FD Works

What FD Works does

FD Works is a UK-based private accounting and outsourced finance firm founded in 2012/2013 by Jonathan Gaunt, headquartered in Wick near Bristol/Bath. It sells tiered, monthly subscription services — Foundation, Clarity and Focus — to small and growing UK businesses, spanning compliance (bookkeeping, VAT, payroll, annual accounts, tax returns), advisory (monthly management accounts, cash flow forecasting, fractional CFO, investor and board reporting), scaling support (structure, incentives) and tools/technology (custom Xero-native systems). The firm is positioned as 'technology and people-centric', with a consultative, sales-led GTM that begins with discovery conversations and progresses into recurring review meetings.

The technical foundation is the Xero cloud accounting platform: FD Works is a Xero Platinum Partner, and the firm has built proprietary tools — Dext Precision for data quality and Socket for financial analysis — within Xero's ecosystem, alongside integrations to Dext (receipt capture), GoCardless (Direct Debits), Chaser (credit control), Float/Fluidly (cash flow forecasting), Modano and Quantrix (financial modelling) and other payments or inventory apps. Service delivery is governed by CIMA standards and the founder holds Xero's 2024 Most Valuable Professional award. Marketing is content-led (blog, LinkedIn, Instagram, case studies, podcast appearances) rather than paid-demand driven.

FD Works generates revenue through monthly recurring subscriptions and project-based scaling/tools engagements, sold direct to clients without intermediaries. Named reference customers include Christopher Kane (fashion, with a documented £440k credit-control outcome), Workplace Wellness, Canda and Xavier, targeting SMBs from startup through £1m+ turnover. The firm is founder-owned, bootstrapped with no external funding, operates from a single Bristol-area office and serves clients UK-wide via remote, cloud-based delivery.

Name

FD Works

Legal name

FD Works

Website

https://fd-works.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FD Works is a Bristol-based outsourced accounting and advisory firm serving UK SMBs and growing businesses with tiered monthly subscription services — from compliance and bookkeeping through management accounts to fractional CFO — built on the Xero cloud platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outsourced Accounting & Finance Services

NAICS

Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (5412), Payroll Services (541214)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Employer Payroll Processing (SMB & Enterprise) (FSAMAKAA)

Keywords

• Outsourced accounting services
• Management accounts preparation
• Fractional CFO advisory
• Cash flow forecasting
• VAT and payroll compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Outsourced Finance Department Services: Full-service accounting and finance function outsourcing including bookkeeping, VAT returns, payroll, annual accounts, tax returns, confirmation statements, and financial control. Delivered as an integrated monthly service with ongoing client engagement.
2. Advisory Services: Strategic advisory including business planning, cash flow forecasting, fractional CFO services, investor/board reporting, and management accounts. Provided on tiered service levels (Foundation, Clarity, Focus) with monthly/quarterly engagement.
3. Scaling Services: Growth-focused services helping businesses future-proof structure and access incentives. Includes company formation, group structure setup, and strategic planning for expansion.
4. Tools & Technology Services: Custom Xero implementation, app stack configuration, training, and ongoing technology support. Includes onboarding services for new clients transitioning to Xero.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FD Works is a UK-based outsourced finance department and business advisory firm that delivers monthly bookkeeping, statutory compliance (VAT, payroll, annual accounts, tax returns), and forward-looking advisory such as management accounts, cash flow forecasting, fractional CFO services, and investor/board reporting. The firm operates on the Xero cloud accounting platform and sells its services via tiered subscription packages (Foundation, Clarity, Focus) that scale with client turnover and complexity.

Product overview

FD Works is an outsourced accounting and finance function provider offering a tiered service model (Foundation, Clarity, Focus) built around the Xero cloud accounting platform. The core offering combines outsourced finance department services (bookkeeping, VAT, payroll, annual accounts, tax compliance) with advisory services (management accounts, cash flow forecasting, fractional CFO, investor reporting) and custom technology solutions (Dext Precision, Socket, and bespoke Xero-based tools). The three service tiers progress from compliance-focused foundations through management accounts with monthly review meetings to full FD-level strategic partnership with board-ready reporting. All services integrate with the Xero ecosystem and third-party apps including Dext, GoCardless, Chaser, and specialized tools for cash flow, inventory, and financial modelling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Outsourced Finance Department Comprehensive outsourced finance function providing bookkeeping, VAT returns, payroll, annual accounts, confirmation statements, self assessments, tax investigation insurance, and financial control for UK SMEs and growing businesses. Delivered as an integrated monthly service using the Xero platform.
• Advisory Services Strategic financial advisory including business planning, cash flow forecasting, fractional CFO partnership, investor and board reporting, and monthly management accounts with review meetings. Aimed at UK business owners needing FD-level insight without a full-time hire.
• Scaling Services Growth-focused expertise helping UK businesses future-proof their structure, access incentives, and establish viable foundations for scaling from startup through established operations.
• Tools & Technology Custom financial systems and technology solutions built on the Xero platform, including bespoke reporting, cash flow, and financial modelling tools tailored to specific business needs. Includes onboarding and training on the recommended app stack.
• Management Accounts Monthly internal financial reports including profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow summary, KPI dashboards, trend analysis, and strategic commentary, delivered with monthly review meetings to translate numbers into actionable decisions.
• Cash Flow Forecasting Forward-looking cash flow predictions using management accounts data to create roadmaps for future cash positions, supporting scenario planning and decision-making for investment and hiring.
• Fractional CFO Part-time Finance Director-level strategic partnership providing FD expertise without full-time executive cost, included in the Focus tier for established businesses requiring executive financial leadership.
• Investor Board Reporting Board packs and investor updates built from monthly management accounts data, presenting financial performance in compelling narratives for stakeholders and potential investors.
• Business Plan Strategic business planning services to help define goals, align financial strategies with business objectives, and create actionable plans for growth.
• Bookkeeping Monthly bookkeeping maintaining Xero accounts throughout the month so data is accurate, reconciled, and ready, providing the clean data foundation powering all other financial services and management accounts.
• Annual Accounts and Tax Returns Preparation of full statutory annual accounts and Company Tax Return for Companies House and HMRC compliance, delivered 3 months after year-end.
• VAT Returns VAT management including registration, flat-rate scheme optimisation, quarterly or monthly returns, and compliance with ever-changing regulations, including guidance on various VAT schemes.
• Payroll and Pensions Full payroll processing including auto-enrolment pension compliance, with meticulous attention to employee details and ongoing monitoring of legislative changes throughout the year.
• Self Assessments Personal tax return preparation for directors and shareholders receiving untaxed income through Self Assessment.
• Confirmation Statements Annual confirmation statement filings with Companies House to verify company information including officers, share capital, and registered office.
• Financial Control Financial controls and month-end close processes (accruals, revenue recognition, stock adjustments, WIP valuations) that ensure trustworthy management accounts, tailored to business type (manufacturing, retail, service) and industry-specific requirements.
• Tax Investigation Insurance Insurance coverage for professional representation and support during HMRC tax investigations and inquiries.
• Dext Precision Proprietary data quality and reporting tool created by FD Works, built to ensure data integrity and identify and solve data quality issues before they contaminate financial reports. Part of the company's developer ecosystem on Xero.
• Socket Proprietary financial reporting and analysis tool developed by FD Works as part of their suite of custom tools designed for total control of business numbers.

