A bookkeeper for your small business is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. You must always be aware of what is happening to your business on a basic financial level. Lacking that knowledge could hinder your business’s growth and success. Read more to learn what a bookkeeper does and how outsourcing your company’s bookkeeping tasks could help your business succeed.
What Bookkeepers Do
Bookkeepers are responsible for a businesses’ accounts. At the most basic level, a bookkeeper keeps the general ledger by recording cash flow. However, bookkeepers can also create valuable reports such as financial statements, prepare bank deposits, oversee payroll, approve a purchase, create invoices, and monitor delinquent accounts.
Outsourcing Bookkeeping is a Practical Choice
While bookkeeping was once a tedious and grueling task due to manually recording every transaction by hand, technology has advanced the process to make bookkeeping much more straightforward and streamlined. It is now possible to outsource your business’s bookkeeping to an online bookkeeper. This approach is a cost-effective alternative to hiring an in-house bookkeeper.
Why Outsourcing Bookkeeping is Important for a Small Business
Bookkeeping is a critical part of any business for legal and financial management reasons. Accurate records allow you to assess the financial health of your business at a glance. It also assists your accountant when it is time to analyze financial data and recommendations for spending and strategize for future growth. Additionally, it’s vital to have accurate bookkeeping practices in place if you ever need to respond to the IRS regarding inquiries or audits.
The following are some of the benefits of outsourcing bookkeeping for your small business:
1. All financial transactions are accurately recorded.
Every small business owner must know where cash comes from and where it goes. Bookkeeping makes this crystal clear. For example, you can quickly determine how much your business spent on office supplies or how lucrative a given client or customer is for your business. And don’t overlook the importance of accurate records when it comes to resolving discrepancies like those that can occur between employees, vendors, or customers.
2. Spending analysis helps streamline budgeting for your business.
Expense analysis allows you to adjust your businesses’ budget quickly and easily. You can examine financial statements to determine the products, services, and industries that help you generate maximum revenue. You can also identify expenses that were once justifiable but no longer serve your business plan. Perhaps your marketing in the local newspaper generated income at one point, but online advertising is more profitable for your company in today’s market.
3. Filing taxes is easier.
Tax time is stressful for any business. However, bookkeeping eliminates the need to sift through piles of receipts, invoices, and documents to gather information. Proper bookkeeping ensures that information is organized all year long.
4. Your records are accurate in the event of an IRS audit.
While the chances of an audit for a small business are low, there’s always the chance of an audit no matter how compliant your business is with current tax laws. Thorough bookkeeping is your first line of defense when and if the IRS decides to audit your company. Organized bookkeeping records allow you to answer the IRS’s questions about any financial aspect of your business.
5. Cash flow is managed correctly and accurately.
The top concern of any small business is cash flow. By outsourcing your businesses’ bookkeeping, you mitigate the challenge of monitoring cash flow because you keep track of cash moving in and out of your business. At a glance, your bookkeeper can tell you how much profit your business generates and if it’s sufficient for paying your business expenses. This benefit can save you headaches in the long run because it allows you to be proactive, not reactive, by garnering a line of credit or seeking other assistance if needed.
Realizing the importance of bookkeeping in running your business can provide peace of mind that allows you to do what is most important – manage the day-to-day operation of your business. Contact us now for reliable bookkeeping services.