Bookkeepers Preston Lancashire (PR1): You're responsible for maintaining accurate, "true and fair" accounting and financial records for at least 6 years, if you are a sole trader, own a small business or run an online store in Preston, in accordance with the Companies Act (2006). You could face thousands of pounds in fines, and possibly Company Director disqualification, if you are unable to produce such information. According to Accounting Today magazine over 40% of small businesses spend 80 plus hours each year on their accounts, so while you can undertake these financial recordings yourself, it can be more economical to use a professional accountant or bookkeeper to do them for you.
If you are filled with a sense of dread simply thinking about compiling balance sheets, filling out ledgers, tracking liabilities and assets or creating profit, loss and fiscal reports, then the time to contact a bookkeeper in Preston for help and advice has arrived.
BOOKKEEPER OR ACCOUNTANT?
What exactly is the difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant is the first question that springs to mind for many business owners in Preston. The truth is that whilst at one time the bookkeeping process, was looked at as beneath the skill set, qualifications and experience of an accountant, due to improvements in software over the past 10 yrs, a lot of accountancy companies in Preston will now consider taking on bookkeeping. Many accountancy firms now charge a fixed fee for bookkeeping services, to keep them consistent with what a typical bookkeeper in Preston would normally charge. This is excellent news for business owners in Preston since it offers a wider variety of competition within the industry and can make the cost of your bookkeeping far more affordable than initially thought.
It is essentially the level of qualification and training that's needed for each of these disciplines, that indicates the biggest difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant in Preston. At least a degree in accounting with further training in the field of taxes and other fiscal and business management, will normally be held by an accountant. A bookkeeper in Preston will undoubtedly have a pretty good understanding of these procedures, but might not necessarily have the same levels of experience and training, or hold these qualifications.
A BOOKKEEPER'S RESPONSIBILITIES
Put simply, the process of bookkeeping is to record the daily financial transactions of any enterprise or business in Preston. This will include;
- Billing of customers for goods or work completed.
- Making sure that double-entry bookkeeping and accounting practices are implemented.
- VAT submissions and recording.
- Logging invoices received and making certain that payment is completed promptly.
- Payroll services.
- Monthly reconciliations and reporting.
- Highlighting and rectifying any discrepancies in the financial accounts.
- Recording of all financial incomings; cash, electronic and card payments included.
In accordance with the level of service you are looking for, e.g. whether you're happy to undertake the larger part of bookkeeping work; a bookkeeper may only be needed to double check your accounts on a fixed schedule. To enable any mistakes or problems to be identified and corrected promptly, this ought to be from month to month at the bare minimum. This could be an extremely cost-effective trade-off, so long as you are confident of remaining in control of your monetary transactions without affecting your everyday business activities.
Whatever your situation, if you are looking at hiring a bookkeeping firm it's a good bet that you may be getting stressed about the financial recording side of your small business in Preston. A professional bookkeeping company will be able to assist you in linking the most up-to-date software application with your business accounts to enable the seamless organisation of transactional data, and will give assistance with stuff like creating expense reports, stocktaking and invoicing.
One of the most important elements of good bookkeeping practice, is being able to efficiently reconcile accounts payable with cash flow. Which means that your bookkeeper will organise bill payments to a time when your finances are in good shape and buoyant, instead of paying a bill straight away, or waiting on a final notice, which a lot of small businesses in Preston are guilty of doing. This does not just keep you in favour with suppliers and those who supply services to you, but also makes sure that your enterprise or business is on a secure financial footing. When, as an individual, you are inevitably focussed on the operation of your day to day business activities, this is a juggling act that can be hard to perform.
Having a person who is unconnected to the business cast an impartial eye over your financial affairs, is another advantage of employing a qualified bookkeeper in Preston for your small business or if you're a sole trader. It might be that business trends and patterns that you have overlooked will thus be highlighted. It is not unheard of for a bookkeeper to recognise a new opportunity or flag an area which is falling in profits. For the long-term growth of any business in Preston, it is crucial that these key performance indicators are spotted early.
Chasing up a late payment can be a fairly humiliating scenario for you, if you send out invoices as part of your business operations. By having somebody outside your business situation visit your customers or make that telephone call, some of that embarrassment can be taken away. To help with resolving the situation, if you've got a consistent late or non-payer, there are procedures that can be made use of by a professional bookkeeper, so court proceedings can be averted.
