How to keep up with your business finances

Many people think that running a successful business is as easy as spotting a gap in the market and then filling it. While this is definitely important, it is not the only thing you need to think about. Much of what separates businesses that fail from those that don’t is good financial management.

This is not always as simple as it sounds though, especially for smaller businesses or start-ups. You may be doing everything as a one-man band but not be in love with financial reporting. How can you keep on top of your company finances in the simplest way?

Great ways to keep up with business finance

If you are one of those entrepreneurs who doesn’t love numbers, then it can seem a hassle doing the books. Here are some amazing ways to make it better and always stay up to date on how your business is doing:

• Outsource your accounts – if you really don’t like looking after the financial side of your business, then why bother at all? Instead, you could outsource your tax, accounts and payroll to a professional accountancy firm to do for you. This will not cost lots and will actually give you more time to bring in new business. The superb small business accountants that you can find online now give the perfect mixture of value for money, expertise and online access to your accounts when you need to view them.

• Keep an eye on incomings and outgoings – even if you do outsource your accounts, you still need to look at them regularly. This will allow you to gauge the health of your business and deal with any issues in advance. One area to keep an eye on is your incomings and outgoings. On the incoming side, it is vital to track invoices and make sure that you have been paid for all work done. When it comes to outgoings, track exactly what you are spending money on and if it is necessary or can be reduced.

• Save for the future – another great tip for keeping on top of your business finances is to assess what you have in reserve for future plans or emergencies. All businesses can hit rocky patches now and then, so you need to always make sure that you have some cash aside to help ride them out.

• Create a schedule – any good accountant knows that control is key to managing business finance. With this in mind, you need to work out what needs paying or reporting when and set up a schedule to remind you. This will ensure that nothing is missed and you do not fall foul of any fines for being late with information. This is critical if you or in-house staff are the ones keeping your finances in check.

If you run a small business, then finding a way to keep up to date with your finances is vital. In doing so, you will have full peace of mind to not only plan for the future but also see where you are at the moment.

from Finance Girl http://www.financegirl.co.uk/how-to-keep-up-with-your-business-finances/