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April 21, 2020 Accounts, Bookkeeping

How Do You Invoice During A Crisis?

It’s not easy to request payment right now, but it is important to keep cash flowing into your business so you can cover expenses and meet your obligations to others. As with all business dealings right now, a little empathy and a lot of open communication can go a long way.

The following tips might be useful to keep in mind when you are asking for payment.

Communication – Connecting with your customers is important. Try to make it personal to their situation rather than a one-size-fits-all email. Connecting on a more personal level shows you value them and are conscious of the impacts that the current situation may be having on them. The empathy you show now will also be remembered when business returns to normal. Be proactive – early communication will help you stay on top of cash flow and will also alert you, if you need to account for late payments.

Add value – Use your expertise to give something back. Surprise and delight your customers by offering something over and above your usual services. It could be as simple letting customers know you want to help and being open to requests, offering a one-off discount or an offer just to chat one to one.

Offer flexible payment options – for customers who can’t pay in full, consider breaking invoices into multiple payments with payment terms moved to a longer timeframe. Set up a credit card facility to give customers other options for payment. After all, the easier you can make it for them to pay you, the quicker you will get paid. If you don’t have payment services set up in your Xero account, we can help you do this. Offering a discount for early payment might provide the incentive for customers who can settle, to pay your invoice before others.

Keeping cash flow going is vital for your business so the earlier you can communicate with customers the better.

April 8, 2020 Accounts, COVID-19, Uncategorized

How To keep Your Business Running During An Emergency

‘Business continuity’ is the process of planning out how your company can continue trading – when disaster hits. In essence, it’s your Plan B for how to set up a means of trading, when you don’t have access to your usual offices, workspaces or equipment. Right now businesses are having to put ‘Plan B’ into action.

10 key elements to include for your ongoing business continuity plan

Digital communication and cloud technology have given us the ability to access company information, applications and communication channels. For many businesses this will allow you to keep at least some of your usual day-to-day operations ticking over.

However, there are a host of important business areas that you need to consider when developing your company strategy to deal with an emergency situation.

Here are 10 important elements to factor into your business continuity plan:

Location and workspace – Does everyone in the business have a good internet connection for remote working? Make sure you agree on the guidelines for maintaining workflow. Schedule regular online catch ups to check in and agree on the priorities.
Key products or services – which products and/or services will you be able to offer? For the business to continue trading, you need to identify a core set of products/services. Review which product/services will bring in the required revenue and cashflow, and which activities in the business should therefore be classed as essential.
Key staff and resources – who are the core people you need for the company to operate? Based on your decisions regarding essential activities, identify who your key management and staff members are. Think about how much resource is needed to trade, how you’ll get approvals and sign-off and what critical knowledge needs to be shared within the team.
Key contacts and connections – who are your main stakeholders outside the business? And which of these are vital to the running of your business? Make a list of your key suppliers, service providers, property contacts and customers and ensure you can have open communication with all these connections. Also, look at alternative suppliers so you can minimise any disruption to your operations.
IT equipment, data and infrastructure – what equipment, tools and software do you need to continue working? Essential hardware and software will include laptops, tablets or smartphones for your staff, paired with cloud services, video conferencing, communication apps and effective, secure access to your customer and business data.
Plant and manufacturing equipment for essential businesses – if you’re a bricks and mortar business, or a product-based manufacturing business, what equipment do you need to carry on your operations? This will include any machinery, hardware equipment and vehicles needed to manage the essential operations you’ve identified for the business.
Financial management – how will you access your key financial numbers during any outage? It’s sensible to move to a cloud-based accounting system NOW, so you have continuous, uninterrupted access to your financials. A platform like Xero online accounting allows you and your advisers to see those all-important figures.
Cashflow management – how are you going to ensure you maintain a positive cashflow position? We can help put a process in place to run regular cashflow statements. Use forecasting to project your cashflow position forward in time – so you can take proactive action to avoid any cash gaps in the near future.
Insurance – does your current business insurance policy cover you for all emergency situations? Review all your existing insurance policies so you understand what your policy covers. Securing the business in all scenarios should be your focus here.
Leadership – who could take over if you (the owner/MD/CEO), is left unable to run the business? Having a nominated deputy, with a clearly defined chain of command, means you can be confident that the company will be in safe hands, even if you’re indisposed.

