subject: Small Business Bookkeeping : A Short Guide [print this page] Small Business Bookkeeping : A Short Guide
Bookkeeping records are required for every small business. These records are for tax purposes and need to represent income, profit and expenses. For every business there are three ways in which they can complete these records. They can do it themselves, they can hire a bookkeeper or they can use special software. For a small business owner to take care of their own bookkeeping they need to be well versed in tax laws and be able to work well with numbers. The hardest part will usually be knowing the financial regulations for whichever country they are within but once this is understood the process itself can be relatively easy for somebody who is able to successfully run a business already. When it comes to personally taking care of your own bookkeeping the main drawback is the chance of making a mistake. You may mislay certain documents or simply read one wrongly. If this happens you will likely declare false information and as such be liable for some sort of penalty or fine. There is also the fact that a business owner will likely be unaware of certain intricacies in the law that can allow them to save money over time. With the proper advice they will probably be able to save on tax.
Using bookkeeping software certainly makes bookkeeping an easier for task for businesses to do themselves. Specialist software guides users through the process and lets them know exactly what information and figures they need to input. The output, i.e. the finished reports and statements, will also be sure to in an acceptable format, with everything that needs to be there being there and being in the right place. However, bookkeeping software although designed to be as easy as possible can still be a complicated affair, particularly for somebody who has not used it before or is not well versed with computers. There is also the possibility you will make mistakes, although you are told what information needs to go where, the software is not able to determine if the information you have input is a mistake or not, which means you can suffer the same fines and penalties for mistakes as you would if you had done it manually and made mistakes. The third option, which is hiring a bookkeeper, is obviously the most convenient and the best way to avoid mistakes being made. The only downside to it is the extra cost that will be incurred, however, in the long run can actually work out to be the most cost effective method. Why? Because business owners can focus on making money rather than fiddling around with figures and there is almost no chance of any fines being incurred for not following financial regulations.
