A great bookkeeper can be a real asset to your business, and in this guide we look at just some of the qualities that make for a great one, including attention to detail, accurately being able to estimate costs and value for money.

In the second of this two-part post, we look at five more vital assets of a great bookkeeper.

1. Experience in your industry: Different industries have different financial regulations, and whilst a more than capable bookkeeper will have good general experience, a great bookkeeper will possess experience relevant to your business.
2. Ability to estimate costs accurately: A great bookkeeper will … Continue Reading
   

A great bookkeeper can be a real asset to your business, and in this guide we look at just some of the qualities that make for a great one, including attention to detail, accurately being able to estimate costs and value for money.

In this two-part post, we look at the ten vital assets of a great bookkeeper. Here are our first five:

1. Value for money: Most businesses hire a bookkeeper in an attempt to save both time and money, thus allowing them to concentrate on other areas of the business. A great bookkeeper will demonstrate immediate value for money in … Continue Reading
   

Record keeping isn’t an exciting part of business, but it is an essential one if you want to stay trading smoothly and on the right side of the taxman.

In this guide, we cover the bookkeeping basics that every small business owner should know, from simple steps like keeping receipts together, to the more complex business of categorising your financial records.

The three files you must keep

As a minimum, you should keep a cash book, a sales invoice file and a purchase invoice file. Your cash book details payments in and out of your bank account, your sales invoice file details … Continue Reading

If you’re a sole trader or small business, chances are you’re looking after your own books.

To keep things simple, many small business owners use accounting software to help them keep an accurate record of their incomings and outgoings, and to make it easier to file their tax returns at the end of the financial year.

But what’s the right accounting software for you? This guide details the factors to consider when choosing accounting software, and explains how to ensure that it is tailored to your requirements:

What does accounting software do?

Accounting software packages are computer-based programmes designed to simplify the bookkeeping … Continue Reading

The tax-return deadline has been and gone and for many, getting everything in order for the dreaded day of reckoning, was a tedious ordeal. To avoid a headache in 2011, a belated New Year’s resolution should be to keep your books up-to-date for a stress free year-end.

For small businesses, keeping track of cash flow can be a struggle. With limited staff, or none at all, keeping on top of accounting often falls by the wayside in busy periods.

There are some simple steps you can take to make sure your business finances start, and end, 2010 in order.

• Set up a … Continue Reading