Common Business Accounting Mistakes

Accounting Mistakes - Complete Controller

While accounting software has made bookkeeping and accounting less stressful for businesses, it has also caused accounting mistakes to be much more common — erroneously classifying a transaction to doing all of the accounting yourself. Some errors are minor, immaterial, and easy to correct without harmful consequences. However, some more severe mistakes could significantly affect your business’s financial position. Over time, lean accounting practices can garble the authenticity of your company’s fiscal position. In more severe cases, recurrent mistakes and bad accounting practices can lead your business toward insolvency or liquidation. Below are some of the most common errors that companies make while handling their accounting. Complete Controller. America’s Bookkeeping Experts

Common Accounting Mistakes

Assuming that profits mean cash flow

Positive cash flow is essential for the survival of any business, and they try hard to maintain the flow of cash in and out of business. While the purpose of a company is to make profits, which ultimately results in positive cash flow, it is a mistake to assume that the profits will result in cash flow. Your business may have taken a project that costs you around $10,000, while the estimated profits are $25,000, and the completion time is two months. If everything goes according to plan, you will generate positive cash flow. However, any delays in the project can cost you more than the estimates. Therefore, assuming the positive relation of profits with cash flows can be one of your biggest accounting mistakes.

Disorganized bookkeeping practices

Effectively managing your accounting needs requires recording everything, from small petty cash expenses to significant business transactions. This record-keeping will ensure that you have an account of every financial detail of your business. It doesn’t matter if your business is small or large; taking accounting will ensure that you have updated and accurate records and a reorganized picture of your company’s financial position, which will eventually help you in better decision-making. From classifying various assets and liabilities correctly to accomplishing a monthly check of your books, launching a severe accounting system for your business is the key to keeping it financially secure and avoiding accounting mistakes. Cubicle to Cloud virtual business

Managing all of your accounting needs in-house

It can be tempting for small businesses to handle all of their accounting needs to save costs because of limited budgets. However, if you are not efficient or a pro at it, you might be costing your business some valuable cash instead of saving it. Outsourcing your accounting to professionals can ensure that the bookkeeping needs are catered professionally. You might think this is costing you more than if you had taken it upon yourself to do the job. However, this might save you more in the form of well-managed books without any accounting mistakes.

Specific tasks, such as filing tax returns and other business needs, require professional competency and failing to realize the importance of handling these tasks can have severe consequences. A mistake in filing your taxes can result in fines and bad credit scores, which you must avoid. LastPass – Family or Org Password Vault

Poor communication

Often, the downfall of businesses is a lack of communication between the bookkeeper and owner. Poor communication can cause mistakes in reconciling the statements, filing reports, and inaccurate financial information. Your bookkeeper’s job is to guide you in making critical decisions about your company’s future, and for that, you need to develop a healthy relationship with the individual. Even with the efficient use of technology, some accounting mistakes cannot be avoided because of the “garbage in, garbage out” rule. Whatever is entered into the accounting software will come out eventually in the form of information. So, if someone has inaccurately entered the data, the technology cannot help you in any way possible. You and your bookkeeper will ensure that everything entered into the accounting tool is accurate and thoroughly discussed without any communication gaps.

Conclusion

Avoiding these accounting mistakes is critical to the success of your business and maintaining a solid reputation. ADP. Payroll – HR – Benefits About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity. Download A Free Financial Toolkit