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A SLOW AND MANUAL FINANCE FUNCTION

As the business grew, so did the complexity of managing finances.

Bubala previously relied on a small bookkeeping firm with manual, paper-based processes. Invoices and receipts were forwarded ad-hoc, financial information was delayed and historic, and valuable founder time was diverted from operations to administration.

This lack of timely financial insight made it difficult to make data-informed decisions and plan confidently for growth.

FIXING THE FINANCE FUNCTION

Prysm Financial stepped in as Bubala’s outsourced finance department, overhauling the entire finance function using leading cloud-based tools, including Apron. Tasks such as invoice management, payment runs, bookkeeping, and reconciliations were automated or centralized in a single system.

SCALING WITH CONFIDENCE

With a streamlined, insight-driven finance function and a solid operational foundation, Bubala is poised for continued growth.

The team have opened their third permanent site in King’s Cross – with Prysm Financial continuing to support their expansion.

With Prysm Financial, Bubala now benefits from:

• Regular, detailed multi-site reporting delivered by an agreed date each month,
• More accurate profit visibility,
• KPIs and sector-specific benchmarks to guide strategic decisions,
• Regular review  meetings to explore opportunities and solve challenges.

OVERHAULING A DISJOINTED PAYROLL PROCESS

Built for Hospitality Rotas

The restaurant relied on a weekly rota that changed frequently based on bookings, seasonality, and staff availability. We implemented a payroll system specifically designed for shift-based hospitality businesses, allowing managers to upload approved hours directly from the rota without retyping or spreadsheet guesswork.

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Real-Time Holiday Pay and Transparency

Staff worked a mix of full-time, part-time, and zero-hour contracts — making holiday pay calculations a challenge. We introduced real-time holiday accrual and automated payslip breakdowns, giving employees visibility and reducing queries to management.

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Compliance with NMW and Pension Duties

Our solution included automated checks for National Minimum Wage compliance, even when tronc or unpaid breaks were factored in. We also ensured pension auto-enrolment duties were being met — something that had previously been missed for some part-time staff.

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Simple, Timely Payroll Processing

We took full ownership of monthly payroll processing, from timesheet validation to payslip delivery and HMRC submissions. Payroll reports were sent directly to the owner each month, including total labour costs, NI contributions, and departmental breakdowns.

THE OUTCOME

With a streamlined payroll process and a compliant, cloud-based system in place, the owner now spends far less time managing admin — and more time focusing on the restaurant and its customers.

Staff have greater visibility and confidence in their pay, holiday, and hours worked, while the risk of compliance issues has been eliminated. Most importantly, payday is no longer a source of stress — for the owner or the team.

STREAMLINING A CLUNKY FINANCE PROCESS

We started by conducting a full review of the restaurant group’s finance processes, working closely with the operations manager and site-level teams. Our aim was to streamline their back-office systems and empower the directors with timely insights to drive profitability.

Our tailored solution included:

Migration to Cloud Accounting
We transitioned the group to a cloud-based accounting platform, providing centralised access for head office and site managers. This enabled real-time financial visibility across all locations and reduced reliance on manual spreadsheet reporting.

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Integration with EPOS and Stock Systems
Sales data from each restaurant’s EPOS system was integrated directly into the accounting software, enabling daily sales tracking and accurate VAT reporting. We also introduced a stock management system to track wastage and cost of sales, giving the directors greater control over gross margins.

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Labour Cost Monitoring
Labour is one of the largest costs in the hospitality sector. We implemented a solution that links staff rota and payroll systems to the accounts platform, allowing site-level wage costs to be monitored weekly against sales targets.

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Automated Purchase Invoice Processing
We introduced a digital solution for supplier invoice capture and coding, including approval workflows for the head chef and general manager at each site. This helped control spending and ensured invoices were matched to agreed pricing and delivery.

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Cash and Till Reconciliation
Cash variances across sites were creating reconciliation issues and lost time. We set up daily till reconciliation procedures and linked bank feeds to the accounting system, enabling more accurate cash control and reducing errors.

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Monthly Consolidated Reporting
We built bespoke monthly management accounts, including consolidated P&L by site, food and labour cost ratios, and operational KPIs. This gave the directors a clear view of underperforming locations and helped inform pricing and staffing decisions.

THE OUTCOME

Our work created a robust, cloud-based finance infrastructure tailored for the fast-paced restaurant sector.

With automated processes, integrated systems, and accurate reporting, the directors now have full visibility over site performance and tighter control over key cost areas. Most importantly, they can spend less time chasing numbers – and more time focused on growing their brand.