Accounting and invoicing for bakeries
The day starts at three in the morning, the receipts come in the evening. In the shop customers pay at the till, but cafés, hotels, canteens and schools want an invoice. Saldiqo takes over that part and keeps flour, energy and ingredients under control.
What comes up for bakeries
Shop and wholesale customers
Sales in the shop run through the till. Beside it the bakery supplies cafés, hotels, canteens and schools, every week, sometimes every morning. That needs delivery notes and invoices.
Fixed and changing quantities
Some customers get the same quantity every day, others order at short notice for events. Both have to end up properly on invoices.
Cakes and catering with a deposit
Wedding cake, buffet, breakfast service: the job is agreed weeks ahead and a deposit is paid.
Purchasing in volume
Flour, butter, eggs, packaging, energy: supplier invoices are numerous and the energy bill is a big item. With several branches comes the question which branch costs what.
How Saldiqo helps
- Fixed deliveries as recurring invoicesIf a café gets the same quantity every week, a recurring invoice creates it on a fixed date.
- Delivery note and invoiceFor changing quantities you write a delivery note with the delivery, and the invoice is created from the same job.
- Cakes with a depositQuote, deposit invoice and final invoice guide you through the job.
- Supplier invoices and receiptsYou record supplier invoices with their due date and photograph receipts with your phone. Open supplier invoices can be bundled into a batch payment file for online banking.
- Cost centre per branchAssign income and expenses to branches and see which branch carries its weight and which does not.
Typical invoice lines
Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.
- Bread rolls, 120 pieces, Monday delivery
- Bread and small pastries as per delivery note
- Wedding cake, three tiers, as agreed
- Breakfast buffet for 25 people
- Delivery and set-up
- Deposit for transport crates
Tax and invoicing in the UK
What applies to invoices in the UK, in short. As of October 2026.
- VAT
- Standard rate 20 %, reduced rate 5 % and zero rate 0 %. Saldiqo calculates each invoice line with the rate you pick.
- VAT registration
- You must register once your taxable turnover passes £90,000 over any 12 months, or you expect to pass it within the next 30 days. You can deregister below £88,000. Until you are registered, your invoices show no VAT, and Saldiqo adds up your 12-month turnover for you.
- What goes on an invoice
- If you are VAT registered: your VAT number, the tax point, unit prices and the VAT total in pounds. A limited company shows its registered name on every invoice, and its company number, registered office and part of the UK on letters, order forms and the website.
- E-invoicing
- There is no mandate today. From April 2029 e-invoicing is planned for all B2B and B2G sales that carry VAT, through Peppol. The exact date and standard are not yet in law, and the government’s roadmap follows with the Budget on 28 October 2026.
- VAT returns
- VAT returns go to HMRC through Making Tax Digital, usually quarterly, due one month and seven days after the period. Saldiqo shows sales and VAT per rate and exports CSV. It does not submit to HMRC, and for Making Tax Digital you need software recognised by HMRC.
- Record keeping
- Keep VAT records for 6 years.
- Late payment
- Statutory interest on late business payments is the Bank Rate (3.75 % in the second half of 2026) plus 8 points, so 11.75 %. On top comes fixed compensation of £40, £70 or £100, depending on the amount owed (under £1,000, from £1,000, from £10,000). Consumers have no statutory interest.
- Getting paid
- Your sort code and account number are on every invoice. Customers pay by Faster Payments or Bacs, and banks check the account name with Confirmation of Payee. There is no QR standard in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
Does Saldiqo replace the shop till?
No. Saldiqo is not a till system. Cash sales in the shop belong in a till that meets the rules of your country. Saldiqo handles invoices, delivery notes, reminders and expenses.
Can I link delivery notes and invoices?
Yes. The delivery note and the invoice belong to the same job, so you always see what was delivered and what is already billed.
How do I split costs between several branches?
With cost centres. You assign invoices, expenses and receipts to a branch and see the report per branch.
Do bakeries in the UK have to charge VAT?
Only once they are VAT registered. Registration is required when taxable turnover passes £90,000 over any 12 months, or is expected to within the next 30 days. Below that you may register voluntarily. If you are not registered, you must not show VAT on your invoices.
Do bakeries in the UK need e-invoicing?
Not today. A mandate for B2B and B2G sales with VAT is planned from April 2029, and the details were still open as of October 2026. You can keep sending PDF invoices for now.
How long should bakeries keep invoices?
Keep VAT records for 6 years. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records stays with you.
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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.