Accounting for Small Businesses: A Comprehensive Guide to Financial Management

Every financial transaction should have a line item in the general ledger, which tracks everything in one place. The general ledger notates the account number to which the debit or credit is applied. The best accounting software automates a lot of the process in journal entries for regular debits and credits to help eliminate possible errors in data entry.

Choose your accounting method (cash or accrual)

The best bookkeeping software syncs with your business bank account and payroll systems so that you’re easily able to import and export transaction history. We’ll cover some of the best business bookkeeping software options a little later. The financial statements which include the income statement, statement of changes in equity, balance sheet, statement of cash flow and notes are the end products of the accounting system. Accounting is popularly regarded as “the language of business” because it doesn’t just help you keep track of your money, but also helps you make informed decisions about your business.

1. For more ideas on small business accounting, watch this Introduction to Accounting video from the Intuit Academy Bookkeeping Professional Certificate.
2. Their primary job is to help clients with their taxes so they can avoid paying too much or too little in federal income or state income taxes.
3. It’s important to have a sound business case when you are applying for a business loan to increase the likelihood that a bank or other lender will approve your loan and offer a good rate.
4. To create this chart, you’d first organize your accounts into specific categories, then further break your organization down into relevant subaccounts.
5. Accounting is the process of keeping track of your business’s financial transactions.

This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals. For more ideas on small business accounting, watch this Introduction to Accounting video from the Intuit Academy Bookkeeping Professional Certificate.

Analyzing Financial Transactions

Though often confused for each other, there are key differences between bookkeeping and accounting. At its core, bookkeeping is about recording financial data, while accounting is about interpreting financial data. Remember that if you have employees, you’ll also need to account for payroll tax. If you’re unsure about your tax obligations, you may want to talk to a professional accountant or tax expert for advice. Alternatively, as you set up your accounting software, you should see a list of optional financial accounts for you to add to your chart of accounts and general ledger. With that caveat in mind, here’s a quick overview of the two types—and which type certain businesses are legally required to use.

For example, if you need to save a copy of a document separately from other files, you may put it in its password-protected folder inside your document management software. Letting someone else handle your accounting means you have one less thing to worry about. Instead of crunching numbers, you’ll be free to focus on other federal income tax calculator tasks that are necessary to run or scale your business.

Hiring an In-House Accountant

When setting up accounting for startups, you need to choose a method of recording financial transactions. There are basically two methods of recording income and expenses – the cash basis and the accrual basis of accounting. Open a business bank account and business credit card and run all your business’s income and expenses through those accounts rather than your personal checking account or credit voodoo accounting face tattoos card. A separate bank account makes it much easier to have a clean record of business transactions.

Small Business Bookkeeping (2024 Guide)

Many of the operations are automated in the software, making it easy to get accurate debits and credits entered. When you have a small business, you’re responsible for paying taxes on your income and profits. Software programs, apps, and tools can save your business time and potentially money if you’re able to ensure more accurate accounting. Using a software program can also eliminate the need to retain a full-time accountant, which can add to your business expenses. Financial statements can yield valuable insights into how well your small business manages its income and expenses. You’ll also need the three parts of a cash flow statement to present up-to-date financial statements to lenders if you plan to apply for small business financing at some point.