February 26, 2020 Accounts, BAS, Bookkeeping

Common BAS Errors Will Impact Your Business

Most activity statement errors are unintentional – even so, such errors can have a big impact on your Business Activity Statement. Unintentional errors may result in you paying too much GST or not enough. Whether you lodge the BAS yourself or whether you use our services to lodge, it’s useful to understand some of the inadvertent inaccuracies that can happen.

Here are some tips to help avoid the most common mistakes we see on the BAS.

Before preparing the BAS

Allocate all transactions in your accounting software to the correct expense or income account.
Make sure you reconcile your accounting software to your actual bank balance to ensure you haven’t missed or duplicated transactions.
If you use point-of-sale software and clearing accounts, check that you are not declaring the same income twice.
Set aside time to prepare the BAS so you have plenty of time to manage cash flow obligations ahead of the BAS payment due date.

Reviewing the BAS

The most common errors involve incorrect tax codes. Bank fees, donations, certain registrations, interest and ASIC fees are GST free.
Check overseas purchases; many well known online vendors are now registered for GST in Australia, however many of the smaller overseas vendors may not be, so they should still be GST free.
Similarly, some payment gateway services have GST on their fees and some don’t; check if you can claim GST.
Check that you have included stamp duty on insurance policies; as this is a government duty, no GST is payable.
If you have bought a vehicle, check that you have not claimed more than the ATO car limit of GST for this financial year.
Make sure you haven’t double claimed GST on both the vehicle purchase and repayments.
Don’t include salary, PAYGW or superannuation as a purchase on your BAS. Salary and PAYGW are reported separately on the BAS. Superannuation is not reported on the BAS at all.
Do include cash purchases and income. Cash transactions should be recorded in your accounting software.
Check the GST registration of any contractors you pay and check that you have not claimed GST if they are not registered.
If you transfer money between related entities or bank accounts, check that these transactions do not have GST as they are excluded from BAS reporting.
Although your business may purchase goods and services for private use, you may not claim GST on these.
Remember, you need a valid tax invoice for every business purchase over $82.50 including GST.

Accurate Activity Statements

There are many more potential issues with BAS reporting, but these are the most common and easily fixed. If your business is growing in complexity, or if the compliance obligations are becoming challenging, we’ll help you make BAS effortless and accurate every time.

Contact our team of professional bookkeepers now.

February 5, 2020 Accounts, Bookkeeping

How Healthy Is Your Working Capital?

We all know that cash is king when it comes to business success, but what exactly is ‘working capital’ and how does this financial metric help measure the health of your business?

Working capital is made up of the cash and assets that are available in the business to fund your operations and keep you trading. It’s worked out by taking your current assets (the things you own) away from your current liabilities (the things you owe to other people).

So, why is working capital such a critical metric?

Having the liquid capital needed to trade

It’s possible for your business to be busy, successful and profitable, but for your cash position to still be in poor health – and that can have a serious impact.

If you can’t readily convert your assets into liquid cash, it’s a struggle to meet your cashflow goals, pay your bills and fund your day-to-day operations. But with the optimum level of working capital, you strengthen your balance sheet and put the company in a solid financial position.

To achieve this healthy level of working capital you’ll need to:

Proactively manage your cashflow – cashflow feeds your working capital by pumping liquid cash into the company and keeping the balance between assets and liabilities in a strong position. But to achieve this, it’s vital to achieve a positive cashflow position, where your cash inflows are greater than your cash outflows. This means getting paid on time, lowering your outgoings and keeping a close eye on your ongoing cash position.
Monitor and forecast your financial position – running regular financial reports helps you stay in control of your finances. With careful monitoring and forecasting of your cash position, you can ensure you don’t end up in a negative cashflow position, without the requisite working capital to trade and fund the next stage in your business plan. Cloud accounting software and business intelligence apps have made it easier than ever to create up-to-date, real-time reports and run dashboards that show your key metrics.
Use additional finance when required – if working capital is looking thin on the ground, then additional funding may be needed to bolster your balance sheet. Short-term finance options (such as overdraft extensions or invoice finance) and longer-term business loans can be needed to keep working capital on an equilibrium.

