Enough with the stress that brings staying on top of your company’s accounting and bookkeeping. I know you only want to focus your energy on growing your business. That’s where your passion is. However, there’s nothing you can do against the inevitable: you neglect your bookkeeping for a few days and it ends up turning into a monster made out of numbers and balance sheets.
You don’t need to worry about that anymore.
Welcome to the ultimate bookkeeping checklist for small businesses, designed to streamline your financial management and ensure the smooth operation of your company., Let’s walk you through the essential tasks that every business owner should focus on daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually. Follow these tasks to establish a robust bookkeeping system that helps you stay organized, monitor your financial health, and achieve long-term success.
Daily
Review your cash position: As a small business owner, you need to have a clear understanding of your company’s cash flow on a day-to-day basis. This task involves analyzing your incoming and outgoing cash, reconciling bank statements, and monitoring any outstanding payments or receivables.
Update your bookkeeping software: Keep your bookkeeping software up to date to leverage the latest features, enhancements, and security patches. These updates often include bug fixes, performance improvements, and compatibility enhancements, ensuring the smooth operation of your bookkeeping system.
Weekly
Review and reconcile your business bank and credit card accounts: Carefully examine your bank statements and credit card statements to ensure that all transactions are accurately recorded in your bookkeeping system. This helps maintain the accuracy of your financial data, reduces the risk of fraudulent activity, and provides you with a clear picture of your business’s financial health.
Review and pay invoices: It should be a priority to review all outstanding invoices, assess their accuracy and validity, and schedule payments accordingly. Regularly reviewing invoices allows you to stay on top of your financial obligations, maintain good relationships with suppliers, and avoid any late payment penalties.
Upload your receipts: This is an important weekly bookkeeping task that can greatly simplify your financial record-keeping and improve overall organization. Uploading receipts allows you to eliminate the hassle of managing physical copies, reducing the risk of misplacement or damage. Additionally, digitized receipts can be easily categorized and attached to specific transactions in your bookkeeping software, making it simpler to track and reconcile expenses.
Monthly
Run payroll and make payroll tax payments: Make sure your employees are accurately compensated and your tax obligations are met. Make a priority to run payroll on a regular schedule, adhering to local labor laws and employee agreements. This involves calculating employee wages, factoring in any overtime or deductions, and generating pay stubs or direct deposits.
Review your balance sheet: This will provide a comprehensive snapshot of your business’s financial position. The balance sheet summarizes your assets, liabilities, and equity at a specific point in time, giving you a clear understanding of your company’s financial health.
Follow up on past-due invoices: Unpaid invoices can disrupt your financial stability and hinder your ability to meet your own financial obligations. By regularly reviewing your accounts receivable and identifying overdue invoices, you can take proactive steps to collect payments and minimize potential losses.
Quarterly
Evaluate your annual profit and loss statement: Take some time to assess the financial performance and profitability of your small business. The profit and loss statement, also known as the income statement, summarizes your revenues, expenses, and net income over a specific period.
Pay estimated taxes: As a self-employed individual or business owner, you are typically required to pay estimated taxes on a quarterly basis, based on your projected income and self-employment taxes. Stay proactive in paying estimated taxes so you can prevent the burden of a large tax bill at the end of the year and maintain compliance with tax regulations.
Submit quarterly payroll reports and payments: Report and remit payroll taxes to the appropriate tax agencies on a quarterly basis. Make sure you’re preparing and submitting various forms, such as Form 941 (Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return) in the United States, which summarizes wages paid, tax withholdings, and employer contributions for Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes. Alongside these reports, you are also responsible for making timely payroll tax payments.
Yearly
File any necessary IRS forms: Stay on top of this task ensures compliance with federal tax regulations and provides a comprehensive overview of your business’s financial activities. Throughout the year, various IRS forms may be required to report different aspects of your business, such as income, expenses, employment taxes, and other financial transactions. As the year comes to a close, it is essential to review and compile all the necessary information to accurately complete these forms.
Collect any outstanding debts and close out your books: It is important to diligently pursue any unpaid invoices, overdue payments, or outstanding debts to ensure that you are receiving the funds you are owed. Check your accounts receivable, identify delinquent accounts, and initiate collection efforts through reminders, calls, or legal action if necessary.
Create your year-end financial reports: These reports include key financial statements such as the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. This process involves organizing and summarizing revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and equity to present a clear picture of your business’s financial position.
Navigating the complexities of financial management can be daunting, but with the ultimate bookkeeping checklist at hand, you now have a comprehensive guide to effectively handle your business’s finances.
