Running a business involves a multiplicity of tasks in a given day, and the many jobs you have to do may become overwhelming. Taking charge of your business accounting is an activity that deserves priority, since preventing your finances from falling in the red is essential to keep your business afloat. You don’t have to spend hours a day on finances or spend large amounts of money, at least for the day-to-day basics. A few simple hints will keep your business finances healthy and will enable you to concentrate on essential duties, such as branding and growing your business.

First of all, set aside time each week to organize your business accounting. This could be fifteen minutes or a half hour, but make sure there is sufficient amount of time to enable you to track your expenses and to see where you are headed financially. Checking in every week prevents money from flowing out of your business without your knowing where it is going. Set a specific day and time to get this essential task done so you know what kind of investments you can make and when it is time to cut costs.

Second, make sure your business and personal finances are separate. This is where a business credit card comes in handy to track expenditures used for the business and those for personal matters. It also makes things easier ahead of tax time, so you won’t have to do last minute sorting of financial information. Third, be assertive when it comes to your invoices. Don’t delay or let payment slide, because this might encourage procrastination on the part of your clients in future. Send out the invoices as soon as they are due and touch base about when it is likely to be paid. If you let this essential part of our business accounting slide, chances are, so will your clients.

Fifth, do an annual audit of your business to see what is working and where cuts can be made. Just as you go for a physical exam every year to spot health issues before they become problems and to see where you can get your body into shape, the same is true of your business accounting. Look at the business relationships that were fruitful and look for ways to foster those relationships. Also see what costs too much and where you can save money by tightening your belt. See what projects were successful and figure out ways of repeating that performance.

Business finances are an important part of running your company and require regular attention. You only need small amounts of time at frequent intervals and keep track of where your company’s money is going. Also, consider hiring professionals and using software to make tracking finances easier.