When you hear the word “budget,” what do you think about? Most people would say something similar to “Ugghh!” If you would rather do just about anything besides create a budget, you’re not alone. The word “budget” brings up connotations of endless numbers, constraints, the opposite of freedom and creativity, and hard work, none of which are very desirable. Yet, the benefits of a budget are huge. Budgets can help you with … [Read more...]
Need an A/R Makeover? A Quick, 5-Item Best Practice Checklist
Technology has allowed businesses to make substantial improvements in their customer invoicing processes. The good news is that when you implement these technologies, you will almost always get paid much faster.If it’s been a few years since the last time you’ve changed your accounts receivable processes, it’s time for a new look. Here are five tips you can use to rate your own invoicing process.1.Invoice CreationThe best way … [Read more...]
Five Ways to Protect your Cash
As entrepreneurs, we work hard for our money, and the last thing we need is to have it disappear due to fraud, hackers, or identity theft. Some people have called 2013 the year of the hacker, which is worrisome. But you’re far more likely to experience risks with disgruntled or financially desperate employees and contractors. Mistakes happen, too, and when they do it can be costly to get them corrected. Here are five ways … [Read more...]
Five Hidden Talents of Your Accountant
When you think of an accountant’s duties, you might think about traditional tasks, such as tax preparation, bookkeeping, and financial statement preparation. Here are five additional tasks that accountants can help with that you might not think of. 1. Evaluating Current Accounting Employees How can you know if your accounting employee is a star that does everything right, is organized, and is fast or if you’ve accidentally … [Read more...]
Seven Year-End Adjustments to Make to Your Books
Year-end is coming up for many businesses, and it’d be nice to know what your final revenue and profit numbers will be for the year. Before we can calculate these key numbers, there are year-end adjustments that may need to be made to your books that will change the numbers. Here are seven common ones. Bonuses It’s great to give bonuses to employees at year-end, but it’s not so great to forget about the tax part of it. … [Read more...]