Hospitality
A hospitality bookkeeper in Melbourne for cafes, restaurants and venues
The till, the bank and Xero should agree every day. We make sure they do, and we keep payroll right through every roster change.
Is this for you?
If you run a cafe, restaurant, bar or venue and the books always sit a few weeks behind the service, this page is for you. Sterix is a hospitality bookkeeper in Melbourne. We reconcile your POS takings to the bank daily, so the numbers you check between services are today's numbers, and BAS time holds no surprises.
Hospitality books go wrong in familiar ways. Card settlements land a day or two after the trade. Tips need to be handled properly. Rosters change weekly and penalty rates change with them. GST treatment depends on what you sell and how it is supplied, so the POS tax codes need careful checking. We work through these details with your venue.
What we handle for venues
- Daily POS reconciliation. Takings from your POS matched to bank settlements, so every trading day is accounted for to the cent.
- Payroll with awards in mind. Wages, super and STP run on time through our payroll service, with roster changes and penalty rates reflected each cycle.
- Supplier bills. Produce, beverage and equipment invoices captured and scheduled, so suppliers stay happy and nothing is paid twice.
- GST coding that matches the menu. Food and drink sales checked against the applicable GST treatment, including dine in and takeaway differences, so your BAS reflects what you sold.
- Weekly numbers you can act on. Margins are thin in hospitality. We keep the file current, so wage cost and takings are visible while you can still do something about them.
- BAS preparation and lodgement. As a registered BAS agent we prepare and lodge from a reconciled file, on the applicable lodgement dates.
How it works
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Your systems feed Xero
POS, bank and payroll flow into one place. Paper invoices go in with a photo.
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We reconcile daily and weekly
Takings are matched to settlements and the bank is reconciled through the week, not at month end.
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You get numbers between services
A short report each month, and current figures in Xero any day you want to look.
Books behind by months rather than weeks? Our monthly bookkeeping service includes catch up work, and our Xero setup service can rebuild a file that has drifted too far.
Follow each day's sales through to the bank
The POS total and the bank deposit can differ because fees, refunds and settlement timing sit between them. We match the sales report to the payment provider's settlement, record the fees separately and investigate differences instead of treating every deposit as a new sale.
Illustrative example: a weekend card settlement reaches the bank after the trading day and has processing fees deducted. The reconciliation should explain the original sales, fees and money still awaiting settlement.
Questions from venue owners
Will our current POS work with Xero? We check the available connection, tax mappings and settlement reports during setup. The right workflow depends on your actual POS and payment provider.
How do you handle roster changes? Your manager approves hours and changes before the pay run. We process the agreed payroll information; complex award interpretation goes to an appropriate specialist.
What can we see between BAS deadlines? Current takings, supplier balances and wage costs help you decide what needs attention. We agree the reporting rhythm around your venue.
Start with our guide to how often to reconcile business accounts, then check the BAS calendar. For food classifications, refer to the ATO's food and beverage GST guidance.
Know your numbers between services
Book a free discovery call and tell us about your venue. Fifteen minutes, no obligation.