Online Bookkeeping & Invoicing for Local Businesses - #4 Detailed Business Plan
Help shopkeepers, tutors, and freelancers manage bills, track expenses, and get paid on time — using just your phone. This guide shows how to start a bookkeeping service without being a CA.
Millions of local businesses in India still manage accounts manually or in notebooks. Many struggle with GST bills, payment reminders, or basic profit-loss tracking.
If you’re comfortable with simple numbers and mobile apps, you can start a bookkeeping service for them — no CA degree required.
(Help shops, tutors, and freelancers manage bills and payments using your mobile.)
Let’s start with a detailed step-by-step plan for Idea #4:
📱 Online Bookkeeping & Invoicing for Local Businesses
Also read all Top 10 Pocket-Friendly Businesses:
Ankit Maheshwari
📦 What You Can Offer
- Creating and sending invoices
- Tracking income, expenses, stock
- Setting payment reminders
- Maintaining basic profit-loss records
- Optional: filing GST (if trained)
🔧 Tools You Need (Free/Freemium):
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Vyapar App | Billing, GST, inventory |
| Google Sheets | Custom P&L tracking |
| Zoho Books | Professional cloud accounting |
| Khatabook/OkCredit | Daily ledger & payment reminders |
| Sharing PDFs and updates with clients |
📈 Step-by-Step Action Plan
✅ Step 1: Learn a Billing App (Vyapar or Zoho)
- Watch YouTube tutorials on Vyapar App (in Hindi or English)
- Learn how to:
- Add a customer
- Create GST/non-GST invoice
- Track expenses
- Generate reports
💡 Try creating 5–10 dummy invoices to build confidence.
✅ Step 2: Make Your “Service Card”
Create a one-page pitch with:
- Your name
- Services offered (invoice creation, reminders, monthly report)
- Pricing (monthly fee)
- Contact
Use Canva or WhatsApp Business Catalog.
✅ Step 3: Find Local Clients (Target Businesses)
| Target Client | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| Tutors & coaches | Often forget payments, no GST |
| Kirana / small shops | Need cash flow tracking |
| Local service providers | Want help without hiring staff |
| Freelancers | Need clean invoices for clients |
💡 Visit shops or DM them locally. Speak in Hindi/regional language for trust.
✅ Step 4: Pricing & Plans
| Plan Type | Services | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Basic (1–2 hrs/wk) | Billing, expenses, report | ₹500–₹1,000/mo |
| Plus (GST filing) | Add tax filing with help of CA | ₹1,500–₹3,000/mo |
| Custom | Daily ledger + monthly review | Negotiable |
✅ Start with 1–2 clients, handle well, and ask for referrals.
✅ Step 5: Track Professionally
- Use a Google Sheet to manage each client’s data
- Keep scanned bills & invoices organized in folders
- Send weekly/monthly reports via PDF on WhatsApp
💡 Always send gentle reminders for payments — clients will thank you!
🧮 Income Potential
| Clients | Monthly Profit |
|---|---|
| 2–3 clients | ₹2,000–₹4,000 |
| 5–7 clients | ₹5,000–₹10,000 |
| 10+ clients | ₹15,000+ |
💡 Steady, recurring income — and grows as trust builds.
⚠️ Common Challenges:
- Clients delay document sharing — set a reminder schedule
- Not everyone wants “fancy” reports — keep it simple
- Don’t handle tax filings unless you’re trained or have CA tie-up
🚀 Bonus Tips:
- Offer a 1-month trial service to gain trust
- Build a small “Monthly Expense Tracker” and give it as freebie
- Partner with stationery vendors to offer printed invoices
- Use Diwali/New Year to promote “Accounts Cleanup Offer”
Ankit Maheshwari
⚠️ Disclaimer:
This blog is for educational purposes only. Bitveen does not guarantee income or business success. Do your own research before investing time or money.