Quantifiable outcome

• FD Works helped Christopher Kane bring in £440k of unpaid invoices through credit control processes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• XerocoreTechnology or IntegrationFD Works is a Xero Platinum Partner and Xero MVP 2024 recipient. Xero is the core cloud accounting platform used for all client services. The partnership involves deep integration with Xero's API and ecosystem of apps, using Xero as the central hub for bookkeeping, reporting, and financial management.
• Dext (Receipt Bank)coreTechnology or IntegrationFD Works is credited as developers of Dext Precision, indicating deep involvement in product development. Dext (formerly Receipt Bank) is used for automated receipt capture, expense management, and data extraction that feeds into Xero.
• SocketcoreTechnology or IntegrationFD Works is credited as developers of Socket, indicating proprietary tool development within the Xero ecosystem. Socket is a financial tool that integrates with Xero.
• CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants)coreOthersFD Works is governed by CIMA standards, indicating professional certification and adherence to management accounting best practices. The CIMA governance shapes their approach to financial management and advisory services.
• GoCardlesssupportingTechnology or IntegrationGoCardless is recommended for automating Direct Debit collections. Integrates with Xero for automatic reconciliation of payments, helping clients get paid faster through streamlined payment collection.
• ChasersupportingTechnology or IntegrationChaser is recommended for automated credit control and debtor tracking. Integrates with Xero to automatically send payment chase emails when invoices become overdue, helping reduce late payments.
• The Seed Fund / The CollaboratorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFD Works partners with The Collaborators who run The Seed Fund in the food industry. FD Works hosts 'finance day' events for portfolio companies, providing business planning and viability guidance.
• AccountingWEBminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFD Works Commercial Director Stuart Budd appeared on AccountingWEB's 'No Accounting for Taste' podcast, demonstrating thought leadership marketing and industry visibility.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Xero: Global cloud accounting platform and FD Works' core technology partner. Comparable in that it increasingly offers SMB-facing services and AI features that could overlap with FD Works' outsourced finance model; Xero also runs the partner program on which FD Works' business depends.

Direct peers

• Crunch Accounting: UK-based online accounting firm providing bookkeeping, accounts, tax, and cloud-accounting services to SMBs, freelancers, and contractors. Direct UK competitor with comparable target market, Xero-based delivery, and tiered service model.
• FreeAgent: UK cloud accounting software for SMBs and accountants, owned by NatWest. Provides bookkeeping, tax, and invoicing tools comparable to FD Works' Xero-based stack; serves a similar UK SMB base and the accountancy practice ecosystem.
• Mazuma: UK online accountancy serving freelancers, contractors, and small businesses with subscription-based accounting, tax, and bookkeeping services. Direct competitor to FD Works in the UK SMB accountancy subscription tier.
• Clear Books: UK cloud accounting software and practice tools used by SMBs and accountants. Comparable to FD Works' Xero-centric approach as a UK cloud accounting platform with practice partner ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Botkeeper: AI-driven bookkeeping automation platform serving accounting firms and SMBs. Overlaps with FD Works' bookkeeping service line but competes via machine learning automation rather than human-led advisory.
• Pilot: US-based outsourced bookkeeping, accounting, and CFO services for startups and SMBs. Comparable to FD Works' outsourced finance department and fractional CFO offerings, with a similar technology-led service model, though serving US rather than UK clients.
• Coconut: UK fintech offering a combined business current account and accounting software targeting freelancers and SMBs. Overlaps with FD Works' bookkeeping and financial visibility services but with embedded banking; an emerging UK competitor for SMB finance stack ownership.
• Bench: North American SMB bookkeeping and accounting service combining software with dedicated bookkeepers. Comparable in offering monthly bookkeeping plus financial reporting to SMBs, though at a much larger scale than FD Works and with significant proprietary technology investment.

Regional players

• PayFit: European payroll and HR SaaS platform serving SMBs with automated payroll, similar to the payroll component of FD Works' service offering. Comparable payroll automation functionality but operating in continental Europe rather than UK.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fd-works
• Xx.com/tweetinFD

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FD Works