Monthly Archives: September 2021

Scan invoices and receipts for accounting software

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By any chance, do you have a shoebox of receipts and a pile of invoices that you need to process?
Making sense of all of this can be a real chore and frustrating. A solution is to scan invoices and receipts. In this guide, we will touch on the importance of keeping good records but focus our attention on making this whole process simpler.

Importing of paper receipts or invoices refers to creating an electronic copy of a paper document that can then be stored or imported into an accounting package. Examples of accounting packages include MYOB and Xero

WHY should I digitise my receipts and invoices?

Keeping good records is important for any small business. Whether that is to help manage your costs, for legal, regulatory or tax reasons, or simply to help manage and improve your business. Collecting, storing, and effectively analysing your data is vital.

The Australian Tax office requires you to keep copies of invoices and receipts for five years.
This subject is covered in detail in our guide to Record Keeping for small businesses.

To scan invoices and receipts or to digitise them has the following benefits:
  • Records can be kept electronically, enabling them to be searched quickly
  • Physical copies do not have to be held. Thus, saving physical storage space
  • Electronic copies of invoices and receipts can be directly imported to accounting software packages saving you having to retype the information
  • Electronic importing of these scanned documents to accounting packages can reduce data input errors.
  • Records can be kept easily for legal and government purposes.

WHAT do I need to know about accounting?

An accounting system for your small business can be done manually, via spreadsheets, or through an accounting software package. Visit our guide on Accounting Software to run your business to understand more. The accounting software packages you should consider in no particular order include Xero, MYOB, Quicken, Reckon, QuickBooks and Sage.

You may do this yourself, hire a finance employee, use an external bookkeeper or retain an accountant. Irrespective of how you achieve your record-keeping, digitising those records will save you money and time.

Invoices and receipts are both a cost of running your business and must be measured accurately. These costs have a GST component which must also be tracked.

HOW do I scan invoices and receipts?

Ways to digitise receipts and invoices:

  • Have invoices and receipts emailed to you in the first place. For most business to business invoice transitions, this is commonplace. Even bunnings and coffee shops are now offering to email you a receipt
  • Most of the accounting software package companies referenced above provide an App that allows a paper invoice or receipt to be photographed, creating an electronic version. This process has the added benefit of the information automatically populating in the accounts package.
  • Most modern printers and photocopiers have a built-in scanner. This can be a time-consuming process but utilises resources you already have.
  • Purchase a dedicated receipt scanner.  These purpose-built scanners can scan multiple pages at a time and come with included software to process information from the documents ready for importing into an accounting package. This is a great solution if you have many paper documents that need to be processed.

Suppose you intend to use your digital or scanned image in an accounting package (excluding a provided App). In that case, you need to go through importing that document so it can be used. Your accounting package help function will explain this process.

You should ensure that your records are filed properly within your computer network and that backup copies are kept. This will ensure they can be found and recovered in the event of a disaster.

HINTS

The most common digital format is a PDF file. JPEG files can also be used.

Epson Australia offers the RapidReceipt RR-600W for $699. This wired or wireless scanner can scan up to A4 double-sided documents as fast as 35 pages a minute. The unit features a 100-page document feeder and a 4.3-inch colour display.  The display allows you to scan to a PC, USB thumb drive or cloud storage services such as Dropbox or Google Drive. The included Epson ScanSmart software can automatically extract data from receipts and export to XERO®, MYOB®, QuickBooks® Online or Excel. A side benefit of a product like this is it can be used to scan all sorts of documents like photo’s so you just might find yourself using it at home on the weekend.

SUMMARY – Scan invoices and receipts

Accurate financial reporting to your business is important. The ability to scan invoices and receipts lets you organise financial paperwork and accurately processing piles of messy receipts and invoices. Any method that can reduce errors, increase productivity and streamline the process is valuable.

Utilising the latest tools and equipment for which you probably already have can deliver these results. Teaching yourself, your staff will ultimately remove frustration, make things simpler and help with compliance.

Keeping customers engaged

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In a world of online reviews and big-box retailers saturating almost every market, earning customer trust and keeping customers engaged has never been more important for small businesses. Marcus Marchant, CEO of Vistaprint Australia, the marketing partner to millions of small businesses worldwide, shares this sentiment. “More than ever, customers are faced with never-ending options. While you may have the best product or service on the market, trust and credibility is what sets you apart from other businesses and encourages new customers to take up your offer.”

