Resource
FAQ, SME starters
This resource covers all the fields on our SME FAQ Starters sheet, with tips for filling it out around Germiston and East London.
This guide supports real briefs across Cape Town, Gauteng, and beyond. For a tailored pack, email magic@bizmagic.co.za.
- Written for South African founder teams
- Pairs with supplier notes
- Link your kit from the kits hub
What’s on the SME FAQ sheet
The SME FAQ Starters sheet is a quick printable to keep your basics straight before you set up suppliers, hire staff or tackle month-end. It’s got columns for business name, owner contact, registration number (CIPC or sole prop ID), SARS tax number, bank details, main suppliers, monthly operating costs, usual payment terms, and a tickbox for key permits (like East London municipal trading licence or FICA docs for Germiston). There’s a notes section for each entry, so you don’t forget things like B-BBEE affidavits or which months UIF returns are due.
- Business name
- Owner’s phone and email
- CIPC registration or ID number
- SARS income tax number
- Bank account details
- Top three suppliers’ names
- Operating expenses (per month, rand amount)
- Standard payment terms (days)
- Relevant permits and certificates (tickbox)
- Short notes
How to fill in each section
Start with your business name as it appears on CIPC or your ID document if you’re a sole prop. Next, add your main phone and a working email (the one SARS or your largest supplier would actually reach you on). For Germiston, a lot of folks miss the registration number, so double-check it matches your CIPC doc. SARS number goes next, then jot down your business’s primary bank account, avoid skipping digits here; bank FICA checks don’t like typos. List your three most used suppliers (use their trading names, not just ‘the tile place’), then your average monthly running costs. Write your standard payment term, 30 days is common, but say if your contract with ABC Hardware in East London says 14. Tick off your permits: SARS tax clearance, municipal trading licence for Driehoek or an HS code for exported goods. End with notes: things like “EMP201 due by the 7th” or “SADC certificate needed for Beitbridge export routine”.
Sample entry: East London jam maker
Let’s say Sipho runs Sipho’s Spreads from Gonubie, East London. His row might look like: 'Sipho’s Spreads', 073 555 2160, siphospreads@gmail.com, CIPC 2018/123456/07, SARS 9123456789, Capitec 1452244678, Top suppliers: King Sugar EL, Jars Direct Mdantsane, Fruit Farm Berlin. Expenses: R23 000 per month. Payment terms: 21 days from invoice. Permits: SARS clearance, trading licence ticked. Notes: 'Month-end orders up by 30% in May, VAT201 prep Tuesdays, B-BBEE affidavit valid till Oct.' Make sure your, sorry, you’re this detailed. It makes life easier at tax time, supplier meetings and cash flow checks.
Common mistakes to avoid
Don’t pad supplier names, write the real trading names so your team can place orders without phoning you. Double-check phone and SARS numbers; a single digit out and eFiling won’t match. Loads of Germiston startups forget to tick the municipal trading licence, which leads to headaches if the inspectors do a surprise visit. Never skip average monthly costs, Nedbank loves to see this on FICA packs. Keep notes practical, not just ‘see accountant’. If you’re unsure, see our full resource guide or ask your accountant for a quick check.
When to bring it to a supplier hub
Bring your filled-in FAQ Starters sheet to any supplier hub session in Sandton, Rosebank or Woodstock whenever you want to sanity-check your ops before adding a new supplier or negotiating terms. It’s especially useful before cash flow planning rituals or right before school holidays in July, when courier cut-offs hit Germiston and East London hard. If you’re updating after fixing a permit or changing costs, bring the current sheet not an old one. For more on supplier sessions or to book a slot, check weekly hub rituals, or for kits and templates, see starter kit details. We work by email at magic@bizmagic.co.za.
