Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

General Questions

We primarily work with startups and SMEs across Austria and Europe, but our consulting services also support growing companies in technology, manufacturing, retail, and professional services. Whether you are an early-stage startup preparing your first financial statements or an established SME scaling operations, our expertise in financial reporting, budgeting, SAP implementation, bookkeeping, and business valuation ensures we can tailor solutions to your industry, size, and growth stage.

Our consulting covers the full financial management cycle for SMEs and startups. Core services include:
• Financial Statements & Analysis for compliance and decision-making.
• Budgeting, Forecasting & Variance Analysis to plan and track performance.
• Inventory Valuation & Count to maintain accurate financial records.
• SAP Financial Implementation Support for ERP adoption and optimization.
• Bookkeeping & Compliance for daily financial operations.
• Business Valuation & M&A Advisory to prepare for investors and transactions.
Each service is designed to deliver actionable insights and measurable results.

Our consulting process is structured, transparent, and collaborative:
1. Initial Consultation – understand your goals, challenges, and current setup.
2. Diagnosis & Planning – assess your financial data, tools, and processes.
3. Implementation – apply tailored solutions, from reporting frameworks to ERP setup.
4. Training & Handover – equip your team to use tools and reports independently.
5. Continuous Support – provide ongoing advice, updates, and performance tracking.
This approach ensures your business receives customized, practical, and long-term value.

The timeline depends on the scope and complexity of your project:
• Quick reviews or advisory sessions: 1–2 weeks.
• Budgeting & forecasting projects: 4–6 weeks.
• Full ERP/SAP financial implementations: 3–6 months.
• Business valuations for M&A: 2–6 weeks.
We always provide a clear timeline upfront, so you know exactly when to expect results.

Our pricing is transparent and scalable:
• Fixed monthly retainers for ongoing services like bookkeeping and reporting.
• Project-based pricing for defined initiatives such as SAP implementations or valuations.
• Hourly advisory rates for one-off consultations or workshops.
This flexible structure ensures startups and SMEs pay only for what they need, while still benefiting from enterprise-level expertise.

Reportat is a Vienna-based financial consulting firm specialized in supporting SMEs and startups across Austria and Europe. Our services include financial reporting and performance analysis, budgeting and forecasting, inventory analysis and valuation, SAP financial implementation support, professional bookkeeping services, and business valuation & M&A advisory. By combining financial expertise with business insight, we help companies stay compliant, improve decision-making, and build investor confidence.

We mainly serve small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and early-stage startups that need clarity in their financial data. Typical clients include growing businesses preparing for funding rounds, audits, or acquisitions, as well as SMEs that want to professionalize their financial processes.

Austria is our primary market, but our consulting model is designed for scalability. We also support startups and SMEs in other European countries who need professional financial consulting aligned with EU standards. Many of our services, such as bookkeeping, forecasting, and reporting, are fully digital, making cross-border cooperation seamless.

Booking a consultation is easy. Simply visit our Contact page and request a time slot. During the consultation, our financial advisors will review your needs, whether related to bookkeeping, financial reporting, budgeting, or business valuation, and recommend tailored solutions.

Yes. We provide a free introductory consultation so SMEs and startups can better understand how our services—such as SAP implementation support or inventory valuation—can solve their challenges. This session helps you assess fit before committing to a project.

Financial Reporting & Analysis

Financial reporting at Reportat includes the preparation of income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. Beyond basic compliance, we deliver performance analysis to highlight trends, risks, and opportunities, ensuring that SMEs in Austria have decision-ready insights.

Financial analysis helps SMEs move beyond raw numbers. By examining profitability, liquidity, and efficiency ratios, we show how a company is really performing. This supports better resource allocation, investor presentations, and long-term growth planning.

For SMEs and startups, monthly reporting is highly recommended. Regular reporting ensures management always has real-time financial visibility—essential for responding quickly to market changes and maintaining investor trust.

Yes, we provide reports under both IFRS and Austrian GAAP (UGB), depending on the requirements of your stakeholders. This flexibility is critical for startups looking to scale internationally or SMEs preparing for cross-border transactions.

Absolutely. Professionally prepared reports provide investors with confidence in the numbers. They not only prove compliance but also highlight growth potential, making it easier to secure funding, partnerships, or acquisition deals.

