man using calculator with coffee and laptop
30-Oct-2020 By - team

Should you pay more attention to your bookkeeping?

To maintain accurate financial records, one must have solid bookkeeping practises, which are absolutely necessary to possess. Despite this, there is still a big amount of organisations that do not adhere to this vital method. Aside from the fact that maintaining accurate books and records is a required under the law, doing so will save you a significant amount of stress in the long run if you do it.

In point of fact, "bad accounting" is one of the primary factors contributing to enterprises' failure. If you do not keep accurate bookkeeping and accounting records, your company is being operated in the dark.

As the owner of a business, you have a responsibility to understand your firm's financial status, including its profit or loss on a nett basis.

Bookkeepers are responsible for providing accurate, up-to-date financial information about a business. They're always taking the pulse of a business. Most often, their reports go to business owners and managers to help them make decisions. Some bookkeepers, however, are actually involved in strategy development.

Introverted sensors, ISTJs are known as the best personality type for accounting jobs, CFO positions, or careers as auditors. This type is loyal, hardworking, and understands the importance of their roles; but the real predictor of success here is their analytical nature that enables them to work quickly and precisely.

Bookkeeping focuses on recording and organizing financial data. Accounting is the interpretation and presentation of that data to business owners and investors.
 
Blog Verticle Cta Img
Get started today

Got questions? We have answers

03 9568 5444

You and the other stakeholders in your organisation need to have access to this information in order to be able to make educated decisions regarding both the day-to-day operations and the business strategies.

Bookkeeping services, such as EWM, make it possible for company owners and managers to operate their companies effectively and efficiently by providing them with the important information they need.

Bookkeeping is a procedure that is beneficial to organisations of all sizes, but unfortunately, it is frequently ignored, which is detrimental to those firms.

It is common for firms to fail due of poor financial management, which may be traced back to a lack of accessible books or accounting records.

The accounting process begins with the bookkeeping stage, which is typically considered to be the most significant step. A bookkeeper is responsible for compiling all financial information, from transactions to wages, and transforming it into reports that are simple to read and prepared for future study.

There are a variety of advantages to having a competent bookkeeper on staff, and given all the developments taking place in the world of finance, it is becoming increasingly important for companies of all sizes to do so.

Many owners of businesses may discover that they are behind in their bookkeeping as the year draws to a close; alternatively, they may discover that they have not even begun the process. This blog’s overarching purpose is to convey the message that proper bookkeeping is critical at all times of the year, not only at the year’s close.

What is Bookkeeping?

Bookkeeping is the practice of tracking the day-to-day financial transactions that occur inside an organisation. Purchases, sales, receipts, and payments are all included in these types of transactions. A bookkeeper is responsible for ensuring that all transactions are correctly documented, which is often accomplished via the use of computer systems such as QuickBooks Online to fulfil this duty. They are also essential in helping the owner of the firm to assist them in making better decisions on a weekly or monthly basis. This support may be invaluable.

Here are the reasons why bookkeeping is so important:

First, it helps you to budget.

The act of maintaining books and records has a number of benefits, one of the most obvious of which is that it assists business owners in budgeting.

Suppose you have a bookkeeper who handles your revenue and spending. In that case, these statistics will stay organised, making it easier for you to evaluate both the money coming into your company account and the money that is leaving your business account.

You are likely already aware of the necessity of developing a budget plan to make your company’s financial roadmap obvious. You will be able to create a budget that will assist you in planning for spending in the future and identifying resources that will assist you in covering those expenses if you have books and accounting records that are correctly organised.

It enables you to analyse and better manage your business finances better.

The management of your company’s cash flow is one of the most important aspects that you, as the owner of a business, can concentrate on.

Your company will come to an end if you send overdue invoices, do not follow up on unpaid customer balances, and do not communicate effectively with your vendors.

If you want to make these things more methodical, you will need a bookkeeping system to stay on top of things like follow-ups, current invoices, and timely payments to your vendors.

It lets you know if your business needs financing.

Accounts payables are a necessary component of running a business, and it is imperative that you stay on top of them if you want your company to be successful.

Accounts payables are monetary obligations that you have to third parties; if you do not clear these obligations, you might face serious repercussions.

If your company does not have enough money in the budget to pay these accounts on time, effective bookkeeping will let you know. This will allow you to hunt for more funding or take out the financing option as a temporary stopgap to solve the problem.

