"This Is What We Need": How a Philippine Tax Compliance Firm Cut Bookkeeping Time by 60%

Running a 45 client firm with a mountain of compliance

The Busy Experts is not your typical bookkeeping shop. Based in Quezon City, Philippines, the firm serves around 45 clients spanning corporate entities, sole proprietors, IT services companies, food businesses, and more. Managing Director Melita "Mylet" De Jesus and her team of 10 processors handle everything from monthly bookkeeping to full BIR tax compliance, including VAT reporting, withholding tax, and regulatory filing.

What makes their work especially demanding is the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) requirements. Every invoice processed needs to be checked for the supplier's TIN number, registered address, trade name, and a full breakdown of VATable versus VAT exempt amounts. Miss any of these details, and the firm's clients are exposed during audits.

"We're not only bookkeeping. We are ensuring they are complying with the tax. That's why we're thorough in our check whether this invoice is compliant for claiming input VAT or not. Because once the BIR audit comes in, we lessen the gaps."
Melita De Jesus, Managing Director, The Busy Experts

Before Tofu: one week per quarter, per entity

Before Tofu, the team processed every document manually. Each invoice had to be opened, the TIN number typed in, the supplier address verified, the VAT breakdown calculated, and the accounting entry keyed into QuickBooks Online.

During quarterly VAT filing periods, the pressure was immense. With BIR deadlines falling on the 25th of the month following quarter end, the team needed at least 10 days to prepare. Melita herself would spend an entire week processing a single entity's three months of invoices for the VAT return.

Some clients also had expanding branch networks, meaning the team also needed to track which invoices belonged to which location. It was yet another layer of manual work on top of already complex compliance requirements.

"The first week of the month we are very busy because we need to submit and all that. Then the quarter end reporting. So people are busy now, like right now we need to use Tofu to load and do the posting."
Melita De Jesus, Managing Director, The Busy Experts

The idea that wouldn't go away

Long before she heard about Tofu, Melita had been thinking about whether technology could solve the data entry problem. Coming from a banking background with a strong analytical mindset, she kept asking the same question: why can't we just take a picture of a document and have all the information captured automatically?

"I've been already thinking about this. Is there a way or system that can just picture the receipt and then all the information will be captured? Because I came from a bank but I have this accounting and business analytical background. So I have that mindset that everything can be automated."
Melita De Jesus, Managing Director, The Busy Experts

When Tofu was introduced to her, the reaction was immediate. She knew this was the tool she had been waiting for.

"When I heard about it, I'm really excited. This is what we need. So I'm all for it. Sign me up."
Melita De Jesus, Managing Director, The Busy Experts

The new workflow: upload, review, verify

Today, the Busy Experts team uploads invoices into Tofu, which automatically extracts the key data, including supplier names, TIN numbers, addresses, line item details, and tax breakdowns. The extracted data is pushed directly into QuickBooks Online as draft transactions with attachments included.

The team worked with Tofu's support to set up AI knowledge base rules specific to Philippine BIR requirements. For each entity, the system was trained to capture TIN numbers and supplier addresses automatically and place them in the memo line for compliance reference. Rules were also created to handle the separation of VATable and VAT exempt line items.

For the team, the shift was fundamental. Instead of spending hours typing data from invoices into QuickBooks, processors now review what Tofu has extracted, make corrections where needed, and click verify. Each verification teaches the AI, making future extractions more accurate.

"The only thing that we have is we make use of the sales invoice upload in QuickBooks. But there are clients who really issue different types of invoices so we cannot use it. It's varied, different clients, different processes."
Melita De Jesus, Managing Director, The Busy Experts

From one week to three days

The impact hit hardest during quarterly VAT reporting. Melita personally tested the new workflow on one of her entities, processing three months of invoices for the quarterly BIR filing. What previously took her an entire week was completed in three days.

"If I'm going to be the one to input it in QuickBooks it will take me a week. But the last quarter reporting, which composes of three months, I was only did it for three days. At least 50 or 60% time savings."
Melita De Jesus, Managing Director, The Busy Experts

The time savings extended beyond just the VAT return. Because Tofu captured TIN numbers automatically, the same data was immediately available for withholding tax reporting, eliminating an entirely separate manual process. What used to be two distinct workflows, each requiring the same tedious data entry, now shared a single automated extraction.

"Not only was I able to save on the VAT reporting but I also was able to do the withholding tax because withholding tax also needs the TIN number. So from there, that's how amazing. I'm convinced about Tofu."
Melita De Jesus, Managing Director, The Busy Experts

The champion mindset: understanding before scaling

Melita takes an intentional approach to technology adoption. Rather than rolling Tofu out to the entire team immediately, she learned the system herself first, understood how it works, and then began pushing her processors to adopt it. She recognized that success with Tofu requires more than just clicking buttons.

"Before it can be useful, someone needs to understand the functionality and how it works. Because I noticed that my staff, since they are just doing it mechanically, loading it without understanding how it will impact, it will be difficult. So for us it's successful because someone is really monitoring, making sure that whatever from Tofu to QuickBooks makes sense."
Melita De Jesus, Managing Director, The Busy Experts

She also sees the bigger picture. When her team makes an entry, she thinks ahead to what that data will be needed for: VAT returns, withholding tax, BIR audits. That forward looking mindset means she configures Tofu's knowledge base not just for today's extraction, but for downstream compliance needs.

"I'm like futuristic. When I make an entry, I already understand this one is needed for VAT, so I need to have the information. It's like you have a forward looking view, not just clicking the button of verifying."
Melita De Jesus, Managing Director, The Busy Experts

Growing with expanding clients

Several of The Busy Experts' clients are actively expanding. One food business client already has three new branches opening in 2026 alone, with more planned. Each new branch means more invoices, more compliance, and more pressure on the same team.

Tofu's ability to handle this growing volume without requiring additional headcount is a key part of the firm's growth strategy. The team started on the Starter plan and has already upgraded to Pro as their usage expanded.

Support that delivers on promises

When asked about the support experience, Melita gave direct feedback. The in app help center needed improvement and she was honest about her frustration navigating it. But when it came to her dedicated support contact, the verdict was different.

"Red has been very proactive. If he's busy, he's just saying I'll get back to you. So I like that attitude that he delivers what he promised and really makes time for us."
Melita De Jesus, Managing Director, The Busy Experts

"I can be your advocate"

Melita does not mince words about where she stands with Tofu. Despite acknowledging there are still features she would like to see, including withholding tax automation and location tracking, her overall verdict is clear.

"I can be your representative. To sell it or to engage. Yes, if you want me to. Because I really get the benefit of it. I see the benefit already. Being an accounting services team, I imagine a group of people in accounting or consultancy firm handling the same as us. They're struggling. It's a requirement in BIR, so it will be a struggle for them to type TIN number, whatever things that are required. I can totally advocate."
Melita De Jesus, Managing Director, The Busy Experts

She has already promised to introduce Tofu to a colleague who runs a similar accounting consultancy, noting that the colleague uses Xero, which Tofu also supports natively.