Aqid ERPStage invoices with retention
When a stage is approved, raise the invoice for it. Hold back the client's retention; it sits in its own receivable until you release it at handover.
Professional services
Accounting for engineering consultancies
Invoice each design or supervision stage, hold retention in its own receivable until handover, and see what every project earns after subconsultants and staff.
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In short
Invoice each design or supervision stage, hold retention in its own receivable until handover, and see what every project earns after subconsultants and staff. Aqid ERP is built for ZATCA Phase 2 e-invoicing, prepares the VAT return from the books and runs payroll with GOSI and a WPS file in the Mudad layout. The Growth plan fits, at SAR 111 a month, with a 60-day free trial. Not built yet: There is no progress billing by percentage of completion and no payment applications, so you raise each stage invoice yourself.
At a glance
| For | Engineering consultancies |
|---|---|
| E-invoicing | ZATCA Phase 2: clearance and reporting once your device is connected with a Fatoora OTP; UBL 2.1 XML, QR code |
| VAT | 15% standard rate; the return is prepared from the books |
| Payroll | GOSI, a WPS salary file in the Mudad layout, end of service, payslips in Arabic and English |
| Stock | Not needed by most businesses of this kind |
| Recommended plan | Growth: unlimited payroll for your engineers. Starter fits an office of up to 5 employees. |
| Price | SAR 111 a month before VAT · 60-day free trial today, no card |
| Not built yet | There is no progress billing by percentage of completion and no payment applications, so you raise each stage invoice yourself. |
How it runs
One project, one P&L
Tag stage invoices, subconsultant bills and site visit expenses to the project, and allocate engineers' payroll cost to it with a re-tag or allocation journal. Its P&L shows whether the fee is holding up.
Supervision fees every month
Monthly supervision fees run as recurring invoices, so they are issued and emailed on time for as long as the site is open.
Subconsultants approved before they are paid
Enter surveying, testing and specialist design bills against a purchase order. Bills over your limit wait for a second approver before payment.
A month at an engineering consultancy (example)
- Say you hold a design contract worth SAR 400,000, invoiced in four stages. The client approves the concept stage, so you invoice SAR 100,000 plus 15% VAT of SAR 15,000, total SAR 115,000.
- The contract has 10% retention. SAR 10,000 of the fee is held back and moves to the retention receivable, where it stays until handover.
- A geotechnical subconsultant bills SAR 30,000 plus SAR 4,500 VAT. The SAR 4,500 goes to input VAT and the SAR 30,000 is tagged to the project.
- Engineers' payroll on the project for the month is SAR 45,000, allocated to it by re-tagging the payroll entry after the run.
- The project P&L shows SAR 100,000 revenue against SAR 75,000 cost: SAR 25,000 profit on the stage. The client statement shows SAR 105,000 due now and SAR 10,000 retention outstanding.
The parts you will use
Retention
Retention held on an invoice is tracked in its own receivable until released, so it never gets lost in the client balance.
Projects and cost centres
Tag revenue, subconsultant bills and expenses to each project, and to a branch if you run more than one office; allocate payroll cost with a re-tag or allocation journal.
Sales and quotes
Fee proposals as quotes that clients accept in the customer portal without an account, then stage invoices, credit notes and statements.
Purchasing and approvals
Purchase orders to subconsultants and an approval limit, so large bills need a second sign-off.
Payroll
Monthly payroll in SAR with GOSI, the Mudad WPS salary file, end-of-service accruals, bilingual payslips and alerts before iqamas and passports expire.
Fixed assets
Survey equipment, vehicles and design workstations, with depreciation run each month in one click.
VAT and e-invoicing for engineering consultancies
Stage and supervision invoices are issued under ZATCA e-invoicing Phase 2: UBL 2.1 XML, XAdES signature and QR code. Invoices to developers, contractors and other businesses are cleared with ZATCA before they reach the client. This starts once your device is connected with an OTP from the Fatoora portal.
VAT at 15% is calculated on each invoice, input VAT on subconsultant bills is tracked as you enter them, and the VAT return is prepared from the books.
When and how VAT applies to retention depends on your contract terms. Confirm it with your tax adviser; Aqid ERP keeps the retention balance separate either way.
Plans for Engineering consultancies
Starter
For small businesses that need compliant invoicing
79 / month
- Compliant invoices + QR
- Customers & quotes
- Payroll and WPS file for up to 5 employees
Growth
For teams that want the full books, not only invoices
111 / month
- Everything in Starter
- Full ledger & reports
- Unlimited payroll, inventory and consolidation
Premium
For companies with branches, devices and volume
219 / month
- Everything in Growth
- Branches & devices
- Consolidation & API
Questions
Can I hold retention on stage invoices?
Yes. Retention held on an invoice sits in its own receivable until you release it.
Does it do progress billing by percentage complete?
No. There is no percentage-of-completion billing or payment applications yet. You raise an invoice for each stage when it is approved.
Are the invoices ZATCA Phase 2 compliant?
Not listed yet. Aqid ERP implements Phase 2 end to end (UBL 2.1 XML, XAdES signature, QR code, clearance for tax invoices and reporting for simplified ones) and is tested against ZATCA's published rules. Its listing in ZATCA's solution-provider directory is in progress. You connect your device with an OTP from the Fatoora portal.
Does payroll handle GOSI and Mudad for my engineers?
Yes. Payroll calculates GOSI contributions, produces the Mudad WPS salary file, accrues end-of-service and alerts you before iqamas expire.
Can I see profit per project?
Yes. Tag invoices, subconsultant bills and expenses to the project, allocate payroll cost to it with a re-tag or allocation journal, and run its P&L.
Can we track hours per engineer?
No. There are no timesheets yet. Engineers' cost is allocated to projects from payroll, by re-tagging the payroll entry or posting an allocation journal.
Other industries
Healthcare
Professional services
Property & construction
Trade, stock & production
Hospitality & lifestyle
Workforce & operations
Groups of companies
Aqid ERP in Saudi Arabia
Set up for Saudi Arabia's rules from the first day.
- Plans from 79 a month
- ZATCA Phase 2
- VAT 15 %
- GOSI & Mudad WPS
Aqid ERP for Saudi ArabiaPrices in Saudi ArabiaVAT registration in Saudi Arabia: the thresholds, the 30-day deadline and the fineGetting a VAT refund from ZATCA: the credit balance, the request and the bank accountCancelling VAT registration in Saudi Arabia: when you must, when you may, and what follows