

Or, don’t waste your bookkeeper’s time and your money. File bank statements and invoices in order You’ll need receipts to substantiate your claims from HMRC, so keep them stored somewhere safe and organised in different business categories.īe sure to keep business expenses separate from personal ones, so you can easily identify which ones can be claimed against profit to reduce tax. You can claim tax back from lots of business expenses to reduce your overheads. This is called credit control, and the aim is to keep your cash flow healthy.

Take note of any late payers and consider not working with them if they keep missing payments. Never make late payments (especially to HMRC) and give your clients a payment deadline so you can chase them effectively. Cash accounting reduces the risk of having to pay tax on money you haven’t yet received, but is only available if your turnover is £83,000 or less. Cash accounting records them on the date when you actually receive or pay the money. Traditional accounting records income and expenses at the date of the invoice. Your bookkeeping will underpin your accounting, so decide at the start which method you will use. Use your books to track every payment and make it clear when they were made or received so you can easily find them if you need to refer to them later. The following pointers will help you to get started in bookkeeping for your small business. Keeping accurate books is important for financial reporting, and vital if your business faces an audit. These are usually the minimum records (‘books’) you’ll keep – there will probably be more. Purchase invoice – this records what you’ve bought (including services) and how you’ve paid for each purchase. Sales invoice – this records what you’ve sold, including both paid and unpaid invoices.

Initially the bookkeeper may be you, but as your business grows you may find you no longer have the time to spare. Bookkeeping for a small business is a vital role if you want your finances to make sense.
