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When working in your books, you need to know exactly what the numbers mean. Often times people know the general meaning of a term like, “profit” but don’t actually know how it’s different from “revenue” or how the two affect each other.

Your profit is how much money your business has made from the sales of your goods and services or from things like fees or interest during a specific time period. For example, you could look at your profit from April to see how much money you made during those 30 days. If you sent out invoices for a total of $35,000 from April 1 - 30, then your profit

When setting up your books, you must first manage your accounts. The word “account” in bookkeeping doesn’t refer to bank accounts, which one might first think. It actually refers to the different kinds of transactions made, which will all be grouped into their rightful place, a.k.a. “account.” Keep this in mind moving forward. Some examples of accounts are sales, payroll, and inventory, just to name a few.

There’s so many “what not to do’s” with your money that sometimes you’re not really sure what to do with it at all! Part of running a business is being able to control where your cash goes and how it’s being used. Being proactive and preparing for the future is the best course of action when it comes to running a business. Don’t let surprise expenses stress you out. Instead, beat them to the punch. 

Spring has finally arrived! The sun is shining, birds are chirping, and…your books are a mess. It’s time for some major spring cleaning! Just like you do with your house, you also need to do with your books. Leave your Lysol where it’s at, instead grab some coffee and get to cleaning!

Your books need to be accurate, so everything you’ll be doing will to be to maintain accuracy and up-to-date records. Are your accounts reconciled? Do your books match what’s in your bank account? If the answer is no, it’s time to make these yes’s. Verify that all expenses are assigned to the correct accounts. This will help you avoid any “oops” moments you may run into in your books.

Bookkeeping is the silent hero of your business. It’s solid and reliable. It keeps you grounded, anchoring you down in one place when things become chaotic. Many factors may influence your business, but the numbers don’t lie. The numbers are the black and white of your business, the “this is it” aspect that cannot be twisted.

Why not bring this anchor into your home? You don’t need a computer - grab a notebook and start recording money in and money out. Keep it simple. Break it down per month, record your expenses, your income, everything. At the end of the month, do the math and see if you came out ahead or behind.

The best thing any business can do is simplify and consolidate all their work into more manageable and efficient loads. This can seem like an impossible task but there are ways to do so, and we have the answers! Why overwork yourself when there are tools for you to use that will keep you motivated and energized during the work day instead of burnt out and dragged down? Below are four online tools every small and medium-sized business should utilize for maximum productivity and efficiency - we use/have used all of them!

Expensify.com

Accounting and bookkeeping are both essential components to every business, no matter the size. They are services necessary for businesses to grow, thrive, and survive. But, what’s the difference between them? Although accounting and bookkeeping share similar goals, they each help you during different stages of your financial cycle.