Bookkeepers Westbury Wiltshire (BA13) Area: For anyone in Westbury who operates an online store, runs a small business or acts as a sole trader, it is their sole responsibility to maintain accurate, "true and fair" financial and accounting records for at least 6 yrs. This is laid out by the 2006 Companies Act. Failure to produce these detailed records might leave you facing disqualification as a Company Director, together with thousands of pounds in fines. It's often more cost-effective to employ a professional accountant or bookkeeping company to conduct this for you, since according to the magazine Accounting Today over 40% of small business owners spend eighty hours plus per year on their bookkeeping tasks, which is a large time investment, and may be more effectively spent on your main business activities.
If just the thought of creating profit, loss and fiscal reports, producing balance sheets, tracking liabilities and assets or writing ledgers fills you with a sense of dread, then the time has come to get in touch with a bookkeeper in Westbury for advice.
BOOKKEEPER OR ACCOUNTANT?
"Exactly what is the difference between an accountant and a bookkeeper?" Is a question which is asked by many small business owners in Westbury. The truth is that while in past times a lot of accountants considered the bookkeeping process to be beneath their skill set, experience and qualifications, many accountancy companies in the Westbury area will now take on bookkeeping, because of improvements in software over the past decade or so. For many accounting companies it is now fairly common to charge a set rate for bookkeeping services, so that they are comparable to the normal fees of a dedicated bookkeeper in Westbury. This is fantastic news for business owners since it gives a broader range of competition within the industry and can make the cost of your bookkeeping much more affordable than previously thought.
When looking at the big difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant, it's the standard of training that is required for each of these disciplines. An accountant will usually a least hold a degree in accounting with specialist training in the field of taxes and other fiscal and business management. Although possibly not holding the same financial qualifications, or having this level of training and experience, a bookkeeper in Westbury will definitely have an understanding of all these procedures.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF A BOOKKEEPER
Essentially, the bookkeeping process is to record the daily financial transactions of any business in Westbury. This will include, but isn't limited to;
- Payroll services.
- The billing of clients for goods or work completed.
- Recording the receipt of invoices and ensuring payment is completed promptly.
- Monthly reporting and reconciliations.
- Ensuring accounting and double-entry bookkeeping practices are implemented.
- Logging of all financial incomings; electronic, card and cash payments included.
- VAT submissions and recording.
- Highlighting and rectifying any discrepancies in the financial accounts.
In accordance with the level of service you require, e.g. you are prepared to perform the larger part of your bookkeeping work; a professional bookkeeper may just be necessary for double-checking your accounts every once in a while. To ensure that any mistakes or problems can be detected and rectified speedily, at the bare minimum, this ought to be done monthly. This can be an extremely cost-effective trade-off, providing that you're confident of staying in control of your financial transactions without compromising your everyday business activities.
Whatever your scenario, if you are seriously looking at hiring a bookkeeping company it is fairly likely that you might be having problems with the financial recording aspects of your small business in Westbury. Offering guidance and advice on everything from generating expense reports, stocktaking and invoicing, a professional bookkeeping company will also be able to guide you through the process of linking your business accounts with the most suitable software to enable the seamless processing of your business's transaction data.
The successful reconciliation of cash flow with accounts payable is one of the most vital elements of a good bookkeeping service. This means that your bookkeeper will optimise the payment of bills to a time when your accounts are in good order, rather than paying off a bill straight away, or waiting for a final notice, which many small businesses in Westbury are guilty of at some time or other. This does not just keep you in the good books of suppliers and those who supply services to you, but also makes sure that your business or enterprise is on a secure financial footing. This is just one of those balancing acts that can be tricky to perform when you're completely focussed on the streamlined running of your day to day business operation.
Having somebody who is unconnected to the business cast an eye over your financial dealings, is another added advantage of using a competent bookkeeper in Westbury if you are a sole trader, or for your small business. This unbiased evaluation can permit them to see business patterns and trends that you may have disregarded. It is not unheard of for a bookkeeper to recognise a new opportunity or flag up an area of the business where profits are plummeting. For the economic growth of any enterprise in Westbury, it is crucial that such key performance indicators are spotted early on.
If you give out invoices as part of your business operations, having to pursue a late payment can be really humiliating. By having a person outside your business situation visit your customer or make that phone call, some of that apprehension can be taken away. There are legal procedures a professional bookkeeper can use, if you've got a repeating late payer, and they can help to clear up the situation before the issue winds up in a claims court proceeding.
