Set up bookkeeping in SolaCount

This guide takes a new organization from first login to its first posted invoice: setup wizard, chart of accounts, bank accounts, taxes, numbering, opening balances or data migration, and a first sale. It follows a worked example for Al Noor Trading LLC, a UAE trading company using AED and 5% VAT that starts in SolaCount on 1 October 2026.

You need: Owner role in the organization (setup can only be completed by the owner by default) and SolaCount enabled for the organization in the Solavel Portal.

Step 1: Open SolaCount

1. Sign in at solavel.com and choose Al Noor Trading LLC in the Portal.
2. Open SolaCount. The startup screen shows Opening your accounting workspace.
3. Because the organization is new, the panel shows Finish setup to start using Finance. Click Finish Setup.

See Getting started.

Step 2: Run the setup wizard

Step 1 – Organization

1. Check the read-only identity card (name, legal name, addresses). If anything is wrong, fix it in the Portal under Organization. It syncs automatically.
2. Country: United Arab Emirates. Currency fills in as AED. This is your base currency and it can't be changed later.
3. Payment Terms: 30. Doc Language: English. Upload your logo and pick a Brand Color.
4. Click Next: Tax Regime.

Step 2 – Tax & Controls

1. Fiscal year end: December 31. Timezone: Asia/Dubai (pre-selected).
2. VAT Enabled: Yes. Registration #: your 15-digit TRN, for example 100123456700003. Anything other than exactly 15 digits is rejected.
3. Filing Period: Quarterly. Prices Include VAT: Exclusive. Tax Rounding: Line rounding.
4. Leave Lock Date empty. Click Next: Tax Codes.

Step 3 – Tax Codes

Keep the defaults: VAT Standard 5%, VAT Zero Rated, VAT Exempt, Reverse Charge VAT 5%, Out of Scope. Click Next: Chart of Accounts.

Step 4 – Accounts & Numbering

1. Choose the Recommended preset. Required accounts stay ticked.
2. Under Document Numbering, set Invoice prefix INV-, Digits 5, Reset Yearly. Adjust the other document types the same way.
3. Click Provision & Finish. SolaCount reloads into the Dashboard.

Details: Setup wizard.

Step 3: Review the chart of accounts

1. Go to Accounts → Chart of Accounts.
2. In Folder View, expand Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenues and Expenses.
3. Add what's missing with Add Account: for example a "Warehouse rent" expense under Rent & Facilities, or a "Bank loan – Emirates NBD" liability under Loans (Short-Term).
4. Optional: in Settings → General Settings, decide whether to Show account codes in the app and pick the short or full code format.

See Chart of Accounts.

Step 4: Add bank and cash accounts

1. Accounts → Bank Accounts → New (or Quick Add → New bank account). Add "Emirates NBD – Current" in AED.
2. Accounts → Cash accounts for petty cash.
3. Check Settings → Account Defaults → Default Cash / Bank points to your main bank.

See Banking.

Step 5: Check taxes and account defaults

1. Settings → Taxes: confirm the five VAT codes are active.
2. Settings → Account Defaults: check AR, AP, Default Sales Revenue, Default Purchases Expense and the VAT Posting Mode (Separate is the standard choice).

See Taxes & VAT and Settings.

Step 6: Bring in your existing data

Choose one of the two routes.

Route A: Data Migration Center (many records, files from another system)

1. Settings → Data Migration Center → Start migration.
2. Excel / CSV, source "Al Noor — old books", Records and opening balances, date 30-09-2026.
3. Upload your chart, customers, suppliers, items, trial balance and AR/AP aging files.
4. Match columns, review records (Create new / Use existing / Exclude) and make sure the Pre-import financial check difference is 0.
5. Continue to import → Import reviewed data.

See Data Migration Center.

Route B: Opening balances wizard (a few balances, typed by hand)

1. Add customers (Sales → Add Customer) and suppliers (Purchases → Add Supplier) first.
2. Accounts → Chart of Accounts → Opening Balances. Opening Date: 30-09-2026.
3. Fill in the tabs:

4. Save Draft, review, then on the last tab click Save & Post and confirm.

Resulting journal:

The opening invoice and bill are real unpaid documents. Collect and pay them through the normal payment screens.

Step 7: Numbering and PDF design

1. Settings → Numbering Sequences: confirm prefixes. Turn on Use Year if you want INV-2026-00001.
2. Settings → PDF Templates → Browse designs: pick Bilingual VAT for invoices and click Use this design.

See PDF templates.

Step 8: Invite your team

In the Portal, open Team and invite your accountant with the Member (Accountant) role. Assign SolaCount under Access. See Invite a team member.

Step 9: Your first invoice

1. Sales → Invoices → New invoice (or Quick Add → New invoice).
2. Customer Gulf Retail LLC, item "Office chairs", qty 10 × AED 1,000, tax VAT Standard 5%.
3. Save and post.

The Dashboard now shows AED 10,500 more under Accounts Receivable, and VAT Collected of AED 500 under Tax Summary. See Create an invoice.

Step 10: Lock the past

Once opening balances are final, set Settings → Precision & Lock Date → Lock Date to 30-09-2026 so nothing can be posted into the period before you started.

Checklist

• Setup wizard finished with the right country, base currency and TRN
• Chart of accounts reviewed
• Bank and cash accounts added
• Taxes and account defaults checked
• Opening balances posted (migration or wizard), with a zero difference
• Numbering and invoice design set
• Team invited
• First invoice posted
• Lock date set to the day before your start date

Related

• SolaCount overview
• Getting started
• Dashboard
• Record a payment
• Use reports