an in-house team from scratch.

Question 25

Can SKIMBOX handle financial process outsourcing for enterprises?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We provide enterprise-grade financial process outsourcing covering record-to-report, procure-to-pay, order-to-cash, and close-to-disclose cycles. Enterprise clients receive dedicated teams, custom SLAs, monthly governance reviews, and documented process maps for every finance workflow we manage.

Question 26

How do you manage the month-end close process?

Accepted Answer

We follow a standardised close checklist: bank reconciliations, accruals and provisions, intercompany entries, revenue recognition, fixed asset depreciation, prepayment amortisation, and final trial balance review. Close timelines are defined in the SLA and typically target completion within 5-10 working days after month end.

Question 27

What are the penalties for late VAT filing in the UAE?

Accepted Answer

Late VAT return filing carries a penalty of AED 1,000 for the first offence and AED 2,000 for repeat offences within 24 months. Late payment attracts a 2% penalty immediately, 4% on the seventh day, and 1% daily after one month up to a maximum of 300%. Our managed service ensures every deadline is met.

Question 28

Do you provide financial reporting in both English and Arabic?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We prepare financial reports in English as standard, with Arabic translations available for companies that require them for regulatory filings, bank submissions, or internal governance. All FTA-facing documentation can be prepared bilingually to meet official requirements.

Question 29

How does SKIMBOX approach managed financial services differently?

Accepted Answer

SKIMBOX combines financial operations expertise with technology and process automation. Instead of just processing transactions, we build structured finance workflows, implement automation where it reduces cost, and provide strategic advisory alongside operational delivery. Every engagement is measured against clear KPIs agreed upfront.

Question 30

Can you help with corporate tax registration and filing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We handle the full corporate tax lifecycle: registration with the FTA, tax impact assessment, qualifying income determination, return preparation, and filing. For free zone entities, we assess QFZP eligibility and maintain the documentation required to support the 0% rate on qualifying income.

Question 31

What reporting do I receive as a managed services client?

Accepted Answer

Standard deliverables include monthly management accounts, cash flow statements, budget vs actual analysis, aged receivables and payables reports, and a compliance status dashboard. Depending on your engagement level, you also receive board packs, investor updates, and KPI scorecards on a quarterly basis.

Managed Finance forGrowing Businesses in Dubai

Managed Financial Services for UAE Businesses

Expert Financial Management Across the UAE

Outsourced CFO

Reporting

Treasury

FP&A Dubai

Compliance

Outsourced CFO and Strategic Finance Leadership

Full-Service Finance Management Dubai

Creativity

Consistent Monthly Delivery

Development

UAE Regulatory Knowledge

Agility

Flexible Engagement Models

Our Managed Financial Services Process for UAE Companies

Financial Diagnostic & Scoping

Service Design & Transition

Managed Delivery & Execution

Review, Optimise & Scale Up

Industries We Empower

Trading & Retail

Real Estate & FM

Healthcare & Gov

Startups & Scale

Reliable Financial Operations Delivered Monthly

Accounting, ERP, and Payroll Systems for UAE

Built for UAE Financial Regulations

Dubai-Based Finance Experts

Dedicated Account Ownership

Compliance-First Operations

Transparent Monthly Reports

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