SOLE TRADER'S BOOKKEEPING REQUIREMENTS
If you are a sole trader the requirements for bookkeeping, as laid out by law, are fairly straightforward. This involves keeping all receipts and invoices in relation to the business, and keeping track of income and expenditure on a month by month basis. It is still good practice to retain the expert services of a bookkeeping company, although this might sound simple. When dealing with your income tax returns, a specialised sole trader bookkeeper in Westbury can advise you on what your bonafide business expenses are, and make certain these are claimed back from HMRC each year. This may include advertising, items such as laptops, consumables, bills and rent if you work from home and stationery goods. If you'd like to get more detailed advice, and learn how your small business can develop and grow moving forward, chat to a trusted bookkeeper.
BOOKKEEPING FOR ONLINE TRADERS IN WESTBURY
Some businesses that operate in niche markets, may need to employ a specialist bookkeeping service. If multi-currency processing, exchange rate transfers, online payments and international and cross-border taxes are involved, for example if you run a store online, you'll need to hire a bookkeeper in Westbury who is familiar with these operations. Since the internet doesn't sleep, if that same shop sells goods you hold or produce then monitoring inventory on a 24 hours a day basis is a huge concern which will have to be addressed.
In combination with your bookkeeping service, a remote virtual office can also be provided. This enables a sole trader or online only business to have a postal address and telephone service to offer a physical connection to their customers. Not all Westbury bookkeepers will supply this service, however it's worth talking about if it is required.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS
A qualified Westbury bookkeeper does not need to have a degree and a lot of qualifications in this field are at Diploma or Certificate level. There are an ever-increasing number of courses available online, although qualifications can still be gained through further education universities and colleges.
There are 2 primary certification and training organisations representing bookkeepers:
The AAT or Association of Accounting Technicians: With fully certified members entitled to use the letters AATQB after their name, the AAT or Association of Accounting Technicians provides advanced qualifications and training. This then allows them to become a licensed AAT bookkeeper and guarantees a minimum level of service which is backed up by the association. If an AAT bookkeeper is found to have contravened the code of practice or has a complaint against them, they may be liable to disciplinary and tribunal processes to preserve the values and integrity of aat membership.
The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers or ICB: Keeping their members informed about the latest trends, the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers or ICB is the largest bookkeeping organisation on the planet, providing accreditation to qualified bookkeepers, in addition to training and reference material.
The accreditations of any bookkeeper can be checked on the register of ICB or ATT members on their respective websites. Before you use the services of any local bookkeeper in Westbury it's advisable to perform this check.
Bookkeeping services are available in Westbury and also in nearby places like: Upton Scudamore, Salisbury, Berkley, North Bradley, Chalford, Frome Market, Dilton Marsh, Warminster, Heywood, Yarnbrook, Old Dilton, Westbury Leigh, Hawkeridge, Bratton, Standerwick, and in these postcode areas: BA13 3DN, BA13 3FX, BA13 3NA, BA13, BA13 3LQ, BA13 2GR, BA13 3FU, BA13 3LH, BA13 3GN, BA13 3FS. Local Westbury Bookkeepers will most likely have the postcode BA13 and the dialling code 01373. Verifying this can make certain that you're accessing locally based bookkeepers. Westbury sole traders and business owners are able to benefit from these and lots of other bookkeeping related services.
Year-End Tax Return Preparation
Year-end tax return preparation is much smoother when a bookkeeper handles the groundwork. They'll review the full year's transactions, tidy up the accounts, and make sure records are complete and up to date. This includes checking that income has been recorded correctly and expenses are in the right categories. One part of the process involves checking which expenses can be claimed and which costs should be excluded. Getting this right early avoids adjustments later. The bookkeeper then prepares summaries that clearly show how figures have been calculated. This makes the final tax return easier to complete and reduces the risk of mistakes caused by rushed or incomplete information. (Tags: Year-End Tax Return Preparation Westbury)
Sales and Purchase Ledger Management
Sales and purchase ledger management often gets overlooked, but it plays a big role in keeping accounts accurate. A bookkeeper records sales invoices, applies payments correctly, and keeps an eye on overdue balances. On the purchase side, they'll enter supplier bills, check them for errors, and ensure they're paid on time. This level of detail helps prevent mistakes like missed payments or incorrect balances sitting on accounts. It also creates a reliable record that can be shared with accountants when needed. Without someone regularly maintaining these ledgers, financial information can quickly become unreliable, making it harder to make confident decisions about the business. (Tags: Sales and Purchase Ledger Management Westbury)
Cash Flow Analysis
The financial wellbeing of a business can be comprehended by utilizing cash flow analysis as a vital tool. Bookkeepers are tasked with the important job of conducting cash flow analysis for companies. This involves tracking the flow of cash in and out of the business over a set period of time, usually monthly or quarterly. Conducting a cash flow analysis enables the bookkeeper to help the business owner understand their current financial situation, detect any cash flow issues, and plan for the future.
