Avalon have been providing accountancy and financial management services to individuals, small and medium sized companies, partnerships, charities, clubs and associations since 1938. We have offices in Reading and Richmond upon Thames and our client base is distributed throughout the southeast and southwest.

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Introduction
• Based in Tilehurst, to the west of Reading and established in 1995, Avalon Accounting Limited
are committed to providing a first-class professional accounting service including full range of
accounts, audit, taxation and business support services to individuals, sole traders,
partnerships and SMEs throughout the UK, predominantly in the Berkshire and Thames Valley
area.
• Our aim is to add value with business analysis and business advice to help you make the right
decisions for your company.
• Part of the SKS Group with offices in West London and the Home Counties:
o Avalon Accounting, Tilehurst, Reading
o SKS Business Services, Richmond upon Thames, West London
o Ward Mackenzie, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
o Gilroy & Brookes, Farnham, Surrey
o Ledger Sparks, Croydon, South London
o Ramon Lee Ltd, Greater London
o Westlake Clark, Southampton
o Baker Watkin, Stevenage
• Member ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales). So, you can be
assured of high standards, a set course of action should you be unhappy with our services and
an appropriate level of professional indemnity cover.
• Our sister company WM Audit LLP can perform your auditing and financial analysis with a
minimum of fuss and maximum efficiency and accuracy.
• Value – this is possible as we use an onshore/offshore shared services model currently
employed by larger corporations and all available technology to cut down on unnecessary
travel. But we maintain very good communication with the use of cloud accounting software
(such as Xero, QuickBooks and Sage), Skype, Dropbox and screen sharing tools e.g.
www.join.me.
Our Services
• Annual Accounts and Corporation Tax
• Bookkeeping and VAT Services – fast efficient and normally cheaper too
• Payroll Services – including auto-enrolment
• Tax Planning– expert advice on your personal requirements
• Monthly or Quarterly Management Accounts - to help you make the best decisions
• Finance and Accounting Outsourcing for larger companies
• Advice on Funding – requirements and the options available in the market

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• Audit Services – we have experience of Audit in all sectors, including charities
• Insolvency services through our sister company Benedict Mackenzie
Avalon Process
Avalon can provide the whole process – bookkeeping to monthly management accounts to year- end
functions. This provides best value to the client as one step leads to the other. Management accounts
puts a check on bookkeeping and year end accounts become a mere formality.
Avalon also use the latest accounting and communication technologies to create efficiencies and drive
service and value to the client. Therefore, our costs are generally 30% to 40% less than a normal
accounting firm but with a higher service level.

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Cloud based systems and processes
Avalon can help you with an integrated cloud based all-round operating environment:
• Evaluation of add-ons available for Xero based on client criteria e.g. ease of use,
subscription charges, ease of integration, supplier reputation
• Set up and training
• Data import from existing systems and migration into new system
This improves the finance function efficiency and provides you with real time reporting.
Xero Example Report

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Xero Example Report
Xero Example Report

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Finance and Accounting Outsourcing
As an investor, Board Member, CEO or CFO you know how important it is that you understand your
business inside out – the cash flow; performance by staff and performance of the business against
past trends, budgets or competitors. Only then you can formulate your business strategy or tactic.
Using an innovative ‘shared services’ business model that only larger companies have recently
developed, Avalon provides all this information through accounting services for Small aps companies.
• Up to 40% cost reduction
• Real time business analysis by qualified staff
• CFO has the time and information to focus on profitability and growth
• You are freed from manual tasks to maximize your value.
• Auditors and Regulators will all respect and value the consistent quality of financial product
received.
• Efficient ERP implementation at up to 50% savings compared to system integrators.
Avalon can take responsibility for the roles shown in Grey below.