Bookkeeping is a tool that may assist you in properly paying your company’s accounts payable without jeopardising your working capital. You should follow business best practices and accomplish this.

It makes tax preparation more comfortable.

Each year, you must submit a tax return for your company and submit it. Unfortunately, it is a requirement that the majority of businesses fail to fulfil since they do not have adequate bookkeeping systems in place.

Does this sound familiar? If this is also something that you’ve been having trouble with since the beginning of your firm, then now is the ideal moment to make the process of submitting your taxes more effective by including a trustworthy bookkeeping function into your company’s operations.

Bookkeeping is not something that simply applies to your organisation. Additionally, it can assist you with filing your personal taxes as a business owner. Your day-to-day company activities contribute significantly to the total money you bring in.

In light of this, getting an accurate look at your revenue for a specific period requires a grasp of the amount your company produces during that period.

When you have an accounting system in place at your firm, preparing taxes may be done in a more streamlined and stress-free manner. The entirety of the required financial information will be prepared and made accessible at the appointed time.

Because of this, you won’t have to waste time searching for receipts or invoices because everything related to your finances is arranged and maintained in a single, centralised system.

It allows you to pay employees accurately and on time.

A trustworthy bookkeeping system may be useful to you in this regard, allowing you to simplify employee payments better.

Bookkeeping is responsible for maintaining accurate personnel records, reconciling the company’s bank accounts, and maintaining open communication with the payroll department.

It achieves this by calculating the precise sum of money required to cover each employee’s wage as well as the date on which the payroll should be delivered to the proper parties. This prevents your company from accidentally underpaying its workers.

If your firm does not have efficient bookkeeping, you will have a difficult time ensuring that the payroll process is precise, which will lead to unhappiness among your employees.

It helps your business stay organised

For any kind of business to be successful, proper organisation is very necessary. Therefore, finding information pertinent to your business at any time, when the need for it may emerge, is quite helpful and may be done at any time.

Your company’s financial records will also be of great use to a number of parties, including the ATO, your customers, workers, lenders, and investors, to name just a few of these groups.

It is important to these parties that you keep their requests for your well-organized financial records satisfied in order to keep a strong relationship with them. When dealing with the ATO, this means avoiding costs and penalties that may be imposed.

Keeping Meticulous Records

A bookkeeper who is careful and dedicated to their work will guarantee that accurate records are kept up to date on a regular basis. As a result, not only would the whole recording be of help to you in the maintenance of the financial records of your firm, but it will also… In spite of this, it will be of great assistance when you need your financial statements or if your company is audited because this process will be far faster and much cheaper than the traditional method. Additionally, it will be of great aid whenever you need your financial statements.

Consistently Acting in Accordance with the Law

A qualified bookkeeper will always make sure that they are in compliance with the most recent legal laws and that all of your books and accounts are brought up to date with any new changes that have been made to the law. In addition, they will make sure that they comply with all of the laws that apply to them. Because the bookkeeper is responsible for all of the work that they do and holds themselves accountable for it, you are able to rely on them to correct any errors that may occur. In addition, you are able to rely on them to correct any errors that may occur. Because of this, the bookkeeper will have to put in less hours and will spend less time on the work, which will ultimately result in cost savings for the organisation.

It is less difficult to plan

It is much simpler to plan for the future and create estimates when you have access to a full recording and a better grasp of the situation the company’s finances are in. When you have faith in your data, you can swiftly identify answers to problems and seize any opportunities that come your way without having to worry about making mistakes in the calculations based on the existing data. This enables you to make the most of any opportunities that come your way. In addition, you will know exactly what has to be done and how much time you have to do it as a result of the summary of the profit and loss changes that are included in the balance sheet.

Instant Reporting

Even if you have to wait for the accountant or the auditor to finish their reports before you can come to the conclusion that official financial statements have been produced, you will always have an up-to-date balance sheet so that you can question about the current condition of the accounts. This will allow you to determine whether or not official financial statements have been produced. In addition, you will be able to share these information to any person who shows interest in them, which will provide more trust not only in the work that you are doing as a manager, but also in the general well-being of the company as a whole.

