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SHAMS Audit Readiness and Compliance
Sharjah Media City (SHAMS) hosts media, publishing, consulting and e-commerce businesses, many of them small teams. We offer accounting and review support that keeps their files ready.
Paperwork to keep up to date
- Licence, lease and shareholder documents
- Revenue analysis split by qualifying and non-qualifying income
- Bank reconciliations at year-end
- Contracts supporting major income and cost items
- Fixed asset register and depreciation workings
- Evidence of staff, premises and decision-making in the UAE
E-commerce, platforms and payment processors
Online sellers and digital publishers in Sharjah Media City often receive revenue through payment gateways and marketplaces rather than directly from customers. The bank deposit is net of fees, refunds and holds, so it does not equal sales. Reconcile each platform statement to sales records and the bank, showing gross sales, fees, refunds and the net payout.
Keep platform commission and advertising spend in separate accounts. They behave differently and a reviewer will want to see each on its own. Recording the processor's reference on each payout line lets you find the matching sales in seconds.
Subscriptions, advertising and licensing income
Publishers and content businesses may earn from subscriptions, advertising slots, syndication and licences. Annual subscriptions should be spread across the months they cover, and advertising income recognised when the campaign runs. Keep the insertion order or contract for each campaign and the proof of delivery, such as a screenshot or a platform report.
Where content is bought from writers or photographers, keep the commissioning agreement showing who owns the rights, with the invoice and payment. Chargebacks and disputed payments deserve their own list, with the date, customer and outcome of each.
Small-team routines that keep records current
Platform data changes format and disappears after a retention period. A first-of-month download routine keeps a permanent copy in your own files.
- Download platform and payment gateway reports on the first working day of the month.
- Match each payout to the sales it covers before the books are closed.
- File commission, refund and chargeback records with the month they belong to.
- Keep a list of recurring subscriptions with renewal dates and amounts.
- Save the final month-end bank reconciliation with a date and initials.
Common gaps in SHAMS company accounts
Authority rules for SHAMS
Sharjah Media City sets its own licence renewal and reporting requirements, so confirm what your authority asks for and keep records aligned with it.
Keeping your free zone tax status
Qualifying status is not automatic. It depends on income type, substance in the UAE and audited statements, so the records must show it.
Income tagging from day one
Coding income by type as it is booked is much easier than untangling it after the year closes.
Mainland and overseas clients
Where your customers are located matters, so keep client details and service descriptions on every invoice.
Our preparation process
Check status
We review your SHAMS licence type and the tax position you are aiming for. We start with how media, publishing and consulting businesses usually earn their income.
Tidy the ledger
We reconcile accounts and tag each SHAMS revenue line to the right income category.
Prepare the file
We assemble the schedules, contracts and substance evidence a reviewer of a SHAMS company will ask for.
Plan the year
We set monthly routines suited to media, publishing and consulting businesses, so the next year-end is easier.
Our scope, stated plainly
We work under licence No. 1360308, as accountants, tax and risk consultants. That means preparing and reviewing your records. It does not include signing audit reports or statutory audit opinions.
What owners usually ask
Does SHAMS require audited accounts?
Requirements differ between zones. Audited accounts are needed for Qualifying Free Zone Person status, so ask SHAMS what applies to your licence.
Can Numerix audit my company?
No. Our work for SHAMS companies is accounting, tax and risk support, not audit opinions.
Do you work with media, publishing and consulting businesses?
Yes. Yes, we shape the records around how media, publishing and consulting businesses earn and spend.
Why does my bank deposit not match my sales?
Platforms usually deduct fees and refunds before paying out. Reconcile gross sales, deductions and net receipt for each payout.
How should I record annual subscriptions?
Spread the income over the period covered, and hold the unearned part as deferred income.
What evidence supports advertising revenue?
The contract or insertion order, the delivery report and the invoice, linked by campaign reference.
Does SHAMS publish its own filing rules?
The authority sets them. Confirm the current requirement with Sharjah Media City and keep your records aligned.
Get your records in order
Send us a few details about your sharjah media city setup and your next deadline. We will reply with a clear plan.
Contact NumerixCall +971 50 771 2258 WhatsApp us Email us Numerix Accountants does not issue audit opinions or perform statutory audits, which are outside our licence.
Talk to Numerix Accountants
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