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Staks · Field Notes

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52 articles
Business guides

How to do a bank reconciliation for a small business in the UAE (2026)

Bank reconciliation for UAE and Gulf small businesses without bank feeds: monthly steps, a worked example in AED, wallets, Stripe, transfers, FX and fixes.

Restaurants

Food cost and menu engineering for Gulf restaurants (2026): a worked AED example

Food cost percentage and menu engineering for UAE and Saudi restaurants: recipe costing in AED, contribution margin, the Stars/Plowhorses/Puzzles/Dogs matrix and VAT-inclusive price changes.

Restaurants

How to get more Google reviews for a restaurant in Dubai (2026)

Google reviews for Dubai restaurants and cafés: set up your Business Profile, get the review link and QR code, when to ask, how to reply, and what Google and UAE law forbid.

Business guides

Opening balances when switching accounting software mid-year (UAE and GCC, 2026)

Opening balances for switching accounting software mid-year in the UAE and GCC: cut-over date, trial balance, open invoices and bills, bank balances, and first-month checks.

Restaurants

How to set up a QR code menu for a restaurant in the UAE (2026)

QR code menu for UAE restaurants and cafés: view-only vs table ordering, what to put on it, VAT-inclusive prices, service charges, photos, printing and costs.

Tax & compliance

Zakat for small businesses in Saudi Arabia (2026): who pays, how it is calculated and when to file

Saudi Zakat for small businesses: who pays, the 2.5% rate, the estimated method vs the accounts method, the 120-day deadline, mixed ownership and records.

Tax & compliance

UAE VAT on commercial rent and real estate: a small business guide (2026)

UAE VAT on rent: 5% on commercial leases, exempt residential, zero-rated first supply, bare land, mixed-use buildings, Ejari and recovering input VAT on your office.

Business guides

Foreign exchange gains and losses for Gulf small businesses (2026)

Foreign exchange gains and losses for Gulf SMEs: realised vs unrealised, why USD pegs matter, worked journals, month-end revaluation and VAT conversion rules.

Tax & compliance

How to file a UAE VAT return (VAT201) on EmaraTax: step by step (2026)

How to file a UAE VAT return: VAT201 deadlines, every box explained, a worked example, payment by GIBAN or card, voluntary disclosures and refunds.

Business guides

Month-end close checklist for small businesses in the UAE (2026)

Month-end close checklist for UAE and Gulf small businesses: 15 steps, a day 1–5 timeline, bank reconciliation, accruals, FX, VAT and WPS timing.

Tax & compliance

Qatar and Kuwait small business tax and accounting guide (2026)

Qatar and Kuwait small business tax: no VAT, 10% and 15% tax on foreign-owned profits, Zakat, DMTT, filing deadlines, records and invoicing in QAR and KWD.

Tax & compliance

UAE free zone corporate tax (2026): does the 0% QFZP rate apply to you?

UAE free zone corporate tax for small companies: QFZP conditions, MD 229/2025 qualifying activities, the 5% / AED 5M de minimis test and worked examples.

Tax & compliance

UAE VAT Executive Regulations changes (2026): what small businesses must do

UAE VAT Executive Regulations changes under Cabinet Decision 149 of 2026, plus the 2026 VAT law, refund and penalty changes, with a quarter checklist for SMEs.

Tax & compliance

VAT bad debt relief in the UAE and Saudi Arabia (2026): conditions and steps

VAT bad debt relief in the UAE and Saudi Arabia: the 6-month and 12-month rules, write-off and notice conditions, return boxes, a worked example and a checklist.

Tax & compliance

VAT in Bahrain for small businesses (2026): registration, rates, returns and penalties

Bahrain VAT for small businesses: 10% rate, BHD 37,500 registration threshold, quarterly returns, invoice rules, penalties and e-invoicing status.

Business guides

Chart of accounts for a UAE small business (2026): a sample list with VAT and corporate tax accounts

Chart of accounts for UAE small businesses: a sample list of 57 numbered accounts with VAT, corporate tax, gratuity, WPS and PDC accounts, plus three journal entries.

Business guides

How to calculate end-of-service gratuity in the UAE (2026): formula, examples and how to book it

UAE gratuity calculation for small employers: the 21-day and 30-day formula on basic wage, worked examples, the two-year cap, and the monthly accrual entry.