Improved Relations with Financial Institutions and Investors

Because of this confidence, your business relationships with your investors and shareholders will improve. For instance, when financial institutions learn that your company is successful, they will be more inclined to offer you loans on terms that are more financially beneficial to you than they would otherwise be able to offer to other borrowers. In addition, if an investor is interested in the status of your company, you should be able to provide them with the most recent complete financial sheets and demonstrate that the company is experiencing significant growth. This should be done in the event that the investor is inquisitive about the state of your company.

Improved Capability to Forecast Taxes

If you have access to detailed balance sheets over time, you will be able to make more accurate predictions about the outcome of the situation, despite the fact that the ATO will need your company to provide an official financial statement for taxes purposes. If you use them, you can keep an eye out for patterns in the business of your firm and have more confidence in the amount of taxes you will be required to pay when the fiscal year comes to a close.

Quicker Response Time for Businesses

You will be in a better position to respond quickly to any shifts in the market or in your organisation if you have information on the current state of your accounts that is updated in real time. In addition, you will be aware of the full amount of your resources as well as your present expenditures, which will provide you with correct insight into the question of whether or not the timing is ripe for action.

Financial Equalization 1015266 1280

A More Expeditious Analysis of the Finances

It is helpful to be aware that having detailed records can shorten the amount of time an accountant will spend analysing your accounts and preparing financial statements, which will, in turn, reduce the amount of money you will spend on accounting. Having this knowledge can be helpful. The costs associated with bookkeeping are often lower than those of accounting. This will lower the cost of accounting and give you more time to act upon the information provided by the analysis as well as modify any strategies that you may have planned.

Important pieces of financial data, such as a company’s balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows, must be made available to the company’s ownership as well as its top leadership. The balance sheet gives an explanation of the capital structure, assets, and liabilities, whereas the income statement provides information on revenue, costs, and net income. In addition, the income statement reports on the company’s nett income. On the statement of cash flows, cash coming into the firm and cash leaving the business are broken down into three categories: operating, investment, and financing cash. All of this information can be found in the general ledger, and the bookkeeping procedure is the one in charge of ensuring that it is always accurate.

 

Accurate financial reports not only give owners of businesses the ability to make confident strategic decisions, but they also contribute to the continued viability of a company. If there isn’t enough money to make payroll or fulfil the firm’s responsibilities, the business owners need to be aware of the problem and take the proper actions to remedy it. If proper reporting is lacking, managers may be unaware that their company has veered off course until it is too late to correct the situation. This is especially true with regard to the organisation of the capital and the flow of cash. Too much debt and

Simpler Audits

When you have a technique for recording data that is more refined, creating financial statements is a procedure that is a lot simpler and can be completed much more quickly. You will have a far simpler time executing an audit if your accounting practises are accurate, well-organized, and up-to-date than if they were any of the aforementioned. You are going to discover that it is a lot less complicated. When you employ an auditor, they will need access to the precise balance sheets, and they will need to compare those balance sheets with the statements in order to properly grasp all that was done. They are able to prepare their report quickly, and any faults that may be there will be brought to the reader’s attention.

Planning Purposes

Your company’s historical financial success may be determined through proper bookkeeping. To successfully plan for the future, one must solid comprehend the past. Keeping accurate books will illuminate the specifics of what is successful and what is not successful in your business.

Not only is bookkeeping helpful for planning for strategic goals, but it also plays a significant part in the preparation of tax strategies. It provides your accountant’s information to classify your earnings and expenses correctly.

Bookkeeping enables you and your certified public accountant to reorganise some costs more tax advantageously. For instance, if you hold frequent meetings with your customers, you can choose to serve lunch at such sessions in order to better serve them. This will provide your company with favourable tax benefits in the future.

 

Easy Reporting to Investors

Investors are interested in your company’s financial success because they want to measure the value of the investment they have made in your company. This is exactly what the financial statements show. Your company’s worth may be seen in several places, including on its balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement.

As was discussed before, the end result of bookkeeping is the creation of financial statements. Keeping accurate books gives investors the ability to get their hands on up-to-date information. The ultimate goal of accounting is to make it possible for investors to make decisions that are more informed and more educated overall.

Bookkeeping is essential not just for existing investors but also for potential investors in the future. When prospective investors see that your company’s financial information is well organised, they are more willing to invest in your company. So think about it: if you were an investor, would you put your money into a business that didn’t have access to its financial data or keep them in an organised fashion?

