4 Small Business Accounting Tips For Australian Business Owners

Finding new clients, servicing existing customers, managing staff, dealing with suppliers and vendors, marketing your products or services, processing financial activities; the list of daily tasks you need to perform as a small business owner is never-ending.

That’s part of the job.

But one of your most important tasks is to ensure your business makes a profit. To do so, you need to be on top of your accounting, keep track of your expenses and income and comply with taxation regulations.

And unless you’re an accountant, bookkeeping and accounting tasks can be daunting.

That’s why to streamline the process and ensure your business continues to run smoothly, we’ve shared below four best practices that will prevent unforeseen cash flow issues.

How To Manage Your Business' Accounting

Separate Business And Personal Expenses

If you want to streamline the accounting process and prevent any cash flow issues, opening a business bank account is the first step. This will allow you to clearly separate your business expenses from your personal expenses and make it much easier for you to understand your financial standing and adjust your strategy accordingly.

And it will also significantly simplify the process when tax time comes, and you need to report your earnings and claim deductions.

Create A Budget

Creating a budget is a must for any business plan.

That’s because having a clear plan, including revenue projections and anticipated expenses for the year, will help you budget accordingly and stay on top of your finances. One of the best ways to go about your budget is to break it down monthly. This way, you can spread major expenses, such as replacing equipment or paying taxes, over the year instead of spending a big sum of money at once and significantly impacting your cash flow.

In addition to allowing for major purchases, your monthly budget should also take into consideration seasonal cash flow. Doing so will enable you to save away during busy months and ensure the smooth running of your operations even during the slowest months.

Use Accounting Software

60% of Australian small businesses fail within three years of inception, and one of the main reasons is poor financial management. Not understanding how to manage your cash flow and keep up with your financial responsibilities could cost you your business. 

So, even though investing in accounting software is another outlay you have to add to your long list of expenses, it’s an investment that will help your company thrive in the future. Not only will accounting software speed up and streamline the process for you, but it will also ensure you’re managing your cash flow efficiently and free up some precious time for you to concentrate on growing your business.

Some of the best accounting software for small businesses include Xero, Intuit Quickbooks, and MYOB.

Buy The Right Business Insurance

Whether you run a beauty salon, a cleaning company, or a gym, if one of your customers gets injured on your premises or their property gets damaged due to your operations, you could be found liable. This means that you would have to pay hefty compensation fees, including medical and legal costs. And this could put tremendous financial pressure on your business and lead to bankruptcy. 

That’s why investing in business insurance is so critical. 

At upcover, we specialise in protecting small business owners like you against expensive claims. To find a policy tailored to your business needs, don’t hesitate to check out our instant quote generator, where you can get an estimate on market-leading insurance in seconds. 

Simply enter your occupation and expected revenue to get started.