Running a small business comes with many responsibilities—and keeping accurate financial records is one of them. Bookkeeping might seem intimidating at first, but it’s essential for your business’s success. It helps you track your income and expenses, keep an eye on your financial health, and make informed decisions.
Liabilities are claims based on what you owe vendors and lenders. Owners of the business have claims against the remaining assets (equity). You also have to decide, as a new business owner, if you are going to use single-entry or double-entry bookkeeping. Single-entry bookkeeping is much like keeping your check register. You record transactions as you pay bills and make deposits into your company account. It only works if your company is relatively small with a low volume of transactions.
If your company is larger and more complex, you need to set up a double-entry bookkeeping system. At least one debit is made to one account, and at least one credit is made to another account. The cost of a virtual bookkeeper typically ranges from $200 to $800 per month, depending on the complexity of your finances, volume of transactions, and level of service required. Some services charge hourly rates between $20 to $60, while others offer fixed monthly packages tailored to your business needs.
Bookkeeping is the process of recording all your business’s financial transactions systematically. It involves tracking income, expenses, assets, liabilities, and equity. This data provides a clear recording transactions picture of your financial health and helps you make informed business decisions. The bookkeeping transactions can be recorded by hand in a journal or using a spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel.
The single-entry system is one of the two main types of bookkeeping. This works for sole proprietors and small business owners who deal with minimal and uncomplicated transactions. Equity refers to the ownership of the business owners and investors in the company. In the Balance Sheet, the equity accounts cover all the claims they have over the company. If your business is a side project with a limited budget, you can probably get by going the DIY route. You might still consider consulting with Interior Design Bookkeeping a CPA or bookkeeper at the beginning, just to make sure you’re doing everything right.
Yes, you can do bookkeeping from home using cloud-based accounting software and secure internet access. Many businesses hire remote bookkeepers or use virtual bookkeeping services. With the right tools and training, you can manage invoicing, expense tracking, and bank reconciliation from anywhere, making it a flexible and accessible career or side hustle. Bookkeeping involves the day-to-day recording of financial transactions, which includes documenting sales, expenses, payments, and receipts. Bookkeepers ensure that every financial transaction is accurately recorded in the bookkeeping tutorial business’s books, keeping an organized system to track financial activities. Think of bookkeeping as the detailed management of your business finances.
You can create digital invoices, capture receipts, and store all financial records securely for easy access and analysis. Digital bookkeeping is the process of recording, organizing, and managing your financial transactions using accounting software and cloud-based tools. As already mentioned, bookkeeping and accounting often overlap, although they are different processes.