Dayton's small business scene is booming — and great books are the foundation of every business that grows with it. Tides Bookkeeping provides remote bookkeeping, payroll support, and monthly financial reporting for Dayton business owners who'd rather focus on running their business than managing their books.
No setup fees · Cancel anytime · 100% Remote
The home of the Wright brothers, Dayton pairs a deep aerospace and defense legacy with a growing research and healthcare economy. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is the region's largest employer, the University of Dayton drives research, and the redeveloped Dayton Arcade anchors a downtown tech revival.
That opportunity comes with real financial complexity. In Ohio that also means the municipal income tax — Dayton administers its own city income tax, so withholding for every employee work location and the annual net-profit return have to reconcile to the penny. Business owners in Dayton need clean books, clear cash-flow visibility, and a partner who keeps every filing on track.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and its research labs make Dayton one of the nation's leading aerospace and defense hubs.
The University of Dayton Research Institute and the Dayton Arcade innovation hub fuel a growing tech economy.
Premier Health and Kettering Health systems make medicine one of the region's largest employers.
Dayton is more than a zip code — it's one of Southwest Ohio's most dynamic cities. Understanding its neighborhoods, roads, history, and economy is how we serve our clients better.
Founded in 1796 at the confluence of the Great Miami and three other rivers, Dayton became an industrial and inventive powerhouse. It was home to Orville and Wilbur Wright, who built the first airplane here, and to inventor Charles Kettering and the National Cash Register (NCR) company.
The 20th century built an aerospace legacy: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base grew into a massive research-and-logistics center, NCR and General Motors anchored manufacturing, and the University of Dayton expanded into a top research university. Today the restored Dayton Arcade anchors a startup and innovation revival.
Today that inventive spirit continues — with more small business owners than ever, and more who need clean books to grow with confidence.
Seven core bookkeeping services, all delivered remotely — designed specifically for the pace and complexity of Dayton's growing small business economy.
Your most important financial foundation. We categorize every transaction, reconcile every account, and deliver clean P&L and balance sheet reports to your inbox every month — so you always know exactly where your Dayton business stands financially.
Got months or years of backlog? We clean it all up so you can move forward with an accurate set of books — ready for your CPA and ready for decisions.
Starting fresh or inheriting a mess? We configure QuickBooks, connect your accounts, and build a chart of accounts tailored to your industry and business model.
Every account reconciled every month — ensuring your books match your bank statements and every transaction is accounted for accurately.
P&L statements, balance sheets, and cash flow reports that are easy to read, understand, and act on — delivered every month, on time.
We track what you owe and what's owed to you, keeping your cash flow picture clear and your vendor relationships organized.
We ensure payroll expenses hit your books correctly every pay period, syncing with your payroll processor to keep everything reconciled and tax-ready.
We work with business owners across every major industry in Dayton — from contractors in Wright-Dunbar to real estate investors near Webster Station to restaurant owners in the Oregon District and startups in the Dayton Arcade.
Job costing, subcontractor payments, material expenses, seasonal flow
Commission tracking, rental income, investor portfolios, property expenses
COGS, tip payroll, vendor reconciliation, inventory management
Consultants, marketing agencies, attorneys — clean monthly P&L
Medical practices, gyms, spas — payroll and insurance billing support
Inventory costs, merchant fees, online and in-store reconciliation
SaaS, subscription revenue, runway tracking, investor-ready reports
Salons, barbershops, cleaners — simple, consistent monthly books
There's no shortage of bookkeepers in Dayton — but most are local firms with hourly billing, slow turnarounds, and outdated processes. Tides was built differently.
We're not a local firm that went remote reluctantly. We were built remote-first from day one, which means faster delivery, better systems, and no overhead passed to you.
One flat rate based on your transaction volume. No hourly billing, no surprise invoices, no "extra work" fees. You know exactly what you're paying every month.
We don't just hand you a spreadsheet. Clean, readable reports with plain-language summaries — so you can make real business decisions from your financials.
Tax season gets dramatically easier when your books are maintained properly year-round. Most clients report lower CPA bills after working with Tides.
We earn your business every month. No lock-in agreements, no early termination fees. If we're not delivering, you can leave. That keeps us sharp.
All plans include monthly P&L, balance sheet, bank reconciliation, and dedicated support. Payroll bookkeeping support available as an add-on.
View Full Pricing & Sign Up →"I own a boutique marketing agency in downtown Dayton and my books were always the last thing I wanted to deal with. Tides completely changed that. I get a clean report every month, my accountant is happy, and I actually know what's going on in my business financially. Couldn't recommend them more."
Based in or near Dayton? We also serve these nearby communities throughout Montgomery County and the surrounding Southwest Ohio region.
Town & Country · South
The Greene · East
Cornerstone · South
Brick City · Northeast
Wright State · East
Austin Landing · South
Clark Co. · Northeast
Fortune 500 · Hamilton Co.
It depends on how far behind you are, but most catch-up projects are completed within 2–4 weeks. We work methodically through each month, ensure everything is accurate, and give you a clean set of books before beginning regular monthly service.
We work in QuickBooks Online for your bookkeeping and Puzzle.io for real-time dashboards and an instant snapshot of your financials. If you're not on QBO yet, we can set it up as part of onboarding.
Absolutely. We can coordinate directly with your CPA or tax preparer — sharing access to QuickBooks, exporting reports in whatever format they need, and making tax season as smooth as possible for everyone involved.
No setup fees. You pay your first month's rate after onboarding is complete and we've begun your first month of bookkeeping. We also offer a satisfaction guarantee on your first month of service.
Book a free 15-minute consultation. We'll review your current situation, walk you through our process, and give you an exact quote. If it's a fit, we'll start onboarding right away — most Dayton clients are up and running within a week.
Yes. No contracts, no cancellation fees. We work month to month and believe our results speak for themselves. If for any reason Tides isn't the right fit, you can cancel with 30 days' notice and we'll ensure a smooth transition.
Not at all. We serve businesses across all of Montgomery County, the Southwest Ohio region, and small businesses nationwide. Location doesn't matter — our process is 100% remote and works just as well anywhere in the country.
100% remote bookkeeping for small businesses across Ohio and throughout the United States.
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation. We'll review your current situation and give you a clear, honest picture of what it will take to get your Dayton business financially clean.
No setup fees · Cancel anytime · First month guaranteed
Official government resources for registering, filing, and staying compliant. Tides handles your books; these help with the rest.