General Business and Finance Blog

It matters not which business you are employed by at sometime you will become involved with the accounts department  It is in the main thought of as the section that operates the business by mailing out invoices and likewise paying the incoming bills. They do lots more than that, though.  Unless you are running your own business and acting as your own accountant, you would not realize how profitable – or not – your business is without some form of accounting.So this is the question, what happens in the accounts department on a daily situation?  Maybe the most important matter as far as the employees are interested in is managing the payroll.  Every individual on the payroll has to have accurate data records kept of their salaries, taxes and dates of payment.  Other undertakings are to make deductions including personal ones, such as for retirement, holidays, sick pay or medical benefits.  It’s a crucial function and and cause some enterprises to choose to outsource their payroll section. Precise records of all payments whether made by cheque or BACS and to whom they were directed and upon what date are prepared are maintained by Accounts. Accounting sections also keep tabs on purchase orders placed for stock, such as wares that will be sold to customers or clients. Another vital job is to keep track of assets including the company housing and its equipment. The total money received by the business from its clients and customers is managed and registered by the accounts section. Accounts have to ensure that the cash is paid out precisely and banked in the proper bank accounts. Accounts also apportion the company money; they determine how much money is put away to pay staff salaries, and determine how much money is called for to pay the company’s invoices when these obligations are fulfilled they can then report on how much net profit is forthcoming for investment funds.Every business concern and each individual is required to have some type of accounting organization in their lives to prevent finances running out of control.  A commercial enterprise can be in big problems if they don’t know what they’ve spent, or not knowing if they can expect a net profit or a loss from their business concern. Staying on top of the finances, no matter if it is your own bank account or a gigantic business empire is a vital regular day to day procedure.Remember that some budgeting is more effective than none. Budgeting renders fundamental advantages, like understanding the profit dynamics and the financial structure of the business. It also helps in planning for alterations in the the next financial quarter. Budgeting forces a business manager to center on the areas that need to be improved to increase profit.  An effective organisation profit and loss study provides the principal framework for budgeting profit.  In business it is always a masterful idea to plan for the forthcoming year. If you only at least enter the figures in your profit report study for sales volume, sales costs, product prices and other disbursements and determine how your projected profit looks for the forthcoming year.

It matters not which organisation you are employed by at sometime you will become caught up with the accounts division  They’re the people who make up and send out the invoices that keep the business organisation running. Accounts do a lot more than merely that, it should be realized.  Unless you’re operating your own business and acting as your own accounts controller, you’d have no way of knowing just whether or not your business enterprise is making a profit or a loss without an accounts department.
Therefore what goes on in the accounts section on a day by day situation?  Well, one thing they do that’s extremely important to everybody working there is doing the payroll.  All the salaries and taxes earned and paid by each member of staff every pay period have to be recorded.  It is also obligatory to register other deductions including individual ones, such as for retirement, holidays, sick pay or health insurance.  It’s an important function and and cause some companies to prefer to outsource their payroll department. The accountancy team makes payments by cheque or BACS and registers to whom they were payed out, how much and for what.  Accounting departments also keep track of purchase orders placed for stock, including the wares that will be traded to customers or clients. Another essential job is to keep track of indispensable assets such as a business’s holdings and equipment.
The accounting section obtains and registers any payments or currency obtained from clients of the business or service. The accounting department has to make sure that the cash is paid out precisely and banked in the appropriate bank accounts. Accounts also portion out the company money; how much of it is kept on-hand for areas such as payroll, or how much of it goes out to pay what the enterprise owes its banking companies, vendors and other obligations, permitting a proper picture of what extra is accessible for investment funds.
Accountability is an essential necessity for every concern and indeed each person as it allows them to maintain their funds inder check.  A commercial enterprise can be in embarrassing difficulties if they don’t understand what they’ve spent, as it will have no clues as to whether it is attaining a profit or in the red. Keeping the finances under control, whether it’s for a vast business organisation or for an individual bank account is an all important regular day to day process
It’s as well to remember that some budgeting is better than none at all. Budgeting provides crucial advantages, like understanding the profit dynamics and the monetary structure of the business organisation. When you understand the financial dynamics it helps in planning for changes in the the next financial quarter. It pressures a good business manager to focus on the areas which need development to increase profit.  A well-designed organisation profit and loss report provides the crucial bedrock for budgeting net profit.  It’s always a well-thought-of notion to look ahead to the future year. If nothing else, at least enter the numbers in your profit report for sales volume, sales costs, product costs and other disbursements and discover how your projected net profit appears for the forthcoming year.

Ok so you’re either thinking about starting your own business or have already got it up and running and have managed for a while to get by managing your own books by yourself and are now finding all too much to keep on top of the paperwork.

It is an all too familiar position; most people have found that they keep telling themselves that they do it tomorrow or later or at the end of the week, and before you know it your deadline is upon you and your all stressed out to get it in on time, It’s time to get help!

Affordable professional help

Being a small and/or at home business owner are you tired of the lack of affordable professional help available?  So you need to find professional help whom are able to offer such things such as:

· Free and up to date accounting advice

· Realistic solutions to card payments and cash flow issues,

· A good supply of Bookkeeping/Accounting forms for the small business readily available

· Advice with managing online card merchant accounts.

