Bookkeeping Services for Every Australian Industry: Who We Support

One of the most common questions I get asked is: "Do you work with businesses like mine?" The short answer? Yes, almost certainly.

I'm Linda, founder of In Addition Bookkeeping, and over the years I've provided bookkeeping and BAS services to businesses across nearly every industry you can imagine. From tradies covered in sawdust to pristine medical practices, from bustling cafés to quiet home-based consultancies, each industry has its own bookkeeping quirks and challenges.

Let me share which industries we support and what makes bookkeeping unique for each one.

Construction & Trades

If you work with your hands, chances are paperwork isn't your favourite part of the day. I get it. But proper bookkeeping is crucial for tradies and construction businesses.

Tradies

Tradies bookkeeping involves managing:

• Job costing and materials tracking

• Tool and equipment purchases

• Vehicle expenses and logbooks

• Subcontractor payments

• Customer deposits and progress payments

• Warranty work and callbacks

Whether you're a plumber, electrician, carpenter, or any other trade, I understand the unique challenges of tracking costs per job, managing cash flow between projects, and dealing with the ATO's view on ute expenses.

Contractors

Contractors bookkeeping gets more complex with:

• Multiple project timelines

• Client invoicing schedules

• Retention amounts

• Plant and equipment depreciation

• Labour hire and workforce management

Construction

Construction and trades bookkeeping for larger operations requires sophisticated tracking of:

• Contract variations

• Progress claims

• Materials on site vs. used

• Multi-stage project accounting

• Builder's warranty insurance

Linda's Insight: Construction businesses often struggle with cash flow because of the lag between paying suppliers and getting paid by clients. Proper bookkeeping helps you forecast and manage this timing gap.

Retail & Ecommerce

Retail has transformed dramatically, and so has retail bookkeeping.

Retail Stores

Retail bookkeeping involves:

• Point of sale reconciliation

• Inventory management

• Stock takes and shrinkage

• Multiple payment methods (cash, card, tap, BNPL)

• Returns and refunds

• Seasonal variations

Whether you run a boutique clothing store, gift shop, or specialty retailer, accurate inventory tracking is essential for understanding your true profitability.

Ecommerce

Ecommerce bookkeeping adds digital complexity:

• Multiple sales channels (your website, eBay, Amazon, etc.)

• Payment gateway fees

• Shipping and fulfillment costs

• Digital marketing expenses

• International sales and currency

• Returns management across platforms

I help ecommerce businesses integrate their online sales platforms with their accounting software so everything flows automatically.

Hospitality

Hospitality bookkeeping is some of the most transaction-heavy work I do. High volume, thin margins, and cash handling make accuracy critical.

Restaurants

Restaurant bookkeeping requires managing:

• Food cost percentages

• Wastage and spoilage

• Staff meals

• Tips and service charges

• Liquor licensing costs

• Delivery platform fees (UberEats, Menulog, DoorDash)

Cafés

Café bookkeeping shares many restaurant challenges but often with:

• Higher cash transactions

• Simpler menus but higher turnover

• Coffee supplier arrangements

• Bakery and wholesale sales

Bars & Pubs

Bar and pub bookkeeping involves:

• High cash handling

• Gaming machine reconciliation (where applicable)

• Entertainment expenses

• Security costs

• Late-night operations complexity

Linda's Insight: Hospitality businesses benefit enormously from weekly bookkeeping. With such high transaction volumes and tight margins, you need to know your numbers weekly, not quarterly.

Medical & Health Practices

Healthcare bookkeeping requires understanding of Medicare, trust accounting, and professional requirements.

Medical Practices

Medical and health bookkeeping covers:

• Medicare bulk billing reconciliation

• Private health fund claims

• Gap payments and patient billing

• Medical supplies and equipment

• Professional indemnity insurance

• Clinic software integration

Dentists

Dentist bookkeeping adds:

• Laboratory fees

• Specialist referrals

• Dental plan memberships

• Equipment depreciation (dental chairs aren't cheap!)

• HICAPS terminal reconciliation

Allied Health

Allied health bookkeeping for physios, psychologists, OTs, and others involves:

• NDIS or DVA billing

• Private health fund claiming

• Treatment plan management

• Professional association fees

• Room rental if in shared practices

NDIS Providers

NDIS bookkeeping is highly specialized with:

• Price guide compliance

• Service agreement tracking

• Plan management vs. self-managed clients

• Rostering and time tracking

• NDIS portal reconciliation

• Audit-ready documentation

For those just starting out, small NDIS provider bookkeeping helps you establish proper systems from day one.

Linda's Insight: NDIS providers face regular audits. Having bookkeeping that clearly links every transaction to a participant and support category makes audits stress-free rather than terrifying.

Transportation & Logistics

Transport businesses have unique tracking requirements around vehicles, fuel, and compliance.

Rideshare & Taxi

Rideshare and taxi bookkeeping involves:

• Platform fee reconciliation (Uber, Ola, Didi)

• Fuel and maintenance tracking

• Vehicle finance or lease payments

• Insurance costs

• Logbook requirements

• GST on a margins scheme

Trucking & Freight

Trucking and freight bookkeeping requires:

• Per-load costing

• Fuel tax credits

• Vehicle maintenance schedules

• Driver payments (employed vs. contracted)

• Heavy vehicle registration and compliance

• Interstate operation complexity

General transport bookkeeping covers couriers, delivery services, and logistics operators with similar needs.

Property & Real Estate

Property businesses involve trust accounting, rental management, and compliance requirements.