SOLE TRADER'S BOOKKEEPING REQUIREMENTS
The bookkeeping requirements for a sole trader, as laid out by law, are fairly uncomplicated and easy to understand. It's stipulated that a sole trader should keep a record of income and expenditure on a month by month basis and keep all receipts and invoices. Even though this may initially sound fairly simple, hiring the services of a bookkeeping company is still advisable. So that you will be able to claim back legitimate business expenses from HMRC, a professional sole trader bookkeeper in Preston can give you advice on what you must do. This may include printer ink, promotional advertising, stationery goods, items such as laptops and bills and rent if working from home. To learn how to help your business grow, speak to a trusted bookkeeper for more in-depth guidance and advice.
BOOKKEEPING FOR ONLINE TRADERS IN PRESTON
There are niche areas in bookkeeping where a specialist might be necessary. If, for instance, you run an online store, you're going to need a bookkeeper in Preston who's familiar with multi-currency processing, international and cross-border taxes, exchange rate transfers and online payment procedures. Supervising inventory on a 24 hours a day basis is also a vital concern, if the same shop sells goods that you hold or produce, as I'm sure you are aware the internet never sleeps, so nor should your bookkeeping software or services.
A virtual office can also be provided together with bookkeeping service. This allows an online only business or sole trader to offer a physical connection to their buyers, via a postal address and telephone service. Although this solution may not be supplied by all bookkeepers in Preston, it is definitely worth talking about the possibilities if this service is something that could be beneficial.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS
It is not mandatory for a certified bookkeeper in Preston to hold a university degree, and a good number of the bookkeeping industry qualifications are held at Certificate or Diploma level. There is a growing variety of courses available online, although bookkeeping qualifications can still be obtained through further education colleges and universities.
To provide certification and training for bookkeepers, there are basically 2 key organisations of interest:
The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB): The ICB or Institute of Certified Bookkeepers is the largest bookkeeping organisation in the world and provides accreditation to qualified bookkeepers, together with reference material and training to keep their members up-to-date.
The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT): Entitled to use the letters AATQB, a certified member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) will have undergone advanced qualifications and a training schedule in bookkeeping. This then allows them to become a accredited AAT bookkeeper and assures a standard of service which is backed by the association. AAT bookkeepers can can be subject to disciplinary and tribunal processes if a complaint is filed against them or they are found to have broken the code of practice. This helps to preserve the values and integrity of the AAT.
By going to their respective websites, you can examine the register of AAT or ICB members, to verify the accreditations of any Preston bookkeeper. Undertaking these checks is generally advised before you actually hire any bookkeeper in Preston.
Cash Flow Analysis
A significant tool that businesses must use to understand their financial health is cash flow analysis. Undertaking cash flow analysis for businesses is one of the primary duties of bookkeepers. The task involves keeping tabs on the amount of cash entering and leaving the business within a set period of time, generally quarterly or monthly. Through this, the bookkeeper can help the businessperson to comprehend their current financial status, identify any cash flow issues, and prepare for the future.
By categorizing and reconciling all cash transactions, such as expenses, sales and investments, in the analysis, the bookkeeper creates a clear picture of the company's financial health. Part of the analysis also involves predicting the business's cash flow for the forthcoming months or years, allowing the business to make informed decisions and avoid potential cash flow problems.
A bookkeeper can also propose strategies to enhance cash flow, such as implementing more streamlined payment processes or re-evaluating pricing policies. Moreover, a thorough cash flow analysis can aid businesses in securing financing by providing lenders with insight into the company's financial health and repayment capabilities. Any company that wants to manage their finances effectively must have a precise and comprehensive cash flow analysis.
Bookkeeping Preston - Outsourcing Options
All businesses in Preston should understand the significance of bookkeeping. It helps business people monitor the money left in the bank, their payables/receivables, the sum total of their liabilities and assets, and more. With the owner of the business having to handle a lot of concerns and issues while operating a business, the task of carrying out the bookkeeping is sometimes outsourced to freelance bookkeepers or a bookkeeping company in Preston.
If a company in Preston employs a bookkeeper in order to join their ranks, the company will need to fork out a substantial sum of money in training the person for the purpose of working on the bookkeeping tasks. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that he or she will stay after the training is concluded. In circumstances like that, the company will lose a considerable sum of money for very little return. As well as that, businesses will have to seek out solutions to provide benefits and incentives to keep the employee in house. These are a few of the reasons behind business organisations enlisting the services of professional bookkeepers and bookkeeping companies in Preston.