A clear picture of a company's financial health is created through categorizing and reconciling all cash transactions, including investments, sales and expenses, in the analysis. Predicting cash flow for the upcoming months or years is a significant aspect of the process, and it assists businesses in making well-informed decisions and avoiding future cash flow difficulties.
A bookkeeper can also propose strategies to enhance cash flow, such as re-evaluating pricing policies or implementing more streamlined payment processes. An accurate and thorough cash flow analysis is an essential tool for any business looking to manage their finances effectively.
Bookkeeping Questions

Over the last few months I have been analysing the most commonplace questions folks ask in relation to bookkeepers in Westbury. Quite a few of our web visitors posted reasonable questions that I thought would be worth mentioning. Those that caught the eye were, Can you do bookkeeping without a licence? What are the benefits of a bookkeeper? Can a bookkeeper prepare tax returns? Who would a bookkeeper work with? How can bookkeeping help your business? When should I outsource bookkeeping? Can a bookkeeper be held liable? How does bookkeeping differ from accounting? How much does a bookkeeper charge per hour? I hope most of these questions have been dealt with in the preceding article, if there are any left to be answered a bookkeeping "Q&A" section will be introduced any day now. Our appreciation goes out to Abdul Hunt, Casey West, Sullivan Lambert and Jasmine Dickinson, for finding the time to pose these excellent questions. We were also happy to get appropriate questions from Mckenzie Mccann in North Bradley, Ezekiel Cummings in Hawkeridge and Sara Lancaster in Upton Scudamore.
Bookkeeping Tasks

Most bookkeepers in Westbury will be willing to offer you the following bookkeeping and accounting services: tax preparation, small business tax returns, bookkeeping estimates, bookkeeping for self-employed people, Self-Assessment tax returns, bookkeeping services for limited companies, corporation tax returns, producing basic profit & loss reports, bookkeeping for payroll, cheap bookkeeping services, expense tracking & categorisation, VAT returns, maintaining general ledgers, bookkeeping services for charities, bookkeeping for freelancers, liaising with accountants & tax advisers, bookkeeping services for tradesmen, accounting and bookkeeping in Westbury, bookkeeping services for organisations, Kashflow bookkeeping services, bank reconciliation, CIS record-keeping & submissions (for construction businesses), personal tax returns, Quickbook bookkeeping services, PAYE & wages, bookkeeping services for restaurants, and more. Listed are just a selection of the duties that are carried out by local bookkeepers. Westbury companies will tell you about their entire range of bookkeeping services. If there happen to be different Westbury bookkeeper requirements that you want but can't see here, you should mention them on the QUOTE FORM provided. We'll be in touch with information as soon as we can.
Bookkeepers in Nearby Areas
Also find: Frome Market bookkeepers, Standerwick bookkeepers, Berkley bookkeepers, Bratton bookkeepers, Yarnbrook bookkeepers, Warminster bookkeepers, Dilton Marsh bookkeepers, Westbury Leigh bookkeepers, Upton Scudamore bookkeepers, Old Dilton bookkeepers, Hawkeridge bookkeepers, Salisbury bookkeepers, Heywood bookkeepers, North Bradley bookkeepers, Chalford bookkeeper and more. The majority of these towns and villages are served by local bookeepers. Westbury people can get prices for bookkeeping services by clicking here.
Bookkeeping Services Westbury
- Payroll Services
- Sole Trader Bookkeeping
- Cheap Bookkeeping
- Double-Entry Bookkeeping
- PAYE and Wages
- Credit Control
- Accountancy Packages
- Bookkeeping Estimates
- Cash Flow Management
- Bookkeeping Services
- Tax Preparation
- VAT Returns
- Small Business Bookkeeping
- Profit and Loss Analysis
Bookkeeper Westbury
Bookkeeping Services Near Westbury
Bookkeeping WestburyBookkeepers in BA13 area, 01373.
Bookkeeper Westbury - Bookkeepers Westbury - Quickbooks Bookkeeping - Bookkeeping Westbury - Double-Entry Bookkeeping - Bookkeepers BA13 - Independent Bookkeepers - Bookkeeping Services - Sole Trader Bookkeeping Westbury



