If you’re a small business owner, it’s essential to stay on top of your finances. This means keeping track of your income and expenses and ensuring that your books are in order.
Unfortunately, bookkeeping can be a lot of work – especially if you don’t have any experience. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or just don’t have the time to do it yourself, then it’s time to consider hiring a bookkeeping service.
Here are signs, 6 of them in fact, that it’s time to seek professional help with your bookkeeping:
1. Your invoices and payments are lagging behind
Sometimes, doing your books is straightforward. But other times, it can feel like you’re constantly playing catch up. If you find that your invoices and payments are always lagging, it might be time to hire a bookkeeper.
Invoices going unpaid or failing to collect payments can significantly impact your business. Bookkeepers can help you stay on top of your finances, and they can also offer advice on how to improve your billing and payment processes.
2. You don’t have time for bookkeeping
Being a small business owner means wearing a lot of hats. You might be responsible for sales, marketing, customer service, and more. Bookkeeping can easily fall by the wayside when trying to do everything yourself.
If you just don’t have the time to keep up with your bookkeeping, it’s time to hire a professional. Bookkeepers will primarily focus on your finances and free up your time to focus on other aspects of your business.
3. You’re not sure where your money is going
Are you spending too much on office supplies? Are you shelling out too much for inventory? If you’re not sure where your money is, it’s time to get help.
It can be challenging to get things back on track when things start wrong. Pros who offer bookkeeping services can help you take a close look at your expenses, and they can offer advice on how to reduce your spending.
4. You don’t have a budget
Running a business without a proper budget is like driving without a map. You might be able to get by for a while, but eventually, you’ll run into some trouble.
If you don’t have a budget, it’s time to sit down with a certified professional bookkeeper and create one. The main purpose of a bookkeeper is to track your income and expenses, and they can also offer advice on where you should be spending your money.
Creating a budget is an essential part of running a successful business, and it’s something that you should delegate to a professional.
5. Your cash flows are a mess
Cash flows are the lifeblood of any business. If your cash flows are a mess, it will be tough to keep your business afloat.
The bookkeeper’s duties include tracking your income and expenses and reconciling your bank statements. This will give you a clear picture of where your money is coming in and going out, and it will help you identify any potential problems.
Contact the pros in bookkeeping services if you’re not sure how to fix your cash flow problems or just don’t have the time to do it.
6. Tax season is always stressful
As a small business owner, do you dread tax season? If you find yourself pulling your hair out come April for filing taxes, it might be time to get some help as paying your taxes can be done year round depending on your start of the fiscal year.
Here is a free tax checklist for Canadian business owners to be used as an accumulation of all basic and critical documents required to help gather an updated set of records for your yearly tax filing.
You may use this tax checklist to keep your documents ready for your bookkeeper or accountant.
Delegate your bookkeeping
Bookkeeping services for small businesses can help you stay organized throughout the year, and they can also prepare your tax documents for you. This will save you a lot of time and stress come tax season. It will also ensure that you’re in the right standing with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
About Accountero
Accountero is a “built for founders” financial hub for growth-focused startups. We simplify the accounting process for business owners. Get access to human-driven, tech-powered bookkeeping services, one-click access to advisors to help you save on taxes, as well as high-level reports to identify areas of growth potential. Talk to us today about your accounting needs.
Accountero is a tech-powered service provider offering bookkeeping, tax advisory and fractional CFO. Accountero is not a public accounting firm and does not offer services that require a public accounting practice license.