Talk to us about optimising your working capital

Working closely with your bookkeeper is vital if you want to promote the ideal level of working capital in the business. We can help manage your cashflow, monitor your financial metrics and provide access to additional finance and funding when your capital needs a boost.

Get in touch to start maximising your working capital.

October 23, 2019 Accounts, Bookkeeping, End of Financial Year

Understanding Your Balance Sheet

To understand the financial position of a business at a specific point of time, look at the balance sheet. The balance sheet may also be called the statement of financial position. Together with the Profit and Loss Statement and possibly other reports such as the Statement of Cash-flow, these reports provide a complete understanding of the financial position and business performance.

So what’s involved? – The balance sheet has three sections: assets, liabilities and equity.

What are Assets?

Assets are things and resources that a company owns. They have current and/or future value and can be measured in currency.

Assets may be subdivided on the balance sheet into bank accounts, current assets, (receivable within one year), fixed assets, inventory, non-current (or long term) assets, intangible assets and prepayments.

These include banks and other financial accounts held, accounts receivable (trade debtors), supplier deposits or bonds, stock on hand, property, equipment, vehicles, investments and intellectual property. All of these can be translated into monetary value.

What are Liabilities?

Liabilities are amounts owed to suppliers and other creditors for goods or services already received. Liabilities may also include amounts received in advance for future services yet to be provided by the business.

Liabilities are generally subdivided into current (payable within one year) and non-current liabilities.

These include accounts payable (trade creditors), payroll obligations (salaries, taxes, superannuation), interest, customer deposits received, warranties and loans.

What is Equity?

Equity includes owner funds contributed, drawings, retained earnings and stocks. The value of the equity equals assets minus liabilities.

Transactions that affect profit and loss accounts also affect balance sheet accounts. For example, providing a service increases the accounts receivable balance, which therefore increases the equity.

The Balance Sheet Equation

The balance sheet must always balance! Asset value = liabilities + equity.

For example, if you buy a new vehicle for the business at say $50,000, having paid a $10,000 deposit and taking out a $40,000 loan, the value of fixed assets increases by $50k, but the bank asset value decreases by the $10k deposit paid. The value of liabilities increases by $40k loan, thus leaving the balance sheet balanced on both sides of the equation.

The balance sheet equation shows you how much money you would have left over if you paid all your bills and debts and sold all your assets at a given date. This amount is the Owner’s Equity.

Note that the balance sheet equity total is not necessarily how much the business is worth at market value. Assets are listed on the balance sheet at their transaction value, which may be very different from the market value. Some assets may be worth more and others may depreciate in value. Business value is calculated not just on the balance sheet figures but many other factors.

Need more information?

Talk to us. Get the complete picture of your business performance and financial position, regardless of what stage of business you are at.

October 16, 2019 Accounts, Bookkeeping

Keeping on Top of Overdue Accounts

How long do your customers take to pay you?

A Xero Small Business Insights report showed that late payments to small businesses are improving. But overall, payments often still arrive after due date.

Keeping on top of overdue accounts is vital for cashflow. There are some easy things you can put in place today to reduce the payment time-frame in your business.

Send your invoices straight away – give your customer the ability to pay you promptly.
Include all the details your customers need in order to make the payment – such as a customer purchase order to make their administration easier. Make sure you include your payment due date.
Consider a prompt payment discount – even if it is a small percentage, it can be a motivating factor.
Follow up straight away – if your invoice is overdue, send a friendly reminder straight away. You can set this up in your cloud accounting software, so it’s automatic. The longer you leave your follow up reminder, the easier it is for your invoice to drop down the priority list.
Make sure you are talking to the right person – if you creditor is a business, find out who is responsible for accounts and build a relationship with them.
Pick up the phone – If the invoice is overdue, a friendly chat may have more impact than another email in the inbox. After your phone call, follow up with an email to confirm what you agreed.
Be ready with a solution – to clear the debt, can you start with part payment? Does the next order get part paid up front?

Reducing the average time-frame on payments for your business will help with your overall business health. Start with a straight forward system, clear credit terms and good communication with creditors.

Not sure where to start, give us a call.