Business guides

Inventory and cost of goods sold for small trading businesses in the Gulf (2026): landed cost, VAT and margins

Inventory and COGS for UAE and Saudi traders: the COGS formula, FIFO vs weighted average, a worked landed-cost table in AED, import VAT, and margin per unit.

Business guides

Payment gateways in Saudi Arabia for small businesses (2026): fees, mada, payouts and bookkeeping

Payment gateways in Saudi Arabia compared: Moyasar, Tap, HyperPay and PayTabs. Published fees, mada, payouts, 15% VAT on fees and the journal entries.

Tax & compliance

Tax credit notes in the UAE and Saudi Arabia (2026): when to issue one, required fields and deadlines

Tax credit note rules for UAE and Saudi businesses: when one is required, the field checklist, the 14-day and 15-day deadlines, Fatoora rules and worked VAT examples.

Tax & compliance

UAE corporate tax for small companies (2026): registration, first return, deadlines and penalties

UAE corporate tax for small companies: who must register, the 9-month filing deadline, 0% and 9% rates, Small Business Relief to 2029, and the penalties.

Business guides

How to use Claude with your accounting data (2026): a guide for Gulf small businesses

Claude with your accounting data: how MCP connectors work, prompts for receivables, P&L and VAT prep, safe permissions, UAE/KSA data protection and limits.

Tax & compliance

Lebanon VAT for small businesses (2026): registration, invoices and quarterly filing

Lebanon VAT in 2026: the 11% rate, the LBP 5 billion registration threshold, USD invoices with LBP VAT, quarterly deadlines, stamp duty and penalties.

Tax & compliance

Oman VAT and Fawtara e-invoicing for small businesses (2026)

Oman VAT for SMEs: 5% rate, OMR 38,500 threshold, quarterly returns, tax invoice rules, and the Fawtara e-invoicing dates of April and October 2027.

Business guides

Payment terms in the UAE and Saudi Arabia (2026): net 30, deposits and late fees

Payment terms for UAE and Saudi small businesses: net 30 vs deposits, terms by client type, VAT invoice timing, and whether late fees are enforceable.

Business guides

How to account for Stripe payments, fees and payouts in the UAE (2026)

Stripe accounting in the UAE: record gross sales, fees and payouts through a clearing account, match charges to invoices, reconcile monthly, and handle VAT on fees.

Business guides

Subscription billing for Gulf service businesses (2026): invoices, VAT and MRR

Subscription billing in the UAE and Saudi Arabia: when each period's tax invoice is due, VAT on annual plans, trials, failed card payments, and MRR, churn and NRR.

Tax & compliance

UAE e-invoicing by July 2027: a readiness checklist for businesses under AED 50 million

UAE e-invoicing checklist for SMEs: the 31 March 2027 ASP deadline, 1 July 2027 go-live, Cabinet Decision 106 penalties, and what to fix in your invoicing now.

Business guides

Agency cash flow in the Gulf (2026): how to stop funding your clients

A cash-flow guide for UAE and Saudi agencies: advance billing, deposits, media pass-through, the payroll deadline, and a 13-week forecast you can actually maintain.

Business guides

How to pay agency commissions in the Gulf (2026): rules, rates and the books

A practical guide to sales commission at a UAE or Saudi agency: what to pay on, when it is earned, VAT and gratuity treatment, and how to keep it out of a spreadsheet.

Comparisons

The best accounting software in Saudi Arabia (2026): an honest comparison

Accounting software for Saudi SMEs compared on ZATCA Phase 2 clearance, Arabic, SAR pricing and what each tool actually does — including where Staks does not fit.

Business guides

Retainer vs project pricing for a Gulf agency (2026): which one to use, and when

How UAE and Saudi agencies should choose between retainers, project fees, value pricing and performance deals — with margin maths, VAT timing and switching advice.

Tax & compliance

UAE tax invoice requirements (2026): every mandatory field, with a checklist

UAE tax invoice rules under Article 59: full vs simplified invoices, the AED 10,000 line, the 14-day deadline, foreign currency, and the AED 2,500 penalty.

Tax & compliance

Payroll and WPS in the UAE (2026): the new 1st-of-the-month salary rule

UAE payroll guide for small companies: the Ministerial Resolution 340 of 2026 wage deadline, the 85% rule, exemptions, gratuity, and the records to keep.

Tax & compliance

ZATCA Wave 25 (SAR 187,500): what a small Saudi business must do before 1 February 2027

ZATCA Phase 2 Wave 25 guide: who is caught by the SAR 187,500 threshold, what integration actually requires, the cost, and a month-by-month plan.

