Industry Focus · Automotive
Accounting for Dealerships, Service Centers & Auto Retailers
Floorplan financing, F&I reconciliation, warranty claims and department-level P&Ls — built for new & used dealerships, repair shops, parts distributors and fleet operators, from the lot to close.
30+ Clients
dealerships & automotive businesses served
Zero Late Filings
every sales & use tax deadline met, on record
10+ Yrs
years helping dealers master their numbers
Platforms We Manage
Your systems, reconciled — not replaced
Wherever you run your rooftop, we plug in and keep your books accurate every month.
6+
Platforms supported
0
Systems you need to switch
QuickBooks
Rooftop-level class tracking, multi-location consolidated books.
NetSuite
Fleet & multi-entity GL sync, floorplan interest tracking.
Xero
Multi-location reporting, dimension & class tracking.
Sage Intacct
Multi-entity consolidations, dealer group reporting.
ADP
Technician flat-rate & commission payroll sync.
Bill.com
Vendor bill entry & payment processing across every rooftop.
Services by Client Type
Bookkeeping Built Around How You Actually Run Your Rooftop
New Car Dealerships
Floorplan draw & payoff recording
Vehicle inventory receipt & aging tracking
F&I chargeback & reserve accounting
Manufacturer incentive & holdback recognition
Used Car Dealers & Independent Lots
Vehicle acquisition & reconditioning cost recording
BHPH loan payment posting
Floorplan interest & curtailment accrual
Title, registration & tax compliance
Service & Repair Shops
Repair order labor & parts job costing
Warranty claim submission tracking
Technician flat-rate & commission payroll accounting
Sublet & core return accounting
Auto Body & Collision Repair Shops
Insurance claim & DRP billing entry
Parts & sublet job costing
Insurer payment & supplement reconciliation
Repair revenue recognition
Workflow & Cadence
A clear rhythm for every close, every location
| WORKFLOW | CADENCE | WHAT'S COVERED |
|---|---|---|
|
Bookkeeping & AP/AR
|
WEEKLY |
•
Transaction categorization by department & vehicle
•
Vendor bill entry & payment processing
•
Floorplan draw & curtailment tracking
•
Warranty claim & chargeback logging
|
|
Reconciliation & Compliance
|
WEEKLY |
•
Bank & floorplan lender reconciliation
•
F&I contract & lender payout matching
•
Sales & use tax compliance by state
•
Cash & deal deposit tie-out
|
|
Financial Reporting
|
MONTHLY |
•
P&L, balance sheet & cash flow statements
•
Department-level (sales/service/parts/F&I) reports
•
Budget vs. actual variance reporting
•
Owner & dealer group reporting packages
|
|
Inventory & Floorplan
|
AS NEEDED |
•
New & used vehicle inventory valuation
•
Floorplan interest & curtailment allocation
•
Aging & turn-rate tracking
•
Write-down and shrinkage reporting
|
|
Sales & Use Tax
|
PER FILING |
•
Multi-state sales & use tax filing
•
Titling & registration fee reconciliation
•
Trade-in tax credit tracking
•
Exemption certificate management
|
Onboarding
Live on your books in under two weeks
Discovery & systems audit
We map your rooftops, DMS and current software.
Chart of accounts setup
Clean, department-specific chart of accounts built or repaired.
Historical catch-up
Books brought current, discrepancies resolved.
Ongoing monthly close
Reconciliations, statements and reporting on schedule.
Monthly strategy review
A standing session on performance and planning.
How We Compare
The real problems a generic firm won't solve
| CLIENT PROBLEM | GENERIC OUTSOURCED FIRM | SMARTLEDGER |
|---|---|---|
|
Insurance payouts tracked to the deal
GAP & extended warranty payouts get lost in follow-up.
|
Tracked loosely, follow-up manual
|
Matched & followed through to close
|
|
Manufacturer incentives booked when earned
Holdback & incentive income sits unbooked until the check arrives.
|
Booked only when cash arrives
|
Accrued the month they're earned
|
|
Floorplan interest tied to the unit
Financing cost gets buried in overhead.
|
Lumped into overhead
|
Tracked to every VIN
|
|
F&I contracts matched to funding
Chargebacks surface late, if at all.
|
Reconciled once a month, if at all
|
Matched to funding, weekly
|
|
Warranty claims tracked to close
Loose tracking lets claims quietly become losses.
|
Tracked loosely, write-offs common
|
Tracked from submission to payment
|
|
Department-level profitability
Blended reporting hides which departments earn.
|
One blended P&L
|
Live P&L by department
|
|
Inventory aging caught early
Aging units go unnoticed until margin disappears.
|
No proactive visibility
|
Flagged before it's a write-down
|
|
Deal deposits & cash tied out daily
Drafts, down payments and drawer cash reconciled only at month-end.
|
Cash & drafts reconciled at month-end
|
Deal deposits & cash tied out daily
|
Trusted Partner
Why Dealerships & Automotive Businesses Choose Smartledger
Growth changes what your books need. We’re built to keep pace with every deal, entity and milestone.
Dealership Specialists
Our team lives in DMS, floorplan and F&I data, not generic ledgers.
Automotive Focus
Multi-department dealership accounting is our core specialty, not a side offering.
Maker-Checker Review
A second reviewer verifies every close before it reaches you.
Secure Cloud Systems
Bank-grade encryption and access controls protect every record.
24-Hour Response
Questions get a same-or-next-business-day answer, always.
Transparent Pricing
Flat monthly fees, no surprise hourly bills or scope creep.
Testimonials
A full-stack finance function,
built around your business.
FAQ’S
The Answers You're Probably Looking For
The questions that matter most when choosing a finance partner — clearly answered.
How do you structure a chart of accounts for a multi-department dealership?
We build separate account groups for sales, service, parts and F&I from day one, so every entry lands where it belongs and department reporting is accurate without manual rework.
How do you handle accounts payable and vendor bill entry?
Every vendor bill is entered, coded to the right department and vehicle, and scheduled for payment against terms — so nothing gets missed and cash outflow stays predictable.
How do you allocate department-level profitability across sales, service and parts?
We build a chart of accounts and cost allocation model that splits sales, service, parts and F&I cleanly, so each department’s true contribution is visible every month.
How do you manage sales and use tax compliance across the states we sell into?
We track filing obligations by state, prepare and file returns on schedule, and reconcile trade-in credits and exemptions — so no deadline or credit gets missed.
How quickly can you take over our books and be fully caught up?
Most dealership clients are fully onboarded and current within two weeks, including historical catch-up, so your very next close arrives clean and on schedule.