Mastering the Basics of Bookkeeping (For Small Businesses)

Clean books are the foundation of confident decisions and stress-free tax time. In this guide, we break down bookkeeping fundamentals—from the chart of accounts and reconciliations to closing checklists and compliance—so owners, office managers, and new bookkeepers can build a system that scales. If you’d rather hand it off, our team can manage monthly books, payroll, sales tax, and year-end coordination. Explore our Bookkeeping, Outsourced Controller/CFO, and Tax Preparation services.

What Is Bookkeeping?

Bookkeeping is the daily and monthly process of recording transactions and organizing them into financial statements (Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow). Done well, it keeps you tax-ready and reveals margins, cash runway, and trends.

Core Building Blocks

• Chart of Accounts (COA): a naming system for Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Income, and Expenses—kept simple and consistent.
• Cash vs. Accrual: cash recognizes when money moves; accrual matches revenue/expense to when they’re earned/incurred.
• Bank Feeds & Rules: connect accounts securely; create rules for recurring vendors and transfers to reduce miscoding.
• Source Docs: invoices, receipts, payroll reports, statements, and loan docs—stored digitally and linked where possible.

Monthly Close Checklist

• Import/approve transactions; classify income/expense; tag jobs/classes if needed.
• Reconcile bank/credit cards, merchant processors, and petty cash.
• Record payroll (gross, taxes, benefits) and owner draws/distributions properly.
• Review A/R & A/P aging; send statements and pay bills on cadence.
• Post depreciation and loan interest; tie loan balances to statements.
• Generate and review P&L, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow; investigate variances.
• Back up files; lock/close the month in your accounting software.

Quarterly Tasks

• Estimated taxes: project profit and make payments to avoid penalties.
• Sales & use tax: file returns where required; verify nexus for e-commerce.
• KPI review: gross margin, operating margin, breakeven, and cash conversion cycle.

Annual Tasks

• Issue 1099-NEC/1099-MISC (collect W-9s early); verify vendor totals.
• Inventory counts and COGS adjustments; fixed-asset roll-forward and depreciation.
• Year-end tax planning: entity review, retirement contributions, and bonus depreciation strategy.

Payroll & Compliance Basics

• Classify workers correctly (employee vs. contractor); keep I-9/W-4/W-9 on file.
• Remit payroll taxes and file forms (e.g., 941/940/state); reconcile W-2 totals to books.
• Track owner comp for S-Corps (reasonable salary) and document accountable plans.

Cash Flow Tips

• Invoice quickly; offer ACH; automate reminders; require deposits on large jobs.
• Forecast 13-week cash; tag non-negotiables (payroll, taxes, rent) and plan disbursements.
• Separate operating vs. tax savings accounts to avoid surprise liabilities.

Common (Costly) Bookkeeping Mistakes

• Mixing personal and business spend; no reconciliations; gaps in documentation.
• Misclassifying owner draws as expenses or recording loan principal as income.
• Ignoring sales tax nexus; missing quarterly estimate payments.
• Using too many expense accounts—hard to analyze and easy to miscode.

Tech Stack We Like

• Accounting: QuickBooks Online/Desktop.
• Receipts & AP: Dext/Hubdoc, Bill.com/Ramp.
• Payroll: Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll, or ADP (depends on needs).
• E-commerce: Shopify/Amazon connectors with clean SKU mapping.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

DIY can work at very small scale, but once revenue is steady—or you’re hiring, adding locations, or selling in multiple states—partnering with a pro prevents rework and missed deductions. We offer monthly bookkeeping with quarterly tax planning and year-end filing so your data stays decision-ready.

What You’ll Get When You Work With Us

• Accurate books and reconciliations—every month.
• Quarterly tax projections and estimate vouchers with due dates.
• Return preparation and 1099 e-filing, plus sales & payroll tax support.
• Executive dashboard with cash runway, margins, and tax-ready KPIs.
• Notice handling and IRS/state correspondence management.

 Book a 30-Minute Consultation

FAQs

Which accounting method should I use—cash or accrual?

Cash is simpler for very small service businesses; accrual gives better insight as you scale, have inventory, or extend terms. We’ll recommend a method based on your industry and goals.

How often should I reconcile my accounts?

At least monthly—weekly if transaction volume is high. Reconciliations catch fraud, duplicate charges, and bank feed errors early.

What documents do I need to keep?

Bank/credit card statements, receipts, invoices, payroll reports, loan statements, and tax filings. Store them digitally and link to transactions when possible.

Can you fix my existing QuickBooks file?

Yes—cleanup, reclassifications, prior-period adjustments, and process fixes so you stay clean going forward. See our Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation.

Do you help with 1099s and sales tax?

Absolutely—we collect W-9s, prepare/efile 1099-NEC/1099-MISC, and register/file sales & use tax where required.

Ready to get books you can trust?

From chart of accounts to monthly closes and year-end filings—we’ll help you build a bookkeeping system that scales. Talk to an Enrolled Agent today.