Automating Your Bookkeeping Needs
By Pam Saul, CB of Saul Bookkeeping
It’s time to automate your books. You know it, your customers know it, your vendors know it and your CPA knows it. You can no longer keep all your bookkeeping needs in your head. You forgot about shipping those packages for your customer two months ago, and now you feel it is too late to send a bill for it. You’ve been late on your credit card payments three times and have racked up finance charges and late fees. And your CPA has to file an extension again on your taxes because you can’t get your books organized and ready.
You've reached your breaking point.
But what’s next? And how do you fix this?
By automating your books, that’s how! Here at Saul Bookkeeping we utilize QuickBooks, the #1 financial software in the marketplace. With both desktop and online versions available there's something suited to businesses of all shapes and sizes. Including YOUR business.
Many people ask when is a good time to start utilizing QuickBooks? The beginning of the year is ideal so that your records are all in one place for the entire tax period. This means that since we are getting ready for the 4th quarter, now is a good time to get things in place so that you are ready for the upcoming new year.
Starting now gives you the time to be able to get your accounts set up in the system so that you are ready to start off the new year on the right foot. There are several things to think about as you get things set up. For example, do you want to track utilities or set up separate accounts for electric and water? How do you want to categorize your services? Do you want to track your hours in QuickBooks or import from a different software? This is when utilizing the services of a professional bookkeeper can come in handy as they will be able to ensure that you’re not skipping any important steps.
Now is also a good time to review your financial accounts. Are you running your business expenses through your personal checking and credit card accounts? If so, now is a good time to go to the bank and set up a separate business account. This is important as if you undergo an IRS audit, this will be a determining factor when deciding if you are running a true business or a hobby.
Once these are set up, you can link your online business bank accounts to your QuickBooks, which will allow you to bring in transactions directly from the bank. You won’t have to manually write checks in the QuickBooks register. Instead, these will be automatically recorded for you. Payments can be sent out from QuickBooks and will automatically be recorded in the system, which will help you not miss recording a vendor payment.
You can automate your billing by sending out invoices by email, which is also more eco-friendly! And you can accept online payments. No more putting handwritten invoices in the mail and then waiting for checks to be mailed back to you!
Spending time now to set this up will help you begin the new year in a much better financial situation. You’ll have a better idea of your cash status, get paid faster by your customers, and have a better relationship with your vendors. All from automating your books!
If you’d like to learn more about how Saul Bookkeeping can help, please contact me at pam@saulbookkeeping.com for your FREE 30-minute consultation.