For small businesses, there is always a need to ensure the business is running economically and efficiently. Every cost requires substantial justification, and so you can often find yourself questioning whether you actually really need a product or service.
One of these questionable expenditures may be hiring an accountant. There are so many different ways to do your own books, guides on the internet, and software available, that it can be tempting to do it completely alone.
If you have the time, then this can be an option. However, taxes can be complicated and if you’re starting a business, or struggling to budget, then some kind of professional help is often a good idea. Moreover, HM Revenue and Customs are focusing on increasing charges for failure to pay the correct and sufficient tax, so accuracy is vital – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37101020.
Alternative options
Because hiring an accountant can be costly, one way to become more efficient is to seek outsourced accounting services that work on your accounts online, through a cloud-based system.
Completing business accounts yourself can make you highly susceptible to errors, cloud-based accounting enables accuracy as it is fully automated and prevents duplicate entries and other discrepancies. This means you can spend your time elsewhere instead of proofing and correcting.
Whilst there is a huge range of accounting software available, the traditional programs only allow one user, whereas cloud accounting allows several key users, who can edit and update financial data using smartphones and hand-held devices, anywhere and at any time. This means collaboration between teams is easy and people can always access their accounts and data.
Advantages
Cloud technology is also exceptionally secure. There is no risk of data loss due to failure of hardware as everything is backed up and stored online. The privacy can be controlled, and if hardware is stolen, all payment details are stored electronically and not on the computer, so no one can access your financial data.
Furthermore, the cloud-based software can be integrated with other software on the could. This enables the business to link to payroll systems, management tools, etc., or companies such as https://www.mushroombiz.co.uk/homepage/services/accounting/ can send invoices and pay links, or feed transactions from the bank directly through the software.
Conclusively, moving to a cloud-based accounting system enables a more efficient and productive system, adding value to your client services.a
