Essential Tips for Small Business Bookkeeping

Bookkeeping is one of the most important aspects when it comes to running a business, but as an owner you might also encounter situations when you will regard this aspect as an overwhelming one, especially if you are new and never managed to handle such a process before. The following tips will hopefully point you in the right direction and make bookkeeping easier for you.

Set Up a Record Keeping System

A good thing to do is to have folders with suggestive names, such as ‘To be paid’, ‘Data entry’ or ‘To be filed’. In this way, dealing with the amount of paperwork in date order will be much easier for you and your office will be paperless and cleaner.

Furthermore, another good thing to do is to use a red pen for every kind of notation you wish to make on your paperwork. This might include the reason for the expense or the client related to the paperwork. If relevant, make sure you include other information like, for example, the amount and date for the actual payment.

Finally, ask your tax accountant for some advice related to what specific documents you will need to supply at the end of each year and try to maintain a separate file for each time. Also make sure you discuss with him the necessary steps for registering your business for GST, if applicable.

A Good Relationship With the Taxation Office

As a business owner, it is very important to keep an active communication with the Taxation Office, because they can offer you seminars with useful information and a great number of workshops related to the process of bookkeeping and other similar issues. Most of these seminars are especially designed for small businesses and it is very important not to miss them.

Furthermore, you should also know that there are a number of online security credentials that allow you to submit your activity statements to the taxation office through the online environment. This is undoubtedly more comfortable and can save you some time and money.

The Ideal Way for Recording and Consolidation of Data

It is very important for every small business owner to decide upon the perfect way of handling with bookkeeping data. Some of the most common options include accounting software, which must be set up properly in order to provide you with a great user experience. In this matter, you can always have someone specialized to your office in order to obtain some useful advice about the specific software and some ways to use it properly and more efficiently.

More Important Steps

You might also want to consider the establishment of a chart for your accounts. This chart must be suitable for your business and provide you with some useful and meaningful information that is always easy to access.

Next, you should also design a business invoice that is complete and efficient. It is necessary to include only correct information in it and always check for mistakes. This will ensure your company gets paid on time.

Some more good things to consider include setting up a good system for dealing with your expenses and chasing the payments, as well as the creation of checklists for all the bookkeeping procedures. Whether you use them weekly, monthly or once a year, they will always come in handy at some point.

All in all, if you follow these simple steps and indications, the bookkeeping process will be significantly easier for you as a business owner and your office will be cleaner. Finally, before hiring a bookkeeper, make sure the person is completely qualified for the position.

12 thoughts on “Essential Tips for Small Business Bookkeeping”

  1. Pingback: Essential Tips for Small Business Bookkeeping

  2. I believe that an accountant has to have know many aspects of the bussiness in general not just the “bookeeping” view.
    At least he has to know the basics of financial planning, tax audit, and a lot of other complementary proffesions. Otherwise you just have a guy who imports data in some tables and sends out some reports.

    Thats my point of view anyhow.

  3. Frankly I can’t understand why anyone would do their own books. I’m no numbers person and I can never hope to keep up on all taxation and other issues. I farm that out and concentrate on doing what i do best. I’ve had conversations with people who really believe that they are saving money. The expense is a write-off, so essentially it’s free. You’re one sloppy error away from costing you real money.

    Plus, can a person say that they actually enjoy doing their books? Not me, I know my limitations.

  4. I think a person should at least know the basics of accounting, everyone has the ideas but not the numbers. This will help a person make good decisions. It should be outsourced as with the other things we do though.

  5. I think you pin point a very essential tool that is record keeping system. because this is the important tool that can put your business on the way of success. overall you provided good tips.

  6. Thanks. I like the red pen idea – it really makes your writing stand out. Heck, it is hard work keeping up with all the paper work in a small business.

  7. Thank you for posting this. Running a business as a locksmith is great work but I don’t know how to do the books. I’d like to get my book keeping all organized so I’m hoping from the list of tips you’ve offered I will have a better idea of how to go about it.

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