The success of a business depends on several factors which include sound business finance management. Many dreamers and entrepreneurs are working their way up the business ladder every single day.
However, not every one of them finds success the first time around, and some of them might have even given up somewhere along the way just because of a messy business finance management process.
Did you know that reliable expense report management software can make a big difference?
You will be investing and spending a lot of money before you can see revenue. You need to track expenses and business expenditures to help you keep accurate records for business finance reporting, as well as to make informed decisions about your company.
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How to Take Control of Your Business Finances
As mentioned previously, your business finance management skills can make or break your business. You cannot manage something that you cannot see, that’s why you need to track your funds and expenses efficiently.
Using expense management software that can streamline your entire pre-accounting process can help you identify overspending or cost-saving opportunities while keeping your business in the good books for tax authorities.
Here are some things you need to understand to be able to take control of your business finances:
Tracking Your Cash Flow
Cash flow is the money that moves in and out of your business. As continually emphasized, you must track the expenses and income that your business makes to help you evaluate how your business is doing. There are two types of cash flow that you should look out for:
- Positive Cash Flow – this type of cash flow means that you receive more income than you pay out in expenditure.
- Negative Cash Flow – this type of cash flow means that your expenditures cost more than your income.
Keep in mind that having a negative cash flow is not the end of the world. Sometimes the business must experience negative cash flow for the company to grow. For instance, your business may go through negative cash flow if you invest in a new piece of equipment to improve operations, which will potentially save your company productive hours and costs on inefficient or manual processes.
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Learning the Basics of Accounting
You can always hire professional accountants, bookkeepers, and tax experts to do the job, but understanding the basics of accounting could still go a long way. As the business owner, you are very much involved in the business finance management process and the decision-making for the company.
Understanding how to compute the numbers and what they mean can guide you to make the right financial decisions for your business.
Aside from hiring professionals, you can also use different types of software to keep your company compliant and profitable. Many types of software can help your financial management process from cloud accounting software to expense management software.
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Analyzing Reports and Financial Planning
Financial reports play many important roles including internal tracking of revenue and expenses, proving the viability of your business to investors, and many more.
Being able to analyze reports and use the findings in creating a financial plan is an important skill when running a business. Making an accurate analysis based on reports will assist you in identifying prospective concerns and making well-informed judgments regarding the business’s future course.
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Managing Debt
There is no shame in taking out a loan to help your business grow. Although “debt” has a negative connotation, it can be a useful tool when trying to build a business. Businesses, especially startups, will rely on debt financing for some time.
However, you need to track your expenses closely since there is a fine line between a debt you can manage and a debt that will bring you down.
Taking control of your business finances is about managing the “little things”. It is being aware of ancillary spending and knowing when something is worth it or not. A reliable expense management software can help you stay on top of your financial management task since it automates and simplifies most of the process.
Learning Finance Options
You will need business financing at some point in running the company. The need may arise from cash flow issues or for business growth which is more of a long-term type of commitment.
Fortunately, there are several business funding options available nowadays. There are different types of options depending on the nature of your business and the challenges you want to resolve.
But keep in mind that there are some requirements you need to be able to secure funds from business financing providers. Some expense management software can export digital copies of reports that you may need to apply for financing.
There are different types of financing:
Equity financing
This type of financing is the most common method of financing a business. An investor will provide the funds your company needs in exchange for a share in the ownership of your business.
Depending on the arrangements, the investor could be a shareholder who is part of the decision-making in the company or a silent partner who lets you do what you need to do. The investor will also receive dividends from your business. They may eventually sell their share for a higher price to gain profits.
Debt financing
This type of financing is much more familiar to most people since it is the basis for many personal credit products. As the name suggests, this type of financing is a form of debt.
The lender does not become an investor or a shareholder of your company. They will not get paid in rights or dividends. The lender gets paid back in cash and interest at the end of the agreed period.
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Bottomline
Taking control of your business finances involves many steps and tasks. Learning to manage your business finances should not be an afterthought. You need to have a sound financial management process in place to keep your company running.
You need to understand where your money is going. Tracking your expenses with expense management software will help you understand give you in-depth, actionable, and real-time analytics that will help you make data-driven financial decisions.
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