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Zoho, Odoo, ERPNext, Dynamics 365 and custom ERP, delivered by one accountable team.
Software houses, SaaS start-ups and IT service firms in Dubai Internet City need finance, billing and project data in one place. We set that up on Zoho, Odoo, ERPNext, Dynamics 365 or a custom build.
Dubai Internet City, UAEOn-site and remote ERP support
For SaaS, software and IT service companies in Dubai Internet City, ERP software must handle recurring and milestone billing, timesheets feeding project margin, multi-currency invoicing with correct VAT per customer location, and intercompany recharges with parent companies abroad. Teams under about 30 people often fit Zoho Books with Zoho Billing, or Odoo with Subscriptions; larger groups may consider Business Central or ERPNext.
Choosing ERP software in Dubai Internet City is a different exercise from choosing one for a trading house in Deira. Most DIC licence holders sell code, cloud services, IT consulting or engineering time. Their stock is people and intellectual property, not cartons in a warehouse, so the ERP has to be good at time, contracts, recurring revenue and cross-border billing.
Dubai Internet City sits in the TECOM cluster along Sheikh Zayed Road, beside Dubai Media City and Dubai Knowledge Park, and licensing there is handled by the Dubai Development Authority. Typical licensed activities include software development, IT infrastructure services, systems integration, data and AI services, e-commerce platforms and regional offices of international technology companies. A large share of these firms invoice clients in Saudi Arabia, Europe, India or the US, which means multi-currency receivables and foreign-currency bank accounts from the first month.
We are a Dubai-based ERP consultancy, so DIC is a short drive for workshops and go-live support. We implement Zoho, Odoo, ERPNext, Microsoft Dynamics 365 and custom ERP, and we usually start by mapping how a deal moves from proposal to signed statement of work, delivered sprints, invoice and cash. That flow decides the platform more than any feature list does. If your company is still small, our page on ERP software for start-ups in the UAE covers the lean starting options.
The rest of this page explains the tax points DIC companies usually raise, how intercompany and cross-border billing tends to work, and the ERP features that matter most for technology companies licensed in the zone.
Dubai Internet City companies deal with the same federal tax rules as everyone else, with a few points that come up again and again for service exporters. The notes below describe how an ERP can be set up to support them. Confirm the treatment of your own contracts with your tax advisor.
DIC is not a fenced customs area, so designated zone rules for goods rarely matter here. What matters is the place of supply of services. The ERP should carry tax codes for standard-rated local sales at 5%, services that may qualify for zero-rating when exported, and reverse charge on imported software and cloud subscriptions.
A DIC company may be a Qualifying Free Zone Person if it meets substance, qualifying income and de minimis conditions, which can give 0% on qualifying income. Revenue from mainland customers and certain activities can fall outside that. Tagging each invoice by customer type and activity makes the analysis far easier; confirm eligibility with your tax advisor.
Regional hubs that recharge costs to a parent or bill group companies for development work need intercompany agreements and clear supporting data. A separate intercompany ledger with documented markup logic helps when your advisor prepares transfer pricing files.
Under Ministerial Decisions No. 243 and 244 of 2025, B2B invoices move to the Peppol-based PINT AE model through Accredited Service Providers. Companies with revenue below AED 50 million currently face a 1 July 2027 mandatory date, with ASP appointment by 31 March 2027. Check the latest Ministry of Finance and FTA guidance, since dates have changed before.
Free zone employers in DIC usually still pay salaries through the MOHRE Wage Protection System or an equivalent route required by their authority. The ERP or payroll app should produce the Salary Information File and track end-of-service gratuity under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.
General information, not tax or legal advice. Rules change; confirm current FTA, MOHRE and Ministry of Finance guidance with your advisor.
Many DIC firms run development with a sister company in India, Pakistan, Egypt or Eastern Europe while the Dubai entity holds the client contract. The ERP has to show both sides cleanly: what the client is billed, what the group company charges for delivery, and the margin left in the UAE entity for corporate tax purposes. A typical sequence looks like this.
One shared database: every step updates stock, finance and reports in real time.
A software or IT services company does not need a heavy manufacturing suite. It needs a tight link between contracts, people's time and revenue. These are the areas we prioritize when configuring ERP for DIC clients.
Monthly, annual and usage-based plans with proration, renewals and automatic invoices. Zoho Billing, Odoo Subscriptions and ERPNext subscriptions all handle this with different depth.
Engineers log hours against tasks, managers approve them, and approved time flows into time-and-materials invoices without spreadsheet exports.
Invoice in USD, EUR, SAR or INR, hold foreign-currency bank accounts and post realized and unrealized exchange differences at month end.
Spread annual licence fees and implementation milestones over the service period so monthly reports show earned revenue, not just billed revenue.
Connect Stripe or a local payment gateway, your product's sign-up flow, HubSpot or Zoho CRM, and Jira or GitHub where project data starts.
Keep employee visa, Emirates ID and labour card expiry dates next to payroll, with reminders before renewals fall due.
Our consultants visit DIC offices in person and also support clients in the neighbouring TECOM zones and nearby business districts.
Compare other free zones and see how each platform handles software and services businesses.
We configure the system for the rules UAE businesses report against, and test it before go-live.
General information, not tax or legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the FTA, MOHRE or your advisor. See all UAE compliance guides.
Nearby areas, free zones and emirates we serve from our Dubai base, alongside Dubai Internet City.
Official sources and references
Facts on this page were checked against these sources in October 2026. Rules change, so confirm current requirements before acting.
Still have a question? Our consultants are happy to help.
Ask an ExpertFor a team under about 30 people, Zoho Books with Zoho Billing or Odoo with the Subscriptions app is usually enough. Both handle recurring invoices, multi-currency and UAE VAT returns. The choice often comes down to which CRM and support tools you already use.
Yes. Odoo, ERPNext, Dynamics 365 Business Central and Zoho (with separate organizations) all support multiple companies. We set up intercompany accounts so recharges between entities can be matched and eliminated in group reports.
No. Free zone status alone is not enough. The company must meet the Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions, including adequate substance and limits on non-qualifying revenue. The ERP can tag revenue by customer and activity to support the analysis, but your tax advisor should confirm eligibility.
It depends on where the service is supplied and the customer's status. Some exported services can be zero-rated if conditions are met, and others are standard-rated. We configure customer-level tax rules and evidence fields, and you should confirm each contract type with your tax advisor.
A focused finance, billing and projects rollout often takes 6-10 weeks. Adding payroll, HR, a CRM migration or several group companies can extend that. We agree scope in a short discovery phase before committing to a plan.
Yes. Our office is in Dubai, so we run discovery workshops, user training and go-live support on site in DIC, and handle most configuration work remotely between visits.
Tell us how your business runs today and where it gets stuck. We'll recommend the right platform, outline the implementation approach and give you a realistic timeline, with no obligation.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