With all this said, earning trust (especially online) can be tricky. Here are Marcus’ top four ways to keeping customers engaged:

  • Provide outstanding customer service. Customer service has been known to make or break businesses, and people have really come to expect a more friendly, authentic experience from small businesses in particular. Pay attention to all the interactions (big or small) you have with your current and potential customers.
  • Have a clear satisfaction guarantee and honour it. When trying something new, prospective customers feel at ease knowing they have a fallback if something doesn’t meet their expectations. At Vistaprint, we have an Absolutely Guaranteed policy that has really resonated with our base. We encourage customers to get in touch if they aren’t happy with their order and stop at nothing to make it right.
  • Build a credible online presence. Most of your customers will do an online search before trusting you with their business, so you want to ensure your website and social media emphasise your reliability and professionalism. Customer testimonials and reviews, both on your website and on review sites, can also have a significant impact on your reputation.
  • Make sure your social media hits the mark. Your social media is a great personalised touchpoint for your customers. Show your brand’s personality on it. Go above and beyond to respond to customer comments within 24 hours or share helpful information and tips.

If you’re working hard to win trust, it’s also worthwhile to look at the ways you might be losing it. Marchant says, “While it can be easy to get caught up in short-term sales and quick wins, focusing on these outcomes entirely can sometimes negatively impact the relationship you’ve built with customers.” Here are some of the other ways you might be losing out:

  • Your marketing is overly promotional. While everyone loves a discount, having a highly promotional website can often make customers wonder, “What’s the catch?” Be strategic about when you run sales to avoid creating this perception.
  • Your final prices are unclear. If your prices don’t reflect any large or unexpected fees, your customers may feel like they are being tricked. Make additional fees clear upfront so customers know what to expect when making their final transaction.
  • Your customer interactions feel generic. Whether through email, your Facebook page, or on the phone, it’s important to tailor your customer communications at every touchpoint. People come to small businesses for personalised interaction, so don’t ignore that differentiator by making your responses automated.
  • You have a broken website or incorrect details. Your customers (potential and current) need to feel like you’re there for them. If they can’t use your website or find up-to-date contact details, they’ll be more likely to take their business elsewhere (or leave a bad review).

Just remember that if you make business decisions with your customers in mind (Keeping customers engaged) at the end of the day, they’ll take note and reward you in kind with their trust and business.

For more advice see Small business Answers guide to Social Media.

MYOB launches set and forget recurring payments

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Business management platform MYOB will enable businesses to “set and forget” recurring payments via direct debit capability. The new functionality, MYOB Direct Debit, rounds out MYOB’s invoice payment workflow with a deeply integrated experience.

MYOB’s current invoice payments solution is helping businesses get paid three times faster than those who do not harness software. MYOB Direct Debit targets a further reduction of payment times, freeing business owners to manage customer payments differently.

MYOB anonymised customer data demonstrates that 75% of payment volume is recurring. On average, a business receives six repeat payments per year from the same customer, with typical recipients spanning gardeners, cleaners, bookkeepers, and gyms. The new recurring direct debit transaction service will allow subscription services to seamlessly receive payments and greatly reduce time spent chasing payments.

Through the improved MYOB invoicing workflow, businesses can request payment of an invoice through a built-in “pay now” button or set up a recurring direct debit. The invoice and subsequent payments are reconciled automatically to the profit and loss report, enabling a fully automated end to end invoicing workflow.

Andrew Baines, General Manager of Financial Services at MYOB, said the new capability will ease known business pressures for SMEs.

“The time businesses are spending on chasing down late payments – particularly for those with recurring payment schedules – is a pressure that’s increasing for our customers. MYOB Business Monitor shows extreme pressure caused by late payments from customers rose from 25% in January 2021 to 29% in June 2021. This is time business owners could otherwise spend on growing their business.

“MYOB has designed this recurring transaction service to be as pain-free as possible. The streamlined consent process means that the business owner’s job is done as soon as the customer provides their approval.

“This is the latest update of our invoicing workflow, which is designed to automate the process of getting paid as much as possible. Automating payment reminder messaging and invoice reconciliation are seemingly small features that provide a big return in time for a business. We are regularly improving this workflow to give businesses back as many hours as we can so they can get back to doing what they love.”

