What is the best accounting software for companies in Saudi Arabia?
It depends on your size and how many systems you run. A small business that only issues invoices may manage with a basic accounting app. A growing company should look for software that posts sales, purchases and payroll to the ledger automatically, gives the VAT return figures in ZATCA's sections with the documents behind them, handles withholding tax and locks filed periods. HAL Accounting does this inside HAL ERP. HAL is used by more than 200 businesses, is rated 4.7/5 on Capterra from 45 reviews, and is listed in ZATCA's Solution Providers Directory for Phase 2 e-invoicing.
Does HAL produce the figures for the ZATCA VAT return?
Yes. The Tax Filing Report follows the sections of the return, such as standard-rated domestic purchases at 15% and zero-rated purchases, and the Tax Detail Report lists every document behind each figure with the vendor's VAT number.
How do I check my VAT report against the books?
Filter the trial balance and the Tax Filing Report to the same period and compare input VAT. If they differ, filter the account ledger on an empty vendor to find the entry, add the vendor and the difference clears.
Can HAL handle withholding tax?
Yes. On a purchase invoice or a bill payable you choose who bears the tax, the company or the vendor, and the rate, 5% or 15% depending on the service. HAL posts the withholding tax expense and payable, and the payable ledger filtered by month gives the list to file.
How are prepaid subscriptions, rent or insurance expensed?
Create a deferred expense schedule from the purchase invoice, choose monthly or quarterly and the number of periods. HAL posts a journal on each due date with the cost centre you set, and shows how much is recognised and how much is still pending.
Can I stop people posting into a month I have already filed?
Yes. The accounting lock blocks posting before a date, and only the users you allow can override it. Deferred schedules also refuse locked dates.
Can a customer pay several invoices at once?
Yes. Enter the amount received and HAL applies it to the oldest invoices first, or tick invoices and enter partial amounts. You can attach the transfer slip, then print the receipt or send it by WhatsApp.
Does HAL support foreign-currency suppliers?
Yes. Advances and invoices keep the currency and the conversion rate and post both the foreign and the SAR amount. Advances are settled against the purchase invoice automatically.
Does HAL reconcile bank statements?
Yes. You upload the bank statement and match its lines to the entries in the bank ledger, mark them cleared, and use Reconcile Now once the selected totals agree. The bank reference and clearing date are written onto each ledger line. Hala, HAL's AI assistant, can work through the statement with you: it finds the matching ledger entries and the lines still open, and you confirm.
Can our accountants use HAL from ChatGPT or Claude?
Yes. HAL ERP has its own MCP connector, so Claude, ChatGPT or Codex can pull reports, totals and trends from your HAL data, explain a record with its history, and fill HAL forms for data entry. The assistant signs in as the person using it and sees only what their HAL permissions allow, and nothing is saved until that person confirms it.
Do I have to enter journals by hand?
Rarely. Sales, purchases, expenses, payroll and depreciation post automatically. Manual journals are for year-end and other adjustments; they must balance to the halala and cannot touch system-controlled ledgers such as receivables, payables or tax.
What reports will my auditor get?
Trial balance, balance sheet, income statement, cash flow, account ledger with drill-down to the source document, and a simple GL list, all exportable to Excel or PDF.