October 9, 2019 Accounts, Bookkeeping, End of Financial Year, Uncategorized

Get Strategy at the Heart of your Successful Business

Businesses that have clear objectives or goals, robust accountability and a shared sense of purpose should always outperform those that just show up and go through the motions.

Strategy lies at the heart of most successful businesses. To achieve this you need to resource and execute with purpose. Few businesses have a strategic plan or a robust planning process. Changing this situation should be a top priority! Here are two top tips for business owners.

1. Process Creates the Plan

Getting strategy at the heart of your success will require you to carve out some time, get a process started and shake things up. There’s no better time to review and tweak your business model, future-proof compelling services and to get your strategic building blocks in place.

Just as every good strategy has key elements, every good plan needs a step-by-step process. In fact, the process is often just as important as the plan itself. A strategic planning retreat with your core team is a great way to start the process – find a spot offsite to get the creative juices flowing such as a beach, a park, or vineyard and set an agenda.

2. Key elements of an effective strategy

The key elements in a good strategy normally incorporate:

Vision – this is a statement that identifies what a company would like to achieve or accomplish.
Values – these are the fundamental beliefs upon which your business and its behaviour are based. They are the guiding principles that your business uses to manage its internal affairs as well as its relationship with customers.
Objectives – short term, long term. These should be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timebound)
KPIs – stands for Key Performance Indicators. These are measurable values that demonstrate how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives.
Actions – what needs to be done to meet the objectives? Make this simple and clear.
Owners – delegating tasks to specific owners to ensure follow through and accountability.
Deadlines – when your actions will be complete to ensure you make progress.

It doesn’t need to be much more complicated than that, but do invest the time and effort in doing this right. A proactive, value-add strategic model will need fresh thinking, debate, research and open conversations. Enjoy and embrace the process and you should end up with a good outcome.

Great planning requires a guide, facilitator and/or professional expertise to be as robust as possible. We can help your business and guide you through the steps.

Putting strategy at the heart of your business activity should not only give your business greater direction and focus but lead to stimulating, profitable opportunities too. It’s time to get started!

September 12, 2019 Accounts, Bookkeeping

Choosing a new business bank account?

A business bank account is an essential requirement for any business. But with so many banking providers out there, how do you know which business account to choose?

The key is to know what you require from a bank account and to choose a bank that understands the banking, financial and funding needs of your business.

Choosing an account that fits your business needs

Whether you’re a new sole trader or an established limited company, it’s advisable to maintain a clear divide between your personal and business money. So, it’s vital to open a business bank account, giving you a separate account to handle your business transactions.

The choice of available accounts can be baffling, with the big corporate banks and high-street providers offering a range of accounts and new digital challenger banks also adding to the available options for business owners.

When looking for a business account consider:

Bank charges – some banks offer free banking, others will charge you a monthly fee. And most accounts will charge you for things like cash withdrawals, payments in foreign currencies and going into (or over) your agreed overdraft limit.
Earning interest – look at the interest rate paid on the balance in your account. The higher the interest percentage, the more money you’ll earn on the cash in your account. The rate is unlikely to be high, but it’s still worth assessing the potential for a return.
Overdraft facilities – cashflow can ebb and flow in any business, so an agreed overdraft facility can often be a lifesaver when cash becomes tight. Look at what overdraft is available and what you’ll pay in penalties if you exceed the agreed limit.
Access to finance – if working capital gets exceptionally low then you may need to borrow a lump sum of money. If the bank has attractive options for bank loans, invoice financing or asset financing, that gives you and your business more flexibility.
Mobile apps and technology – digital is changing the banking sector at an incredible pace, so look at the quality and functionality of the banks internet banking, mobile banking apps and online financial management tools. Many of the emerging challenger banks are digital-only and offer a great online experience for business users.
Support and relationship management – the big banks have cut back their bricks and mortar presence on the high street in recent years. Look at whether you’d have access to a business banking adviser, or whether support is all online or done over the phone. A good relationship with your bank is invaluable when cashflow is tight.

Talk to us about selecting your ideal bank account

If you’re in the market for a new business bank account, come and talk to us. We’ll help you understand the key requirements you need from your account.

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Category: Accounts