Let’s discuss the million-dollar question: “what is bookkeeping good for?”. To those who miss the rich nuances in the art of bookkeeping, this chore is simply keeping track of invoices and bills in order to pay the staff and your taxes. And that’s good enough, which is perplexing to us accounting geeks because in our experience “good enough” isn’t good enough for entrepreneurs. You started your business from an idea and worked hard to build what you have now. Keep that momentum going by harnessing the powers of quality bookkeeping and turn “good enough” into dollars and sense.
Bookkeeping
Bookkeeping entails intimately tracking your income and expenses in a book called a ledger – by now we sincerely hope you’ve discovered the sanity-saving software versions. You bought an online advertising package? That goes in the ledger. You paid your employee? That goes in the ledger. Even unpaid invoices are included.
It’s the details of bookkeeping that trip most people up. The idea of noting your latest gas receipts and weekly mileage regularly sounds easy, but it’s even easier to say, “I’ll do that next week.” Say that a few times, and suddenly your fiscal year end is upon you, and you’ve got mountains of debits and credits to enter. Now your bookkeeping is a nightmare! *cue horror movie soundtrack* It doesn’t have to be like that. Take 5 to 10 minutes and balance your latest bank statement or hire a bookkeeper to come in once a month and do it for you. If it’s not obvious that investing time and maybe a bookkeeper’s wage is going to make you money, look closely at the data.
Up-to-date bookkeeping is a map of your business that provides clear navigation to success. When you can easily review the details of where you’ve been, you can plan where you’re going with accuracy to relieve stress and get excited about the future. Updated bookkeeping allows for:
Tax Planning
Know how much you’ll owe in taxes, and plan for it – we know, that one’s easy. Good bookkeeping also means you can look ahead at current and upcoming tax credits that you or your business qualify for and make plans for eligibility, like hiring and apprenticeship credits. And make sure you’re updated on the current fiscal year’s expense allowances administered by the CRA before you blow the budget wooing a new client.
Forecasting
Forecasting is an incredibly satisfying perk of bookkeeping. Use your historic financial and business information to project your upcoming year. Know when your busy season is and be prepared to hire additional staff. Know when your quiet season is and be prepared to lay staff off. Examine your upcoming projects and find out whether any of them qualify for government funding. Look at your growth to devise an expansion strategy.
Realistic Budgeting
Budgeting and Forecasting are best friends. Use your financial forecast to set a budget – a realistic budget based your own historical data. Know when it’s critical to save extra funds in order to support slow times. Use your budget to measure your real-time financial situation as the year goes on and make adjustments based on what has already happened and what your business’ history suggests will happen so that you aren’t left scrambling to pay bills or fulfill orders.
Upside Accounting can help you develop excellent bookkeeping skills and plan for the future. Never done this before? That’s okay! We’re here to help. Contact us today to book a consultation.