Property Management

Property bookkeeping for landlords and investors includes:

• Rental income tracking

• Maintenance and repairs

• Property management fees

• Council rates and insurance

• Depreciation schedules

• Capital improvements vs. repairs

Real Estate

Real estate bookkeeping for agencies requires:

• Trust account reconciliation

• Commission calculations

• Marketing levy management

• Agent payments and splits

• Regulatory compliance reporting

Beauty & Fitness

Personal service businesses often start small but grow quickly, and bookkeeping needs to keep pace.

Salons & Beauty

Salon and beauty bookkeeping involves:

• Product sales vs. services

• Chair or room rental arrangements

• Contractor vs. employee arrangements

• Product inventory

• Appointment software integration

• Retail markup management

Hairdressers

Hairdresser bookkeeping shares many salon challenges with added:

• High product usage

• Client loyalty programs

• Gift voucher management

• Education and training costs

Fitness

Fitness bookkeeping for gyms, studios, and personal trainers covers:

• Membership management

• Class package sales

• Personal training sessions

• Equipment purchases and maintenance

• Facility costs

• Insurance requirements

Professional Services

Consultants, advisors, and service providers need time tracking and project-based accounting.

Professional services bookkeeping covers accountants, lawyers, engineers, architects, marketers, and consultants with:

• Time billing and tracking

• Project costing

• Work in progress

• Retainer management

• Professional indemnity and insurance

• Client disbursements

Linda's Insight: Professional services firms often struggle with work-in-progress tracking. Knowing which projects are profitable and which aren't helps you make better decisions about which clients and work to pursue.

Manufacturing & Wholesale

Production and distribution businesses need cost accounting and inventory management.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing bookkeeping requires:

• Raw materials inventory

• Work in progress tracking

• Finished goods costing

• Production overhead allocation

• Equipment depreciation

• Waste and rework management

Wholesale & Distribution

Wholesale bookkeeping involves:

• High-volume, low-margin transactions

• Trade pricing and discounts

• Stock management across warehouses

• Freight and logistics

• Credit terms management

• B2B customer accounts

Agriculture & Farming

Rural businesses face unique seasonal challenges and GST considerations.

Farming & Agriculture

Farming bookkeeping and farmers bookkeeping covers:

• Seasonal income and expenses

• Livestock tracking

• Crop production costs

• Farm equipment depreciation

• Fuel tax credits

• Water and irrigation costs

• Farm Management Deposits

• GST on agricultural supplies

Wineries

Winery bookkeeping adds:

• Vintage costing

• Barrel and tank inventory

• Wine production tracking

• Cellar door sales

• Wine club memberships

• Tourism and events income

• WET (Wine Equalisation Tax)

Franchises

Franchise businesses need to balance head office requirements with local operations.

Franchise bookkeeping involves:

• Franchise fee calculations

• Royalty payments

• Marketing fund contributions

• Head office reporting requirements

• Multi-location management

• Standardized chart of accounts

• Compliance with franchise agreements

Why Industry Experience Matters

You might wonder: does it really matter if your bookkeeper understands your industry?

Absolutely. Here's why:

Faster setup: I know which accounts you'll need, which tracking categories make sense, and how to structure your chart of accounts for your industry.

Fewer questions: I don't need you to explain every transaction because I understand the context of your business operations.

Better insights: I can spot issues and opportunities because I know what's normal for your industry and what's not.

Compliance confidence: Different industries have different ATO focus areas. I know what to watch for and document properly.

Smarter advice: I can suggest industry-specific strategies for tax planning, cash flow management, and financial efficiency.

Supporting Businesses Across Australia

While I'm based on the Mornington Peninsula, I work with businesses throughout Australia:

• Victoria from Melbourne to regional areas

• New South Wales including Sydney and beyond

• Queensland from Brisbane to the coast

• South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, and ACT

Cloud-based accounting means distance doesn't matter. Whether you're in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, or anywhere else in Australia, I can provide the same quality service.

What Makes Our Approach Different

Regardless of your industry, here's what you can expect when working with In Addition Bookkeeping:

Industry understanding: I take time to learn the specifics of your business, not just generic bookkeeping.

Proactive communication: I flag issues before they become problems and identify opportunities you might miss.

Compliance focus: With my registration as a BAS agent, your BAS and GST obligations are handled properly.

System optimization: I help you set up and use Xero, MYOB, or QuickBooks efficiently.

Scalable solutions: Whether you need monthly general bookkeeping, payroll processing, or comprehensive financial support, services scale with your needs.

Don't See Your Industry Listed?

If your industry isn't specifically mentioned here, don't worry. The principles of good bookkeeping apply across all businesses, and I've likely worked with businesses similar to yours.

The beauty of being an experienced bookkeeper is adaptability. I can learn the specifics of your industry quickly and apply proven bookkeeping practices to your unique situation.

Ready to Get Started?

Whether you're a tradie, retailer, healthcare provider, or any other type of business owner, proper bookkeeping makes your life easier and your business more profitable.

You deserve a bookkeeper who understands your industry and genuinely cares about your success.

Book a free consultation and let's discuss how I can support your specific business needs. No obligation, no pressure—just a conversation about how bookkeeping can work better for you.

Linda is the founder and principal bookkeeper at In Addition Bookkeeping, a registered BAS agent serving businesses across all industries throughout Australia. With extensive experience across diverse sectors, she provides bookkeeping solutions tailored to each industry's unique requirements.