Petty cash management UAE offices can reconcile in minutes

You ask in plain English, the AI does the bookkeeping work, and you or your accountant approve the result.

• You ask: “Reconcile the reception petty cash. I counted AED 312 in the box.”
• The AI agent: The AI takes the opening float, adds top-ups, subtracts every receipt posted since the last count, and compares the expected balance with AED 312, listing any receipt without an image.
• You review: You explain or write off any difference, approve the top-up amount, and sign off the count.

An imprest float keeps a fixed amount, say AED 2,000, and is topped back to that amount each time. Create a cash account for each box, such as Reception Cash or Warehouse Cash. Withdrawals from the bank to refill the box are transfers, not expenses; the expenses are the receipts.

• One cash account per float and per custodian
• Receipts photographed in the mobile app the same day
• AI suggests accounts: courier, refreshments, government fees, transport
• Count and top up weekly or monthly with the count sheet attached

Many petty cash costs carry no VAT at all, such as many government service fees, while others come with a simplified receipt rather than a full tax invoice. The AI reads the VAT amount and supplier TRN where shown and leaves VAT at zero where it cannot find one, which is the safer default. Your accountant can change the treatment on individual items.

Because the receipt image is stored on the entry, an FTA query about a small claim can be answered by opening the transaction, not by searching a drawer.

The float is AED 1,500. During October, receipts total AED 1,176: water AED 84, courier AED 315 including AED 15 VAT, typing centre AED 427, stationery AED 210 including AED 10 VAT, and parking and Salik AED 140. The expected cash is AED 324, but the count is AED 312.

The AI shows a AED 12 difference and notes one receipt dated 14 October is blank in the photo. The custodian finds the original; it was AED 12 for printing. After posting it, the box reconciles and you top up AED 1,188 from the bank. If your company wants a petty cash approval limit or a custom count report, those approval rules can be set up for you; email hello@hellobooks.ai.