Harry Linden owns Lakesview Accounting Solutions, a two-person business delivering bookkeeping and BAS solutions for small business clients. Harry has been trialling MYOB Direct Debit as a participant of MYOB’s early access program and believes streamlining administration tasks are a key part of future-proofing a business.

“The role of the bookkeeper is about to change. AI, automated payment generation and end to end streamlining free up the bookkeeper to focus on higher-value pieces of work, like consulting my clients on strategic ways to run and grow their business. Features like this present an opportunity for me to expand my offering for my customers.

“Simplified payments mean for small business owners like me; the future’s a lot more predictable. You can better plan your movements in the understanding that your cash flow reporting will be a lot more accurate. You’re spending less time chasing people up for payments and worrying about making your payment commitments. It gives the business control,” Harry said.

Set and forget payments are now available for businesses to use in AccountRight Live and new Essentials at a competitive rate of 0.7% plus 25c per transaction with a $4 cap.  Other features include a simple to digest dashboard that summarises all live, paused or past recurring payments.

MYOB Direct Debit is another improvement to the invoicing workflow, which was also recently integrated with Butn’s invoice financing functionality, which is now available to all new Essentials customers, providing access to short-term cashflow smoothing facilities for businesses.

For more information on MYOB Direct Debit, visit https://www.myob.com/au/comms/business/myob-direct-debit

Small Business Answers has a guide on accounting software to run your business.

EPOS ADAPT 360 headset review

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EPOS is the new name of Sennheiser gaming and enterprise audio products. So although this is a new brand, it has 115 years of experience in developing audio products. The EPOS ADAPT 360 is one of 4 models in the EPOS ADAPT range. Although this is the entry model, it certainly is not an Entry product being a true business-class headset. To learn about choosing the right Headset for business, see our guide.

As a small business owner, every dollar you spend is very much your own. We like the ADAPT 360 headphones because they are just as quality music headphones as a business headset. Thus listening to your favourite tunes with these over-ear headphones would be reason enough to buy them, delivering high-quality stereo sound. With playtime over and it’s time to get down to business! These headphones become a wireless headset, enabling you to conduct clear voice calls with the added benefit of using active noise-cancelling technology to remove background noise in a busy work environment. A button can be pressed allowing a TalkThrough function which allows a face to face conversation to be had without removing the headphones. The active noise-cancelling technology enables you to commute in your own world on a bus or a plane.

The headphones can be connected to two Bluetooth devices, so you can take a call from either your mobile or participate in a video call on your PC.  The ADAPT 360 headset is designed to work with Microsoft teams. When the included USB dongle is connected to your computer (Windows or Mac OS), a headphone button will instantly launch Teams. Call quality is excellent however we do not recommend using the headset in a windy environment.

The EPOS ADAPT 360 comes with a carry bag, USB C charging cable,3.5mm double ended audio cable and Bluetooth dongle. Two microphones are used for voice pickup and to control the adaptive noise cancellation. To conserve space, the headphones fold before storage in its case. We felt the case might have benefited from some padding.

Even powered off the over-ear headphones provide a level of isolation, but when powered will provide up to 46 hours of battery life (39 hours talk time – ANC off). Charging time is two and a half hours, so best done at night, and the Bluetooth range is up to 25m line of sight. Left on but not used, the headphones will stay on standby for up to 2 months.

Weighing in at 238 grams, the units are surprising light whilst appear quite rugged.  They come with a 2-year warranty.

In our modern home and business blending life, the EPOS ADAPT 360 headset with its SENNHEISER heritage seems to be that perfect mix of work and play. Great sound, wireless, noise-cancelling and all day and night battery life.

Business succession planning

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RSM Australia’s latest thinkBIG report cautions owners to structure business succession planning carefully to avoid impacting the wealth of future generations

Australian business owners looking to sell their business or hand over control to another family member must do so in a structured and planned way to avoid impacting the wealth of future generations, according to the latest thinkBIG report by RSM Australia (RSM).

RSM’s thinkBIG series has been published for 16 years and explores current issues of interest to the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector. The latest report in the thinkBIG series is titled The Big Succession: Ensuring the family business crosses generations.  

Judy Snell, partner, RSM, said, “Successfully transitioning an organisation to the next generation is one of the most difficult challenges facing family businesses in any circumstance. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach as no family is the same. Getting it right requires time, so it’s important for business owners to begin planning for the future handover of their business as early as possible.”

