5 Simple Accounting Tips for Small Business Owners

Owning a business is not like having a cup of tea. You need to have a keen eye to observe what is working in your favor and not. There no arguments to the fact that the ultimate onus of success or failure for any business lies with its owner, whether it’s a small business or a large scale firm.

5 Simple Accounting Tips for Small Business Owners 1

If we talk about a small scale business, every employee would be seen performing multiple tasks and addressing miscellaneous issues other than their specializations. The owner would be seen as a one-person army carrying the whole burden on their shoulders alone and taking sole responsibility for everything. To save the business ship from sinking, he/she would have to be highly focused on accounting and keep the management of cash flow in strict observation and manage the capital money, debts, cash receivables, expenses, etc. right manner.

Just by following these simple accounting tips and strategies, you can save your business from any downfalls and help it in reaching a sky-high:

Segregation of all expenses

Not separating one’s personal and business expenses is one of the most common mistakes committed by amateurs. Many business operators tend to intermix different categories of expenses, leading to an imbalance in the accounts statements at the end of the year.

So, to avoid this confusion, always have a dedicated bank account for all your business expenses and incomes. Having a separate business credit card is also important to save you from major headaches in the future.

Tracking the cash outflow

Not being able to keep proper track of your expenses is another reason for having small businesses running out of money before time. Whether you have a team of 50 people or only 15 people, you have to constantly gauge every expense shelled out on even the smallest of things.

Try to keep a daily record of expenses rather than calculating them on a monthly or quarterly basis. If not possible, then you can focus on every week’s cash outflow. This will help clarify your spending each week and the budget you would need in the upcoming weeks.

Looking out for missing payments

In the initial months of operations, small businesses need more money in backup to pay for their employees, invest in marketing activities, and other miscellaneous things. Every penny counts for a startup, and not receiving timely payments from clients can obstruct the whole business cycle.

As an astute business owner, you should never lose sight of what is rightly yours. Always keep a close eye on your accounts receivable and develop a habit of tracking your payments every month to resolve all the missing payments.

Reviewing Profit and Loss account

Every successful organization rolls out a quarterly profit/loss statement. It helps in analyzing the growth and addressing any downturns. As a small business owner, you may be carrying out similar practices, but to make things easier, allocate your time to do a quick calculation on expenses and incomes every month too.

Overviewing your profit margins and losses monthly would help you track any problem in your business before time and help you take immediate remedial actions.

Taking professional advice

It is important to understand that finance is the backbone of any business. While many entrepreneurs may carry out the accounting activities on their own to cut costs, what they forget is accounting demands a lot of experience and a deeper understanding of financial aspects.

It is better to hire a professional accounting firm consisting of skilled experts who will ensure to carry out the best accounting practices for your business and deliver you error-free results and suggestions.