· What sort of Accounting software is suitable to your type of business

· Tools & Resources helpful to your Business, those that are current and up to date, to know today, what others will find out tomorrow.

· Where you can access free spreadsheet bookkeeping templates

· Who run forums where Like Minded people, like you, can discuss online business issues that are not just financial issues?

· That have links to other useful sites

· Where you can also advertise your own business.

· The ability to Use the latest of modern technology to effectively manage your accounts from the other side of the country without massive Technical costs to your or themselves.

Certified And Accredited

Bookkeepers:

It is important that you find a bookkeeper that is certified and accredited Accounting technicians. There are many governing bodies but the two most, well known governing bodies are:

1. The AAT (association of accounting Technicians) 

o The Association of Accounting Technicians, or AAT, is an accountancy organisation with over 108,000 members worldwide. The AAT is a technician level qualification which entitles those who have completed the exams and obtained relevant supervised work experience to call themselves associate accounting technicians. The AAT is based in London but there are branches all over the UK and the rest of the world.

The body is sponsored by four of the UK chartered accountancy bodies. These are:

· The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA);

· The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW);

· The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS); and

· The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).

· The one UK chartered accountancy body which does not sponsor the AAT is the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). This organisation used to be a sponsor of the AAT but broke away in order to form a rival body which offers the Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) qualification. The ACCA implemented this policy as it wanted a technician level qualification which followed the same business model which it did, ie. one with a global presence.

· Whilst the AAT is recognised as a professional qualification by the Department of Trade and Industry in the UK, the accountancy professions there, the USA and existing and former British Commonwealth countries, CAT is not. CAT is a professional academic qualification within the ACCA examination structure. AAT is both a recognised academic and vocational qualification in its own right.

2. The ICB (Institute of Certified bookkeepers)



The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (“ICB”) is a not for profit organisation that promotes and maintains the standards of bookkeeping as a profession, through the establishment of a series of relevant qualifications and the award of grades of membership that recognise academic attainment, working experience and competence.

Started in the United Kingdom in 1996 the ICB has grown rapidly and now has a world wide presence in over 50 countries.

· to promote bookkeeping as a profession

· to enable bookkeeping to gain recognition as an integral part of the financial profession

· to promote training in the principles of bookkeeping

· to develop personal study skills and improve confidence of those persons who undertake a course in bookkeeping

· to enable the achievement of a qualification, which may be used to enhance prospects for progression into higher levels of study

· to improve the career prospects of its members

The ICB is the largest bookkeeping body in the world, with over 150,000 members and students. By offering career advice and support to bookkeepers the ICB has helped many throughout the world set up a successful practice.

You cannot buy your way into any of these associations, like most trade governing bodies, but have to take stringent examinations and also to keep memberships you must also keep up your CPD (Continual Professional Development), and also have current professional and Indemnity Insurances.

A professional Bookkeeper should be able to answer most of your day to day financial questions, before you need to start thinking about a Chartered Accountant, which is when the price will jump up dramatically. They should be able to process personal tax returns and give you basic help with corporation tax calculations.

In most cases a Bookkeeper should, if unable to answer your questions, then know exactly where to find the answer or to put you in touch with the right person.

Accountants:

Now be careful here as there are many people out there that can call themselves an accountant, but what you are really looking for is a chartered accountant. There is often some misconception as to the type of accountant needed, or indeed that there are more than one type and below are just two of the main types of Chartered accountants there are:

1. The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is a British chartered accountancy body with a global presence that offers the Chartered Certified Accountant (Designatory letters ACCA or FCCA) qualification worldwide. Since Chartered Certified Accountant is a legally protected term, individuals who describe themselves as Chartered Certified Accountants must be members of ACCA and, if they carry out public practice engagements, must comply with additional regulations such as holding a practising certificate, being insured against any possible liability claims and submitting to inspections.

2. The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is a UK based professional body offering training and qualification in management accountancy and related subjects, focused on accounting for business; together with ongoing support for members. CIMA has two grades of full membership:

o Associate – designated by the letters ACMA

o Fellow – designated by the letters FCMA

To be admitted as an associate a candidate must have:

o completed a period of qualifying practice of at least three years, documented and signed by appropriate witnesses

o passed the institute’s 15 qualifying examinations

o Been proposed and seconded for membership by two individuals who have direct experience of the candidate’s work experience but who do not need to be members of CIMA or even accountants.

To become a Fellow a candidate ACMA must, in addition, have appropriate experience at a senior level.

Summary

It is very important when you look at any of these professionals to view their portfolio and testimonials to see what experience they have in what industries. For example a bookkeeper or an Accountant may have worked primarily for manufacturing companies and yours is an online business. Although they will understand the principles, it will take them a lot longer to understand your business and also may not have the contacts and resources easily available to hand that is relevant to your business.

So before you go head long into picking that all important Professional help, take the time to interview & research them just like you would with an employee or a supplier and ask for some testimonials from their current customers that are of a similar industry to yourself. Try to get it right 1st time. But don’t worry if you don’t, because you can always change!

Author: Monique Davis MICB CB Cert. MAAT & CIMA Student

Website: http://www.davisbusinesspro.co.uk Helping Your Business Grow!