Jan
15
Five Essential Small Business Accounting Tips to Improve Your Cash Flow
Running a small or medium-sized business is a constant battle where a lot depends on how well you manage your finances. When the economic climate is good, efficient financial management is the key to your company’s growth and prosperity. But in times of economic turmoil it’s something that ensures the survival of your business. Here are some essential tips to optimize small business accounting and improve your cash flow.
1. Employ a professional
If you are not a professional accountant or bookkeeper, then you shouldn’t really be doing the accounting yourself. Employing a professional may sometimes seem like unnecessary expense, but it’s really worth the cost. A professional accountant will make sure that your invoices, bill payments, cash management, debt collection and record keeping are taken care of. This will enable you to focus on other tasks, such as business development and networking. If possible, employ an accountant with tax qualifications to ensure that your taxes are in good order and you are not missing any tax deduction opportunities.
2. Use accounting software
A lot of small business owners still do their bookkeeping the traditional way and neglect modern technology. Professional accounting software makes managing your finances easy and can improve your efficiency. It can also help you see ways to boost cash flow that you would have missed otherwise.
3. Draft a budget
There are people who think that a budget is not necessary for a small business. In most cases, they learn that they are wrong the hard way. Every company, large or small, needs to stick to a budget and work towards realistic financial and business development objectives. That’s why small business accounting should never be neglected. A budget will not only act as a roadmap for your business. It will help you compare projections and actual performance, as well as identify ways to improve cash flow.
4. Maintain your finances
One of the biggest small business accounting mistakes is hoping that your money will take
care of itself. If you want your company to stay out of trouble, you will need to monitor things like expenses, revenue, profit and losses very carefully, so that you can optimize your financial flow whenever the need arises. Monitoring your finances will also help you alter your billing structure whenever necessary. For example, you may want to bill for smaller jobs when they are completed and bill big contract progressively to maintain cash flow.
5. Create a cash buffer
Creating a cash buffer is extremely important in small business accounting. If you can put some money away, do so. A cash buffer will protect you from any sudden drops in your revenues and help you keep your business afloat in times of financial trouble.
These essential tips will help you do accounting the right way and optimize your company’s cash flow.
Keeping Cash Flow Smooth