Frequently asked questions
Answers grouped by topic — how we engage, what we charge for, how your data is handled, and what our services do and do not cover.
Working with us
With a scoping conversation of about thirty minutes, at no fee. We establish the current position, agree the two or three changes with the highest return, and set out what an engagement would involve. If a diagnostic review is the right first step, we will propose it with a fixed scope and fee.
A two-to-four week assessment producing a gap report, a prioritised action list and an indicative implementation plan. It is deliberately structured as a standalone deliverable — the output is usable whether or not you continue with us.
Diagnostic reviews and project implementations are quoted as fixed fees against a written scope. Ongoing support — Virtual CFO, control testing, compliance management — is quoted as a monthly retainer based on entity count, transaction volume and reporting cadence. Fee basis is agreed in writing before work begins, and out-of-scope work is raised for approval rather than billed as a surprise.
A named Partner and a named Expert Consultant, constant from scoping to closure. Associates and alliance specialists are added where scope requires, but the two leads do not change mid-engagement. Every deliverable carries partner sign-off.
Yes. We work with clients across India and support remote engagements through scheduled video reviews and a shared working file. On-site presence is planned into the scope where the work requires walkthroughs, testing or system access.
Services & scope
Financial planning and budgeting, rolling forecasts, cash flow and working capital review, a monthly management review pack, and support in board or investor discussions. Bookkeeping can be included or left with your existing team — both models work, and we will recommend the one that fits.
No. Saarthifi provides advisory, controls, compliance and technology services. Where independence requirements apply, we work alongside your statutory auditor rather than in place of them, and we will flag any engagement that would create a conflict.
Both, within defined limits. We build dashboards, reconciliation utilities and workflow automation ourselves. For ERP and large platform implementations we act as advisor and oversight — selection support, requirement definition, control design and post-implementation review — working with your chosen implementation partner.
Yes. Mid-year entry is common — usually to add independent testing capacity or to remediate deficiencies raised in a prior cycle. The first step is a scoping review of existing documentation to establish what can be relied on and what must be rebuilt.
No formal minimum. The smallest scope we typically take is a two-week diagnostic. If your requirement is purely statutory filing or a single software licence, we will say so and point you to a better-suited specialist.
Updates & compliance calendar
The update feed is reviewed on every working day. The compliance calendar is updated as soon as a due date change is notified — the item moves to the revised date and is flagged as revised. The date of the last refresh is shown on both pages.
Official sources only — CBDT and the Income Tax Department, CBIC and the GST Council, GSTN, MCA, SEBI, RBI, EPFO and ESIC, and reported judicial decisions. Each entry carries its notification, circular or advisory reference so you can verify it at source.
Use it as a planning aid, not as advice. The calendar shows the general statutory cycle; applicability depends on your registrations, turnover, scheme election and state. Always confirm against the underlying notification. Clients receive an entity-specific tracker covering only the filings that apply to them.
Yes. Clients on a compliance or Virtual CFO retainer receive an alert filtered to their own registrations, stating the action required in one line. Write to us to discuss adding it.
Data & confidentiality
Under written confidentiality terms agreed before any data is shared. Access is restricted to the engagement team, data is held only for the period required by the engagement and applicable law, and it is returned or securely disposed of on closure at your instruction.
Our technology and controls practice is led by an ISO 27001:2013 Lead Implementor certified Chartered Accountant with Big 4 background in IT governance, risk and controls. Engagement-specific security requirements can be documented in the scope.
Yes, and we can provide our own standard form if you prefer. Anything shared during a scoping conversation is treated as confidential whether or not an NDA has been signed and whether or not an engagement follows.
Working papers are retained for the period required by professional and statutory obligation. Client data beyond that is returned or destroyed on your written instruction, and we confirm completion in writing.
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