How to Outsource Your Tally Data Entry: A Step-by-Step Guide

Tally data entry is one of the most time-consuming, repetitive tasks in running a business. Every invoice, every bank transaction, every payroll record — someone has to type it in manually. For businesses processing hundreds or thousands of transactions per month, this easily consumes 15–30 hours of staff time every month.

Outsourcing your Tally data entry to a professional service solves this problem completely. But how does it work? What should you look for in a provider? And how do you hand over sensitive financial data safely?

This guide answers all of that.

Why Businesses Outsource Tally Data Entry

The reasons businesses choose to outsource their Tally work fall into five clear categories:

1. Time savings

A business with 500 transactions per month spends roughly 10–15 hours on manual Tally entry. At 1,000+ transactions, that doubles. Outsourcing frees those hours for revenue-generating work.

2. Cost reduction

An in-house Tally accountant in India costs ₹15,000–₹35,000/month in salary alone (plus office space, benefits, and training). A professional outsourcing service like AutoTally starts at ₹5,000/month — 70–85% cheaper for the same quality of work.

3. Accuracy

Manual data entry is error-prone — especially when done by a business owner or staff member who is not a trained accountant. Professional outsourcing services use AI-powered verification and multi-layer review to achieve 99.9%+ accuracy.

4. Scalability

When your business grows, your transaction volume grows with it. Hiring more in-house staff is slow and expensive. An outsourcing service scales instantly — 500 entries one month, 2,000 the next.

5. Access to expertise

Professional Tally services employ certified TallyPrime specialists supervised by Chartered Accountants. You get expert-level accounting without the cost of expert-level hiring.

What Can Be Outsourced?

Most businesses start with basic data entry and expand to other services as they build trust with their provider. Common services include:

• Purchase & Sales Entry — invoice digitisation and entry, GST-compliant formatting
• Bank Reconciliation — matching bank statements to Tally ledgers
• GST Filing Support — GSTR-1/3B preparation, ITC reconciliation, e-invoicing
• Payroll Processing — salary calculations, PF/ESI/TDS, payslips, Form 16
• Inventory Management — stock entry, godown tracking, reorder management
• Financial Reporting — P&L, Balance Sheet, cash flow, MIS reports
• Accounts Payable/Receivable — outstanding tracking, ageing analysis
• Year-End Closing — trial balance, adjusting entries, audit preparation

Step-by-Step: How to Outsource Your Tally Work

Step 1: Identify what to outsource

Start by listing the tasks that are consuming the most time. For most businesses, this is basic purchase & sales entry and bank reconciliation. Start there and expand later.

Count your approximate monthly transaction volume — number of invoices, bank entries, and other transactions. This determines which pricing plan makes sense.

Step 2: Choose a provider

Not all Tally outsourcing services are the same. Here is what to look for:

• Certified specialists — look for TallyPrime Certified Professional designation
• Accuracy guarantee — a serious provider will guarantee 99%+ accuracy and offer free corrections
• Security — 256-bit encryption, NDA signing, and clear data retention policies are non-negotiable
• Turnaround time — standard should be 5–7 business days; express options available
• No lock-in — month-to-month contracts with a clear cancellation policy
• Transparent pricing — entry-based pricing (per voucher/line item) with no hidden fees
• Communication — a dedicated point of contact who knows your account

Step 3: Sign an NDA

Before sharing any financial data, ensure your provider signs a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Any reputable service will have a standard NDA ready. This legally protects your business data.

Step 4: Share your Tally configuration

Your provider needs to understand your existing Tally setup:

• Tally version (TallyPrime or ERP 9)
• Company name and financial year
• Existing ledger structure (chart of accounts)
• GST registration details
• Any custom configurations or TDL in use
• Naming conventions for vendors, customers, and stock items

The best providers handle this onboarding call themselves — they interview you, understand your setup, and configure their workflow around yours.

Step 5: Establish a document sharing workflow

You need a reliable, secure way to send documents to your provider. Options include:

• Encrypted client portal — the most secure option; drag-and-drop file upload
• Email — acceptable for non-sensitive documents; use password-protected ZIPs for sensitive files
• WhatsApp — convenient for photographing physical documents; end-to-end encrypted
• Google Drive / Dropbox shared folder — easy for ongoing batches

Establish a consistent routine — send documents weekly or at month-end. The more organised your submissions, the faster your turnaround.