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Key Personnel: Avalon Group
___________________________________________________________________________
Paul Quinan, Director (Affiliate ICAEW) at Avalon Accounting Limited – Tilehurst,
Reading, has over 30 years of accountancy experience in Thames Valley. He specializes
in accounting and tax work for sole traders, partnerships and limited companies.
Sanjay Swarup, Founder and Director, 52, has over 25 years’ experience of accounting
and 15 years of advising businesses. Chartered accountant and MBA (Canfield School
of Management). Small to large public practice experience. Worked for multinationals
like GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and BP plc. CFO at Mandalay Resources Corporation.
Anil Swarup, Director, 52, has over 23 years of international business development
experience. Affiliate Member of ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants England
and Wales) and CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing).
Joanna Green (ACA), Director at Ward Mackenzie, qualified as a Chartered Accountant
in 2005 having trained with a local firm in practice. She deals mainly with personal tax,
owner-managed corporate clients and is also an audit partner for WM Audit LLP.
Rob Colepio (FCCA), Director at Ledger Sparks, qualified in December 1993 and
became a director of Ledger Sparks in July 1997. Since then he has built up an
impressive portfolio of clients. Rob provides tax, accounting and business growth and
improvement solutions to small and medium size enterprises.
Daniel Glover (FCCA), Director at Ledger Sparks, qualified in 2000 and became a
director of Ledger Sparks in July 2006 and already has a substantial portfolio of
established and growing businesses.
David Terry (FCA) Director, joined the firm in 1980 and is the Managing Partner. His
primary responsibility is advising owner businesses from new startups to long
established companies on all aspects of their accounting and taxation affairs. David
specialises in the provision of audit and accountancy services.

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Avalon and SKS Group Experience
SPHERE – IT SUPPLIER TO AN NHS TRUST
PURCHASE ORDER PROCESSING
• Po raised, approved and posted by Avalon after checking coding is correct
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
• Process invoices, chase outstanding proof of deliveries and deal with
supplier queries
• Reconcile supplier statements to supplier account
• Notify Sphere of any discrepancies
• Maintain supplier’s details
INVOICING / ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
• Raise invoices monthly and release for approval and posting by the Sphere
• Obtain Sphere approval of the invoices prior to posting
PREPAYMENTS
• Update prepayments spreadsheet based on purchase orders / invoices raised
• Submit bank reconciliation and proposed payment run to financial specialist for approval
• Load payment run once approved by Sphere onto the bank account
• Send remittance to suppliers
CREDIT CARD/ PAYPAL PROCESSING
MONTH END
• Raise accrual statement, share to approve and post, reconcile prepayments spreadsheet
to accounts, reconcile bank account to accounts, check consistency between attributes,
raise correcting journals, provide month end reconciliations
"SKS provided an excellent bookkeeping and management account outsourcing
service that reduced our costs and improved efficiency."
SPHERE (IT Provider to an NHS Trust)

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MANDALAY RESOURCES CORPORATION (TSX: MND $325M MARKET CAP)
A multi-national gold mining company with operations in Chile, Australia and Sweden.
SKS provides below accounting services:
• Corporate accounts payable, payroll
• Shares and warrants ledger accounting
• Monthly and quarterly close, including consolidation
• Manage consolidated budgeting process
• Board and Audit Committee reporting, with variance analysis of
both financial and operating KPIs
• Regular cash flow monitoring and project valuations
• Manage complete Big 4 auditor relationship
• IFRS expertise
• International tax management and planning
• Prospectus preparation
• ERP implementation and report designing
OTHER MINING COMPANIES
• Head of finance function
• Accounts payable, payroll, budgets
• Monthly and quarterly close including consolidation
• Mining application involvement
• Finance modeling
• IFRS expertise

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AWARD APPAREL - WHOLESALE CLOTHING COMPANY
ORDER MANAGEMENT SERVICE
• Create/update/amend customer order and create purchase order for factories/supplier
• Create debit notes and credit notes as required
• Generate carton labels from customer's site and send to factories/suppliers
• Prepare original shipping documents / send original documents to buyer / verification of proof
of delivery /provide confirmation letter for documents received to factories/suppliers
BOOKKEEPING
• Receive invoices, seek approval, prepare sales approval sheet
and export to Sage
• Update bank transactions by recording the receipts and
payments and reconcile weekly
• Proforma invoice from suppliers checking
• Open Letter of Credit in bank for suppliers. Liaise with bank
• Process invoices, chase outstanding invoices and deal with supplier queries
• Reconcile supplier statements with supplier accounts.
• Check outstanding bills and Letters of Credit, update cash flow
• Extract the aged payables and receivable and update the cash flow
• Approval of invoices from directors, load payment to bank system
• Get balance confirmation from debtors and creditors fortnightly
MONTH END
• Monthly management accounts with variance analysis including schedules supporting items
of Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet, schedules of accruals, prepayments, graphs for revenue
monthly and year to date, revenue by client margins, performance report and forward sales
reports
QUARTER END
• Prepare quarter end accounts for bank. Includes schedules of accruals, prepayments, age
receivables and age payables reports. Balance Sheet schedules to include reconciliation of
bank account to bank book, aged payables, aged receivables and VAT
YEAR END
• Yearend accounts. Balance Sheet schedules to include reconciliation of bank account to bank
book, aged payables, aged receivables and VAT. Prepare corporation tax return and file.
"We started using SKS as an outsourced Finance function early in 2017. The
transition was remarkably smooth, and through the dedicated team, we are now
receiving accurate reports on time. This is on top of cost savings and fewer
operational headaches." Viv Singh. Executive Director

