| If you're a small business owner considering | | | | environment you need to know where you are |
| outsourcing your bookkeeping, keep in mind that | | | | financially right now and that's what a professional |
| bookkeeping business services include much more | | | | bookkeeping service can provide. Thanks to ASP |
| than just keeping track of your finances. If you | | | | technology you can log onto your account using |
| hook up with a true professional service they can | | | | an ultra secure server and access all of your |
| become much more than an accounting service, | | | | reports at any time and from any where you |
| they can become important partners helping you | | | | have an internet connection. |
| optimize not only your cash flow but planning your | | | | 5. Customized reports |
| financial strategies. Here's a short list of benefits | | | | Your bookkeeping service will work with you to |
| and services you can expect from a full service | | | | build reports that make sense for your particular |
| bookkeeper. | | | | business. Profit and loss statements, sales reports, |
| 1. Time | | | | receivables reports, all can be designed so they |
| Actually this may be the most productive benefit | | | | present the information in a way that you can |
| of all the services an outsourced bookkeeper can | | | | best evaluate your position. |
| provide. By taking over the responsibility of | | | | 6. Assistance with lenders |
| accounting, the bookkeeper service effectively | | | | A sign of just how tough and competitive the |
| gives you more time to do what you do best and | | | | economic times are is the expansion of |
| that's run the business. Accounting is an absolutely | | | | bookkeeping business services into areas that |
| necessary part of a business but it is not a profit | | | | they previously did not participate in. Assistance |
| center and it plays no part in driving sales and | | | | with loan applications or even introductions to |
| revenue. Any time you devote to that function is | | | | lenders is an example of the "new" services being |
| time taken from engaging in an activity that can | | | | offered by many firms. Loan applications can be |
| generate sales or profit. | | | | intimidating and confusing to many business |
| 2. Financial forecasting | | | | owners and the accounting service can offer |
| Using your firm's financial history an experienced | | | | valuable assistance in insuring that the right, and |
| bookkeeping service can develop financial models | | | | best, financial information is included in the |
| that will allow you to play "what if" games that | | | | application. |
| can predict your financial performance in the | | | | 7. QuickBooks Consulting |
| future. For example a business owner can ask | | | | Even if you don't hire a bookkeeping service and |
| what if sales increase 8% in the next quarter or | | | | you use QuickBooks in house to do your |
| what if the marketing budget is increased by 10% | | | | bookkeeping, you may find that the service can |
| what kind of sales can be expected. This is a | | | | help you do it better. QuickBooks has added so |
| complex model that requires the knowledge of | | | | many features and has become so much more |
| experts and would not be readily available to the | | | | than an accounting platform that it has created an |
| owner unless he outsourced the function. | | | | entirely new support industry. If a QuickBooks |
| 3. Tax planning | | | | customer wants optimal performance from his |
| Running your business to take advantage of | | | | system, it's likely he or she will need the advice of |
| opportunity to minimize tax liability can be the | | | | a certified QuickBooks consultant and the |
| difference between taking a loss and making a | | | | bookkeeping service is a ready, qualified resource. |
| profit. The same goes for licensing and other local | | | | A combination of rapidly improving technology |
| fees. A knowledgeable service will not only | | | | along with an increasingly competitive market has |
| prepare your returns but show you ways to | | | | caused bookkeeping business services to evolve |
| reduce your tax bill. | | | | into something greater than the traditional |
| 4. Real time reporting | | | | accounting services. Smart businesses will take |
| Gone are the days of receiving monthly reports | | | | advantage of these services to remain |
| from your accounting service. In today's business | | | | competitive and optimize earnings. |