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Your bookkeeper/accountant should be one of the people you most frequently are in contact with, whether it’s making a phone call, sending an email, or sitting one-on-one. It’s vital you communicate the ins and outs of your business on a regular basis - we’d like to say daily, but we know weekly is more realistic. Your bookkeeper can’t do their job if you aren’t constantly keeping them updated with receipts, new employee payroll information, and beyond. The question is: what information should you be relaying?

Scoping out prospective clients and winning them over may seem like the hard part of getting new business, but that’s only the beginning. You also need to keep that business, which is done by keeping your clients happy. How can you do that? There are some very simple things you can do to keep your clients content and satisfied. 

Your books will either be your best friend or your worst nightmare. Depending on much attention you give them, they’ll treat you accordingly. They’ll help you only as much as you allow. The information you feed them, and how often, makes all the difference. Some common bookkeeping questions being with, “how often should I…” Let’s ensure you and your books are on the same page.

How often should I be adding to my books?

Truthfully, you should be adding to your books every single time there is a cost or income. However, that’s just not always realistic. We recommend sitting down daily, bi-weekly, or weekly. If you sit down for a few minutes at the end of the day or week, to enter your debits and credits, this will ensure your books have the latest numbers and are as up-to-date as possible.

How often should I see my bookkeeper?

If you don’t do your own books, it is vital to communicate with your bookkeeper. Your bookkeeper can only do so much if you’re not consistent in communication, whether it’s phone or email. So long as you are sending your bookkeeper fresh information, keeping them in the loop, it is not necessary to meet with your bookkeeper very often. Reaching out on a regular basis (we’re talking weekly or bi-weekly) can do wonders for your books.

How often do I need to run reports?

We recommend running reports monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually. Running reports, like profit and

There’s only one surefire way to help your bookkeeper/accountant help you: COMMUNICATE! Without voicing your opinions, concerns, comments, or appreciation, we will assume everything is fine. Open communication is vital to every thriving relationship, it’s no different for your relationship with your bookkeeper/accountant.

Accounting is an essential component of every business regardless of size. It’s important to keep in mind the basic do’s and don’t’s of accounting that not everyone may know, but should! These are common and often unnoticed mistakes that can lead to future problems.

Cash Flow vs. Profit

Don’t assume that profit also means there’s cash flow. What’s the difference? Cash flow is the inflow and outflow of money while profit is the extra money left over after expenses are deducted. It would be nice to assume that profit leads to cash flow, but that could give you a distorted view of how well (or not) your business is doing.

Bad Bookkeeping Records and Communication

Not taking your bookkeeping seriously nor communicating with your bookkeeper enough are simple mistakes that need to be avoided. Effective bookkeeping begins with recording each and every transaction. This includes not forgetting to record small transactions—these add up over time. Not only should your transactions be recorded, but they should be categorized. Organization is important for accurate records.

To have these transactions recorded appropriately and accurately, you must communicate with your bookkeeper on a regular basis. They should know what is going on within your business. Not enough communication can lead to unreliable records, as well as more work for both you and your bookkeeper. By avoiding these bookkeeping mistakes, you will be given a more reliable picture of where your business stands.

Em