Step 6: Review the first delivery

When you receive your first batch of completed Tally data, do a thorough review:

• Open the Tally file and check a sample of entries against source documents
• Verify GST values match your invoices
• Check that ledgers are correctly classified
• Review the summary reports (Day Book, Ledger reports)

Reputable services offer free unlimited revisions within 7 days of delivery — flag any issues immediately and they will be corrected.

Step 7: Build the ongoing routine

Once the first batch is done and you trust the quality, establish a monthly routine:

• Send all invoices and documents by the 5th of the month
• Receive completed Tally data by the 12th
• Review and approve by the 15th
• Use the remaining 15 days for GST filing, payroll, and any follow-up

How Much Does Tally Outsourcing Cost?

Pricing is almost always based on the number of entries per month. An "entry" is one line item in Tally — one invoice line, one bank transaction.

Add-ons like GST filing support (+₹2,500), payroll (+₹3,000), and bank reconciliation (+₹2,000) are typically charged separately.

Compared to an in-house accountant at ₹20,000–₹35,000/month, outsourcing saves 50–80% — with higher accuracy and no HR overhead.

Is Outsourcing Tally Data Entry Safe?

Security is the most common concern — and a legitimate one. You are sharing financial data. Here is what a trustworthy provider does to protect it:

• 256-bit AES encryption — industry-standard encryption for data at rest and in transit (same level as online banking)
• NDA — legally binding confidentiality agreement before any data is shared
• Access controls — only your assigned specialist and their supervisor can access your data
• ISO 27001 certified infrastructure — international information security management standard
• No third-party sharing — your data is used only for processing your entries
• Data deletion on request — clear policy for data retention and deletion

The key question to ask any provider: "Can you sign an NDA and show me your data security certifications?" A serious provider will answer yes immediately.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Choosing based on price alone

The cheapest option is rarely the best. Errors in accounting have real consequences — wrong GST filings, incorrect P&L, audit issues. Choose based on accuracy guarantees, certifications, and reviews — then price.

Mistake 2: Not signing an NDA

Never share financial documents without a signed NDA. If a provider is reluctant to sign, walk away.

Mistake 3: Sending disorganised documents

The quality of output depends on the quality of input. Sending blurry photos, incomplete invoices, or disorganised files slows down your turnaround and increases the risk of errors. Scan clearly, label files logically, and send complete batches.

Mistake 4: Not reviewing the first few deliveries

Even the best providers need a settling-in period to understand your specific setup. Review the first 2–3 deliveries carefully and give detailed feedback. This trains your assigned specialist on your preferences.

Mistake 5: Waiting until year-end to start

Many businesses decide to outsource when they are overwhelmed — usually at year-end or GST filing time. Starting earlier gives you cleaner books, more time to build the workflow, and less stress.

Outsourcing Tally from Outside India (UAE, Australia, USA)

Tally is widely used by Indian businesses operating in Dubai and the UAE, often alongside UAE-specific accounting for VAT compliance. Many UAE businesses use Indian Tally specialists — either in-house staff or remote outsourcing services — because:

• Indian accountants are deeply familiar with Tally
• Cost arbitrage: Indian service rates are significantly lower than UAE local rates
• Tally has a UAE edition with VAT support
• Remote collaboration works seamlessly via encrypted portals

AutoTally serves businesses in India, UAE, Australia, and USA. If you are a UAE business looking to outsource your Tally bookkeeping to India, get in touch here — we handle the full process remotely.

How AutoTally Works

If you are looking for a trusted Tally outsourcing service, here is exactly how AutoTally works:

1. Contact us — tell us your monthly volume and what services you need
2. NDA + onboarding call — we sign your NDA and spend 30 minutes understanding your Tally setup
3. Send your documents — via our encrypted portal, WhatsApp, or email
4. We process — certified Tally specialists + AI accuracy verification
5. Delivery — completed Tally data within 5–7 business days
6. Review & approve — unlimited free revisions within 7 days

Plans start at ₹5,000/month for up to 500 entries. No setup fees. No lock-in. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Conclusion

Outsourcing Tally data entry is one of the highest-leverage decisions a small or mid-size business can make. You free up 15–30 hours per month, reduce errors, cut costs versus in-house hiring, and get access to certified accounting expertise — all for a fraction of the cost of a full-time accountant.

The process is straightforward: choose a reputable provider, sign an NDA, establish a document-sharing workflow, review the first delivery, and build a monthly routine. Start small and expand as your confidence builds.

Ready to get started? Contact AutoTally for a free quote — response within 24 hours.