One might be resulted in believe that profit is the main objective in a small business but in reality it is the money flowing in and out of a small business which will keep the doors open. The concept of profit is somewhat narrow and only looks at expenses and income at a certain point in time. Cash flow, however, is more powerful in the sense that it’s concerned with the movement of profit and out of a business. It is concerned with enough time at which the movement of the money takes place. Profits do not necessarily coincide with their associated dollars inflows and outflows. The web result is that dollars receipts often lag cash repayments even though profits may be reported, the business enterprise may experience a short-term funds shortage. For this reason, it is essential to forecast cash flows and also project likely profits. In these terms, you should understand how to convert your accrual profit to your cash flow profit. You need to be able to maintain enough cash readily available to run the business, however, not so much concerning forfeit possible earnings from some other uses.

Why accounting is needed

Help you to function better as a business owner

Make timely decisions
Know when to employ a team of employees
Know how to price your products
Discover how to label your expense items
Allows you to determine whether to extend or not
Supports operations projected costs
Stop Fraud and Theft
Control the biggest problem is internal theft
Reconcile your books and stock control of equipment
Raising Capital (help you to explain financials to stakeholders)
Loans
Investors
What are the GUIDELINES in Accounting for SMALLER BUSINESSES to handle your common ‘pain points’?
Hire or consult with CPA or accountant
What is the simplest way and how often to get hold of
What experience do you have in my industry?
Identify what is my break-even point?
Can the accountant assess the overall value of my business
Can you help me grow my enterprise with profit planning techniques
How can you help me to get ready for tax season
What are some special considerations for my particular industry?

To succeed, your company must be profitable. All your business objectives boil down to this one inescapable fact. But turning a profit is simpler said than done. To be able to boost your bottom line, you must know what’s going on financially constantly. You also need to be committed to tracking and comprehending your KPIs.
What are the common Profitability Metrics to Monitor running a business — key performance indicators (KPI)

Whether you decide to hire an expert or do-it-yourself, there are some metrics that you ought to absolutely need to keep track of at all times:

Outstanding Accounts Payable: Spectacular accounts payable (A/P) shows the balance of cash you now owe to your suppliers.
Average Cash Burn: Average cash burn is the rate at which your business’ cash balance is going down on average each month over a specified time frame. A negative burn is an effective sign because it indicates your business is generating cash and growing its cash reserves.
Cash Runaway: If your organization is operating baffled, cash runway can help you estimate how many months you can continue before your business exhausts its cash reserves. Much like your cash burn, a negative runway is a superb sign that your business keeps growing its cash reserves.
Gross Margin: Gross margin is a percentage that demonstrates the full total revenue of your business after subtracting the costs associated with creating and selling your company’ products. This is a helpful metric to identify how your revenue comes even close to your costs, allowing you to make changes accordingly.
Customer Acquisition Cost: By focusing on how much you spend typically to get a new customer, you can tell how many customers you should generate a profit.
債務舒緩 Customer Lifetime Value: You have to know your LTV to be able to predict your own future revenues and estimate the full total number of customers you have to grow your profits.
Break-Even Point:Just how much do I have to generate in revenue for my company to generate a profit?Knowing this number will show you what you should do to turn a profit (e.g., acquire more clients, increase rates, or lower operating expenses).
Net Profit: This can be the single most important number you need to know for your business to be a financial success. If you aren’t making a profit, your organization isn’t likely to survive for long.
Total revenues comparison with last year/last month. By tracking and comparing your full revenues over time, you can make sound business selections and set better financial targets.
Average revenue per employee. It’s important to know this number to enable you to set realistic productivity goals and recognize methods to streamline your business operations.
The following checklist lays out a recommended timeline to deal with the accounting functions that will retain you attuned to the operations of your business and streamline your tax preparation. The precision and timeliness of the figures entered will affect the key performance indicators that drive business decisions that need to be made, on an everyday, monthly and annual base towards profits.
Daily Accounting Tasks

Review your daily Cash flow position so you don’t ‘grow broke’.
Since cash is the fuel for your business, you never wish to be running near empty. Start your entire day by checking the amount of money you have on hand.
Weekly Accounting Tasks

2. Record Transactions

Record each transaction (billing consumers, receiving cash from customers, paying vendors, etc.) in the correct account daily or weekly, depending on volume. Although recording transactions manually or in Excel linens is acceptable, it really is probably better to use accounting program like QuickBooks. The benefits and control far outweigh the price.

3. Document and File Receipts

Keep copies of all invoices sent, all cash receipts (cash, check and charge card deposits) and all cash obligations (cash, check, charge card statements, etc.).

Start a vendors data file, sorted alphabetically, (Sears under “S”, CVS under “C,”etc.) for easy access. Develop a payroll file sorted by payroll day and a bank statement data file sorted by month. A common habit is to toss all paper receipts into a box and try to decipher them at tax time, but unless you have a small level of transactions, it’s better to have separate data for assorted receipts kept arranged as they can be found in. Many accounting software systems enable you to scan paper receipts and avoid physical files altogether

4. Review Unpaid Bills from Vendors

Every business should have an “unpaid vendors” folder. Keep a record of each of one’s vendors that includes billing dates, amounts owing and payment deadline. If vendors offer discounts for early payment, you might like to take advantage of that if you have the cash available.

5. Pay Vendors, Sign Checks

Track your accounts payable and also have funds earmarked to pay your suppliers on time in order to avoid any late fees and maintain favorable relationships with them. If you are able to extend payment dates to net 60 or net 90, the better. Whether you make payments on-line or drop a check in the mail, keep copies of invoices dispatched and received using accounting software.