Define the accounts you need prepared
Annual accounts preparation starts with the company, accounting period and reporting requirements. Yudey helps organise the records and agreed professional work so directors can move from year-end information to a defined approval stage. We ask about the company's activity, size, group relationships and previous reporting arrangements before proposing the scope. A first set of accounts may require different preparation from an established annual routine.
The official guidance explains the annual accounts process for private companies and the different information involved. [1] The applicable accounting framework and any audit requirement need assessment for the actual company. We do not assume that every small-looking business qualifies for the same reporting treatment, or describe preparation support as a statutory audit or independent assurance engagement.
Establish the quality of the bookkeeping
The initial review can identify whether the books are ready for year-end work or need a separate catch-up exercise. Bank reconciliations, outstanding customer balances, supplier balances and unexplained entries are useful starting points. We distinguish a missing invoice from an accounting judgement requiring professional analysis. Resolving those differences early helps make the preparation timetable realistic.
Prior-year accounts and opening balances also matter. If the company has changed software or advisers, the record set should explain how the opening position was carried forward. We can identify missing schedules and questions for the previous provider, subject to agreed authority. A successful data import is not by itself evidence that all historic balances and accounting treatments are correct.
Prepare the supporting schedules
The agreed information request can cover equipment, stock, borrowing, director balances and other material items. We ask for evidence supporting the position at the relevant year end, not just the current bank balance. Where a business holds stock or undertakes long projects, operational input may be necessary to explain quantities, timing and the status of work.
Significant events, unusual transactions and estimates need to be made visible to the responsible accountant. The business confirms the underlying facts; the professional assesses the appropriate treatment within the engagement. We do not manufacture valuations or assume that an unsupported estimate is reliable. The query list records what evidence or decision is still required before the draft can progress.
Review the draft and its assumptions
The proposed process can include a draft accounts set, explanations of significant questions and an agreed discussion stage. Directors should understand the main balances and outstanding matters before approval. The review is an opportunity to identify factual errors or missing information, rather than treating signature as an administrative formality after documents have been prepared.
We identify the version under review and the effect of later changes. If new evidence alters the figures, the relevant schedules and approvals need to remain aligned. The engagement also distinguishes accounting profit from the tax calculation that may follow. A set of accounts and a Company Tax Return are connected documents, but preparing one does not automatically mean the other service has been included.
Separate preparation, filing and other obligations
The written scope states whether the work ends with approved accounts or includes a particular filing route. The handover records the approved version and evidence of any included submission. Draft preparation, a submission attempt and official acceptance are different stages. We identify unresolved queries and who remains responsible for responding to correspondence after the agreed endpoint.
Confirmation statements, tax returns, audit work and specialist group reporting are separate unless expressly included. If the company has a close or overdue deadline, tell us immediately. We assess the records and availability before accepting a commitment. Sending an enquiry does not extend a statutory date or transfer responsibility for monitoring the company's obligations.
Request a year-end proposal
Fees reflect company complexity, record quality, the applicable reporting work and supporting schedules required. The written quotation states the charge in pounds sterling, applicable VAT and any additional bookkeeping, audit or tax work. It also explains the included query and revision stage, so you can distinguish normal preparation from a substantial reconstruction of historical records.
Begin with the company number, accounting year end, filing dates and software used. Mention stock, property, overseas transactions or group relationships that may affect the engagement. We will clarify the responsible professional, necessary information and suitable sharing arrangements before requesting the detailed file. The timetable is then based on the actual preparation work and decisions still outstanding.
Official information behind this service
Sources checked on 7 September 2026. Use the linked guidance for subsequent changes.