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Press Coverage
Top tips for debt management in business By Hazel Davis
1. Devise and stick to a budget
It's easy to throw caution to the wind and either not budget at all, or only use your budget as a rough guide, says
Paul Bryant, MD of Set Up A Company. “Budgets need to be carefully thought through, after considering the
financial position and cash flow. Once a budget has been allocated, you should do all you can to stick to it.”
2. Produce regular profit and loss accounts
Cash flow is one of the biggest problem areas for small businesses and so it's important to
always know and understand your financial position at any moment in time. Producing regular profit and loss
accounts (at least once a month) is a good way to keep on top of things.
3. Use accounting software
Using accounting software such as KashFlow, Sage and QuickBooks can help you to keep a track of income and
expenditure to help you make better decisions if you can’t afford to employ a bookkeeper.
4. Outsource rather than employ
Although taking on employees can be cheaper and more secure, it is a long-term commitment and should only be
undertaken if you are certain the business can afford the wages, not just now but in months’ and even years’
time. Look into outsourcing the work, using a freelancer, or hiring on a temporary contract to reduce your risk.
5. Tighten your belt in the right places
Research shows that businesses are spending more than ever on non-core operations.
Sanjay Swarup, CEO and founder of SKS Business Services, says: “Declining profits should call for belt-
tightening and costs could easily be cut from G&A (general and administrative) functions without reducing the
quality of these services.”
6. Save money on transfer fees
Andrew Woolley, director, CFX at foreign exchange expert Moneycorp, says: “If you plan ahead Moneycorp
offers a service – FORWARD – which allows customers to reserve an exchange rate to purchase a currency to
use up to two years in the future.”
7. Reward quick payments
Consider offering a discount for quick payment or rebates to regular good payers based on a
percentage of the purchase value. Make sure you keep a close eye, however, on whether the quick payments
materialise.
8. Claim interest on late payments
You are allowed to charge interest at the Bank of England base rate plus 8 per cent, calculated on a daily basis
for each day your payment is overdue. You must outline such a course in your terms and conditions. Sometimes
a letter suggesting you will charge interest is enough to ensure a quick payment.
9. Keep your unpaid sales invoices in date order
This way, you can see the oldest outstanding invoices first. Set aside a sacred time each week to
chase these. Make sure you focus on the largest debt first and then the oldest.
10. Remember, larger companies operate differently from small businesses
Check whether you need to send a statement as well as an invoice. It’s also worth finding out when a company’s
payment run is so you can invoice at the right time.

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Finance function is ‘root of small company underperformance’ by Richard Crump
SMALL- and mid-sized businesses are failing to use their finance functions effectively to make important
management decisions, a report by CIMA has claimed. The report, compiled jointly with SKS Business Services
and Loughborough University, explains that many smaller companies are slow to apply shared services, ‘right-
sourcing' and technological best practice.
UK SMEs’ financial systems losing £3.7bn unnecessarily SMEs find RTI costly and unnecessary “The root cause
of smaller company under performance is often inefficient use of their finance function. Finance and accounting is
too often misunderstood as a ‘bean-counting' operation, when financial analysis and forward-looking
management accounts are meant to help you plant and reap more beans,' said Sanjay Swarup, Director, SKS
Business Services.
According to SKS, some 45% of SMEs don't use regular management accounts, while use of technology such as
accounting information systems, is also limited, as is use of low-cost online technology.
Peter Simons, technical specialist, CIMA, said: "SMEs do not engage management accountants as their larger
competitors do, and as such they are missing opportunities. Globalisation and technology can enable smaller
companies to transform their finance function, making it more efficient and able to provide better support to
management."