10 Hospitality Bookkeeping Nightmares (And How Evisory Fixes Them)

For most hospitality owners, the dream is about the craft—the perfect pour, the signature dish, and the buzz of a full floor. The reality, however, often involves a mounting pile of paperwork and the constant, nagging feeling that the "back-of-house" numbers are slipping through your fingers. When bookkeeping is handled in a rush or by staff without specialist tax knowledge, it doesn’t just cause stress; it creates a financial bottleneck that can stall your growth and attract the wrong kind of attention from the ATO.

If you recognize yourself (or your team) in any of these ten common hospitality characters, it’s time to move past the "fix it later" mentality. Here is how Evisory turns your bookkeeping nightmares into a streamlined, professional operation.

1. The "Systems? What Systems?" Struggle

Self-taught bookkeeper (Tom)

The Character: Self-Taught Tom. You’re processing invoices as you go, but there’s no follow-up. You have no idea what’s paid or pending. The Fix: Evisory becomes part of your team. We work around the clock to ensure your Xero or MYOB file is live and accurate. We build the system so you don't have to.

2. The BAS "Ticking Time Bomb"

Forgetful Graham

The Character: Forgetful Graham. Every quarter comes around too quickly, and the "I lost track of time" excuse won't fly with the ATO. The Fix: We live for deadlines. Evisory ensures your BAS is reviewed, checked, and lodged on time—every time. We can even organize a payment plan if required.

3. The Weekly Payroll Nightmare

Jimmy the payroll guy

The Character: Jimmy the Payroll Guy. You’re processing payroll "as is" because you don't have time to review it, and you don't trust staff timesheets. The Fix: We partner with specialized payroll tech to help you implement tracking. We ensure weekly payments and superannuation are completed and lodged on time.

4. The "Am I Actually Making Money?" Mystery

Anti- Number Fan (Ian)

The Character: Anti-Number Ian. You have multiple departments but aren't using "Tracking Categories." You have no idea if you’re actually making a profit. The Fix: We process invoices daily to ensure GST and tracking categories are used correctly, producing an accurate Profit & Loss statement you can actually understand.

5. The ATO's "Frequent Flyer"

On ATO’s Speed Dial (Pam)

The Character: On-Speed-Dial Pam. Your main problem is "Late." Late IAS, late BAS, late Super Guarantee—you're always on the ATO's radar. The Fix: Evisory liaises with the ATO for you. We ensure all lodgements are processed and sent for your approval well before the payment due date.

6. The "Paperwork Allergy"

Allergic to paperwork (Cindy)

The Character: Allergic-to-Paperwork Cindy. Emails are piling up and supplier statements are lost. Paperwork is always on the back burner. The Fix: We take over your accounts email. We check supplier statements, chase missing invoices, and ensure all tasks are actioned and cleared by the end of every day.

7. The Subscription Spend-a-holic

The spend-a-holic (Kayla)

The Character: Kayla. You purchase subscriptions but don't use them (or even know what they’re for). You're busy, so you just keep paying. The Fix: Evisory is the best subscription you'll ever find. We are a one-stop shop that ensures every dollar spent on your "numbers" is actually working for you.

8. The "Oops, I Paid it Twice" Error

Clumbsy Jarrot

The Character: Clumsy Jarrot. You just push the "process" button in Xero/MYOB without checking GST or amounts. You often pay too much or not enough. The Fix: We exclusively use DEXT to process invoices. We manually check every single bill for GST, Job Coding, and the correct amount before it ever touches your books.

9. The GST Guesswork

Clueless Jaymie

The Character: Clueless Jaymie. You aren't sure which items have GST and which are GST-free. Human error and lack of time mean you're missing out on credits. The Fix: Using DEXT, we verify 100% of your invoices. As part of our BAS lodgement process, everything is double-checked before it's sent to you for approval.

10. The "Seek" Specialist

Dramatic Princess (Jackie)

The Character: Dramatic Princess Jackie. Everything is done in-house by staff found on Seek who aren't BAS agents and don't actually understand the books. The Fix: Evisory is a dedicated hospitality bookkeeping and accounting firm. We are specialists in this field, working with you so you can finally understand exactly how your business is tracking.