Comparisons

The best accounting software for agencies in the UAE and Saudi Arabia (2026): what a marketing, design or creative agency actually needs

Accounting software for agencies in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, compared honestly: retainers, project costs, commissions, VAT and e-invoicing, with AED and SAR pricing.

Business guides

How to invoice agency clients in the Gulf (2026): retainers, milestones, and getting paid on time

Agency invoicing in the UAE and Saudi Arabia: how to bill retainers, milestone projects and media spend with the right VAT, payment terms that work, and a chase sequence that gets you paid.

Business guides

How to track project and client profitability at a small agency (2026), without timesheets

Agency profitability guide for the Gulf: how to see margin per project and per client from your invoices, freelancer bills, expenses and payroll, with AED and SAR examples and no time tracking.

Tax & compliance

UAE VAT registration for small businesses (2026): thresholds, deadlines, and the AED 10,000 mistake

UAE VAT registration explained for small businesses: the AED 375,000 threshold, the 30-day deadline, voluntary registration, and how to avoid the AED 10,000 penalty.

Business guides

How to chase late payments in Dubai: payment terms, reminders, and what the law lets you do

A practical guide for Dubai SMEs and freelancers on late payments: payment terms that work in the Gulf, a reminder sequence that gets replies, and where the law stands.

Freelancer guides

How to invoice as a freelancer in Saudi Arabia (2026): the freelance document, VAT at SAR 375,000, and ZATCA

Freelancer invoicing in Saudi Arabia explained: the HRSD freelance work document, the SAR 375,000 VAT threshold, ZATCA e-invoicing, and what a compliant invoice must show.

Business guides

Accounting software for Lebanese businesses (2026): what to look for when your books live in USD and LBP

Choosing accounting software in Lebanon in 2026: dual-currency USD and LBP books, 11% VAT, the LBP 5 billion registration threshold, quarterly filing, and fresh-dollar reality.

Comparisons

QuickBooks alternatives in the UAE (2026): 5 options compared for VAT, pricing, and local support

Looking for a QuickBooks alternative in the UAE? Five options compared on FTA VAT handling, e-invoicing readiness, AED billing, Arabic, and price, with honest trade-offs.

Product updates

Meet Staks: invoices, expenses, and real accounting in one place — built for MENA

Staks is all-in-one business management software for MENA SMEs and freelancers — invoicing, expenses, real accounting, CRM, and an AI agent in one place.

Comparisons

The best accounting software for small businesses in the UAE (2026)

Best accounting software for UAE small businesses in 2026, compared honestly: Staks, Wafeq, Zoho Books, Qoyod, QuickBooks, Xero — pricing, VAT, e-invoicing readiness.

Product updates

Can AI do your bookkeeping? What an AI accountant can and can't do in 2026

AI bookkeeping in 2026, explained honestly: what an AI accountant automates today — receipts, imports, drafting, questions — and what still needs a human.

Tax & compliance

UAE e-invoicing: what small businesses need to know before July 2027

UAE e-invoicing explained for SMEs — the pilot-to-mandate timeline, how the Peppol DCTCE model works, what an Accredited Service Provider is, and a readiness checklist.

Freelancer guides

Do freelancers pay corporate tax in the UAE? Thresholds, relief, and deadlines (2026)

UAE corporate tax for freelancers — the AED 1M turnover test, the 0% band to AED 375,000, Small Business Relief now extended to 2029, and the records you must keep.

Tax & compliance

ZATCA e-invoicing for small businesses: the plain-language guide (2026)

ZATCA e-invoicing explained for small Saudi businesses: Phase 1 vs Phase 2, the Wave 24 and 25 deadlines, QR codes, and a six-step readiness plan.

Business guides

Running your books in USD and LBP: accounting for Lebanese businesses in 2026

Accounting in Lebanon in 2026: fresh-dollar pricing, the 89,500 LBP rate, 11% VAT filings, and dual-currency double-entry books that actually work.

Business guides

How to track business expenses without a bookkeeper (receipts, VAT, and AI)

A practical expense-tracking system for GCC small businesses and freelancers: valid tax invoices, simple categories, capture habits, and AI receipt extraction.

Business guides

Quote, proforma, or invoice? What to send and when — a Gulf SME guide

Quote vs proforma vs tax invoice vs credit note: what each document does, which ones matter for VAT in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and when to send them.