Budgeting & Forecasting

Budgeting is about setting financial targets at the start of the year, while forecasting is about updating expectations based on actual results. Together, they provide SMEs with both a roadmap and a rear-view mirror, enabling smarter financial planning.

We recommend quarterly updates for SMEs, while fast-growing startups may need monthly forecasts. This ensures decision-makers always have the latest view of their financial runway, revenue growth, and cost structures.

Yes. Our variance analysis compares budgeted numbers against actuals, explaining gaps and suggesting corrective actions. This allows SMEs in Austria to optimize spending, control costs, and stay on track with growth plans.

Yes. With structured budgets, companies can track spending against approved limits, identify overspending, and redirect resources toward strategic priorities. Budgeting is especially powerful when combined with our forecasting tools and SAP reporting support.

Yes. We can integrate budgets and forecasts into ERP or SAP financial systems, ensuring seamless workflows and real-time reporting. This prevents errors and enables faster decision-making.

Bookkeeping & Compliance

Professional bookkeeping ensures compliance with Austrian law, provides a clear audit trail, and supports tax filings. More importantly, accurate bookkeeping enables SMEs to make better decisions, secure funding, and prepare for M&A opportunities.

Yes. We help startups set up compliant, cloud-based bookkeeping systems from their first transaction. This avoids costly mistakes and builds a solid financial foundation for future growth.

Yes. We use cloud accounting platforms with automated reconciliations, digital receipt management, and integration with banking systems—making bookkeeping faster, cheaper, and more transparent.

We apply local accounting standards (UGB), VAT rules, and documentation requirements, ensuring your books are audit-ready. Our compliance-first approach reduces regulatory risk and increases investor confidence.

Definitely. Investors and lenders rely on accurate records. Mistakes in bookkeeping can distort profitability, damage credibility, and block access to funding or partnerships.

Inventory Valuation & Count

Inventory valuation directly affects profitability, taxation, and compliance. Accurate valuation ensures SMEs in Austria pay correct taxes and present realistic financial statements.

We apply FIFO, weighted average cost, and specific identification depending on the business model. Each method is aligned with Austrian regulations and international reporting standards.

Yes. We design structured physical counts, cycle counts, and reconciliation processes. Our approach ensures transparency and prevents fraud or stock discrepancies.

At least once a year for compliance, but SMEs with high inventory turnover should run quarterly or even monthly counts to stay accurate.

Yes. Misstated inventory leads to distorted gross margins, profit levels, and balance sheet values, making decisions unreliable and potentially causing compliance issues.

SAP Financial Implementation Support

Not all. SAP is most valuable when operations become complex. For SMEs scaling fast, SAP provides control, transparency, and scalability.

We specialize in FI-CO. These cover everything from financial accounting to controlling, procurement, sales, and asset management.

Data quality and change management. Without clean data and proper staff training, SAP projects risk failure. We mitigate this with structured planning and role-based training.

On average, 3–6 months for SMEs, depending on scope and data readiness. Reportat ensures fast, cost-effective rollouts with minimal disruption.

Yes. We provide hands-on training and documentation for finance and operations teams to ensure adoption and long-term success.

Business Valuation & M&A

Before fundraising, preparing for a merger or acquisition, or when planning an exit strategy. Valuations help SMEs negotiate better terms and attract investors.

We use DCF, market multiples, and asset-based methods. Each is chosen based on the company’s stage, industry, and financial data.

Typically 2–4 weeks depending on complexity and data quality. We provide transparent, defensible valuations backed by internationally recognized standards.

Yes. We prepare data rooms, financial documentation, and compliance reports to support smooth due diligence.

Absolutely. A defensible valuation provides leverage, ensuring that SMEs capture fair value and minimize risk in deal-making.

Support & Engagement

We offer Standard (response within 2 days), Priority (next business day), and Premium (same-day with dedicated account manager).

It depends on the support tier, but we commit to fast and reliable service, ensuring SMEs get answers when they need them.

Clients can escalate directly to a support manager via a dedicated email. Escalations receive priority handling.

Yes. We offer continuous advisory and monitoring packages for businesses that require long-term partnership.

Through our Contact page or dedicated feedback email. We value all feedback as it helps us improve and evolve our services.

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Professional & Experience Business Services

Professional & Experience Business Services