Are Your Business Finances Built on a Solid Foundation?

Photo by Ahmed Rabea from Pexels

As business owners we all want to make money and have the information we need to see if we are not doing so well. The ability to pull reports to make financial decisions about your business is one of the most important resources you have at your disposal. The information is only as good as the data that is in your accounting software. I am sure you are familiar with the terms “garbage in & garbage out.” This can happen if you don’t have the correct foundation set up in your QuickBooks Online software.

 I like to look at it this way

When you want to make a delicious sandwich what is the most important thing you must have first? 

Good Bread!!

If you have wimpy bread or cheap bread that doesn’t match the type of sandwich you are trying to make then it will be an epic fail and you will probably go to your favorite sandwich shop to buy the sandwich you want. But if you start with a delicious baguette or a good focaccia roll then you are on your way to building something quite yummy. Much in the same way this is how it works with building a solid foundation for your books in QuickBooks Online. The first step to building a solid foundation is to set up the chart of accounts correctly according to:

• Your entity type

• Your particular industry

• Your tax return (which goes back to your entity type:)

If you set up the chart of accounts according to the items above and use best practices then you are on your way to creating a solid accounting foundation for your business that will allow you to run reports and make sound financial decisions. It all starts with the “bread” for your books which is the chart of accounts. 

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