Financial Management

Accounting is essential since it enables you to exercise management over the financial aspects of your company. Keeping accurate books provides a clear picture of how money is being spent. In addition, you are able to view unpaid invoices that have been incurred by either you or your clients. It is to your advantage to pay your bills on time and get paid in a timely manner for any goods or services you provide. Your company’s survival depends on maintaining a healthy equilibrium between its cash outflows and cash inflows.

Peace of Mind

As a business owner, having disorganised books may put a lot of stress on your mind. However, considering all of the additional responsibilities that come with owning a company, you shouldn’t let your bookkeeping keep you up at night.

After you have finished your books, you will have the peace of mind of knowing that your firm’s financial information is prepared for evaluation. As a result, you are no longer need to feel anxious about dealing with banks. Instead, you’ll discover that your mind is at peace and that you’re better able to concentrate on other aspects of your company.

Track Profit and Growth

Keeping accurate books is essential to the success of any organisation since they display a company’s profitability. One of the financial statements that may be created from your bookkeeping is referred to as the income statement, for instance. You will be able to determine from the income statement whether or not your company is profitable. Without this knowledge, it is impossible to determine how well (or how poorly) you are doing, making it hard to evaluate your performance.

Keeping accurate books also makes it easier to monitor progress. You will eventually have months and years’ worth of data at your disposal. You will be able to analyse patterns, get a deeper comprehension of your business cycles, and compare results across different periods if you use this data.

Payment of Employees

Accurate record-keeping, bank reconciliation, and open communication with the payroll function are all essential components of effective bookkeeping, which contributes to the ease with which employees are paid. Imagine there is not enough money to pay employees or the necessary corporate organisations. What options do you have? Bookkeepers can assist management in assessing how much money is required and when it has to be transferred to the right parties in this scenario. A company will not be able to remain in operation if it does not have an established system for accurate bookkeeping and payroll.

Understanding the accounting cycle, how the process of financial consolidation works, and the requirements for document preservation is crucial since bookkeeping is a critical operation that may make or break a firm. For this reason, it is important to grasp document retention standards. There is no justifiable reason to let a brilliant concept die out or a blooming firm fail just because financial reporting and record-keeping are not appropriate. There is also no justifiable reason to let a fantastic idea die out.

Conclusion

The information that was presented to you in this article ought to be sufficient to convince you of the significance of bookkeeping to your company.

Finding the most qualified bookkeeping expert to assist you would be the next step to take now that you are aware of how important it is for your company to have an effective bookkeeping process that is put into place. You will save time, money and save a hassle if you hire a professional.

Employing an experienced bookkeeper can help you accomplish all of these goals. In addition, maintaining accurate financial records not only has the potential to prevent your company from going bankrupt but also may save you thousands of dollars in the process.

There is not a single individual or firm in the world of business that would not be better off with the assistance of a comprehensive bookkeeper. When you hire a bookkeeper online, you have access to a far larger selection of candidates, and you can be guaranteed that you will discover the most qualified individual for the position at the most affordable cost. In addition, because you will be selecting from a bigger pool of candidates, you will have access to a greater number of highly skilled and relevant individuals.

 

 

DISCLAIMER
THIS WEBSITE IS ONLY INTENDED TO PROVIDE GENERAL ADVICE; IT DOES NOT PROVIDE PERSONAL FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVICE IN ANY FORM. ALSO, CHANGES IN LEGISLATION MAY OCCUR FREQUENTLY. BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTIONS DEPENDING ON THE CONTENTS OF THIS INFORMATION, WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU SEEK OUR OFFICIAL ADVICE FIRST. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN OBTAINED FROM SOURCES THAT EWM ACCOUNTANTS & BUSINESS ADVISORS BELIEVES TO BE RELIABLE; HOWEVER, WE MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES AS TO THE ACCURACY OF SUCH INFORMATION AND ACCEPT NO LIABILITY IN CONNECTION THEREWITH. WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSULT WITH A TAX ADVISOR, a CPA, a FINANCIAL ADVISOR, an ATTORNEY, AN ACCOUNTANT, AND ANY OTHER PROFESSIONAL THAT CAN HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND AND EVALUATE THE RISKS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ANY INVESTMENT.

Guest post by : team Form -

Like this? Share it...