With the advent of new technology and the internet there's no need for business owners to stick to a freelance bookkeeper who might continue with outdated accounting practices. Again, they're not under pressure to hire and retain some in-house bookkeepers. Bookkeeping outsourcing is growing more common in the financial domain. You'll find a lot of companies offering financial bookkeeping services catering to all kinds of clients and industries in Preston. A majority of these companies promise and deliver quality service. It is important for a business to look into the reputation of these Preston bookkeeping companies when it comes to employing a 3rd party company for bookkeeping purposes.
Business owners in Preston can look for the following options with the bookkeeping company that provides outsourcing services. Find out and check how much savings he can enjoy by outsourcing the bookkeeping work. Seeing that the expenses related to hiring and training in-house staff is a significant concern, it would be wise on the part of business owner in Preston to focus on an outsourcing company that can offer good savings. Try to get first hand information regarding the methods and systems employed by the company involved in bookkeeping services. It's extremely important to get quality accounting services and greater security for your financial data. By quality, one means reliable, precise, and real-time bookkeeping data delivered within the set timeframe. In a nutshell, the company that offers bookkeeping services in Preston should have a well protected system that can be relied on and trusted.
These professional bookkeeping companies in Preston should be able to customise their bookkeeping services with that of the client company's current bookkeeping system. They should be able to ask for assistance from these bookkeepers as and when they need the necessary support and backup.
VAT Returns by a Bookkeeper
For small business owners in Preston who wish to stay on top of their tax obligations while minimizing administrative tasks, outsourcing VAT return preparation to a bookkeeper may be a wise decision. With the help of a bookkeeper, you can delegate all the responsibilities of your VAT return, such as determining the amount of VAT you owe or are due, submitting your return to HMRC, and maintaining precise records of your transactions. On top of that, a local bookkeeper can provide you with valuable guidance on how to minimize your VAT liability and ensure that you are taking advantage of all eligible VAT claims. A bookkeeper can ensure that your VAT returns are dealt with accurately and effectively, which can help you feel secure and allow you to invest more time in the development of your business in Preston. By hiring a bookkeeper, you can benefit from a cost-effective approach that can help you evade any HMRC penalties or fines due to inaccurate vat returns or late submissions, resulting in long-term savings. In summary, partnering with a bookkeeper in Preston can offer small business owners a dependable, economical, and effective solution for their VAT return needs, which can help them stay tax-compliant, minimize their tax liability, and concentrate on business growth.
Bookkeepers Near Preston
Also find: Ribbleton bookkeepers, Hall Green bookkeepers, Coup Green bookkeepers, Ingol bookkeepers, Grimsarg bookkeepers, Lostock Hall bookkeepers, Elston bookkeepers, Walton-le-Dale bookkeepers, Whitestake bookkeepers, Cottam bookkeepers, Samlesbury bookkeepers, Hutton bookkeepers, Higher Bartle bookkeepers, Ashton-on-Ribble bookkeepers, Goosnargh bookkeepers and more. Near to the majority of these locations, there are individuals offering bookkeeping services. As a result of this accessibility, the financial support essential for effective account management is readily available to both businesses and individuals. Clicking here allows area residents and businesses to receive bookkeeping estimates.
Preston Bookkeeper Tasks
Most Preston bookkeepers will be prepared to offer you the following bookkeeping services: invoice processing, bank reconciliations in Preston, Quickbook bookkeeping Preston, bookkeeping services for shops, Sage bookkeeping, bookkeeping services for small businesses, bookkeeping for clubs in Preston, Kashflow bookkeeping services, bookkeeping and accounting, bookkeeping and accounting services, small business tax returns Preston, charity bookkeeping Preston, bookkeeping for freelancers, small business bookkeeping, letting agent bookkeeping Preston, accountancy packages, Self-Assessment tax returns, payment services, management accounts, cash flow analysis, bookkeeping services for startups Preston, bookkeeping services for charities, bookkeeping services for organisations, mobile bookkeeping services, bookkeeping for tradesmen, VAT returns, general bookkeeping services, tax preparation, cash books, payroll bookkeeping, and more. Listed are just a handful of the duties that are undertaken by local bookkeepers. Preston companies will let you know their full range of services. If there happen to be additional Preston bookkeeper requirements that you want but can't see here, you can mention them on the QUOTE FORM provided. We will be in touch with details just as soon as we are able.
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