The Australian Small Business and Family Ombudsman reveal that more than 60 per cent of employing small business owners are nearing retirement. With more than 40 per cent aged 45-59 years and 19 per cent aged over 60 years. (1) Business owners aged over 50 should reassess their succession plan every two years. In contrast, those owners who are three to five years from retirement should look to obtain annual updates from valuation experts so their plans can be adjusted accordingly.

Business succession planning can take place over five years in a staged approach:

1. Five years from handover: business owners should set succession objectives, considering the external market now and in five years. Then consult their spouse and stakeholders as appropriate.

2. Three years from handover: business owners should establish a management team and transition key roles and relationships to those who will drive the business forward. They should document systems and processes, consider incentive structures to retain key managers, and begin considering key factors in the timing of the sale, which can include:
a. economic and growth cycles impacting the business
b. timing of major customer contract renewals
c. key business milestones such as lease renewal dates
d. tax considerations such as capital gains tax concessions.

3. Two years from handover: at this point, it’s time to establish and deliver on a business plan focused on sustainable growth, identify and mitigate negative value drivers, secure customer relationships, ensure financial information is robust and accurate, and review stock levels that should be monetised ahead of the business sale. It’s also important to ensure related party arrangements are on arm’s length terms.

4. One year from handover: ensure goodwill no longer resides with the business owner rather than the business itself. Cement key supplier relationships.

It’s important to get an independent valuation that includes the cash flow, bricks and mortar and goodwill, intellectual property, and other intangibles. The valuation will consider financial statements, physical assets, other assets such as goodwill towards the business, and intellectual property. It should also take into account an organisational chart that illustrates the control and ownership of assets.

Nadine Marke, partner, RSM, said, “A business’s valuation is for a specific point in time so, if the owner intends to pass the business down generationally, they may want to time the succession to a specific point in the market as the value will adjust accordingly. Suppose the aim is to minimise tax implications for the family or make it easier to fund the purchase for stakeholders. In that case, owners could consider effecting the transition during a downturn or when the sector is out of favour. Alternatively, suppose the current owner wants to realise maximum value and invest the proceeds. In that case, they should pick an upturn or a time of significant merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the sector.”

If the business owner completely exits the business, they need to establish clear sales objectives upfront. This means clarifying the expected amount of the sale, potential involvement in the business post-sale, flexibility on other terms, and whether there are different personal or family expectations. If there are multiple shareholders, it will be important to align with their objectives.

Judy Snell said, “A business owner’s business succession planning will determine the quality of their life in their sunset years, the wellbeing and security of their loved ones, and the future of the team who has helped them realise their dreams to this point. To avoid unnecessary complexity or financial loss, organisations should seek professional business advice and obtain recommendations that are specific to their business and family situation.”



Also see Small Business Answers guide to selling a business.

Portal & QR Code for Tradies to Book a Jab

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Master Builders Australia has launched a new partnership with the Pharmacy Guild to boost vaccinations in the building and construction industry for tradies to book a Jab. 

“The involvement of community pharmacies is going to be a major boost to Master Builders Australia’s national ‘Let’s Get The Jab, Let’s Get It Done’ campaign to boost the vaccination rate among builders and tradies around the country,” Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia. 

“The partnership involves the promotion by Master Builders of the Pharmacy Guild’s online portal and accompanying QR code to the building and construction industry. The Pharmacy Guild’s portal means that builders and tradies can book a vaccine appointment at a community pharmacy that’s local to them literally within minutes,” she said. 

“This will make getting the jab easier for builders and tradies and allow Master Builders to gauge the number of people in the industry receiving the vaccination in aggregate terms and in compliance with privacy legislation,” Denita Wawn said.  

“Getting the jab is the only way to open up the country and end the lockdowns which are having such a toxic effect on our industry, the economy and the community but our research has found that we need to make it easier for builders and tradies,” she said.  

“Many builders and tradies, particularly males under 40, are holding back on getting the jab because they do not believe that Premiers and Chief Ministers will keep their promise and open up when vaccination rates reach 70% and 80% and because they think they erroneously believe that the virus poses no physical threat to them. However, they are willing to get the jab to stop the lockdowns and open the country as outlined in National Cabinet’s national plan if the process is made easier and that’s where community pharmacies come in,” Denita Wawn said.  

“Our partnership with the Pharmacy Guild is an outstanding and leading example of the business community working together to boost vaccinations so that we can all return safely to our normal working and private lives, providing that our state and territory leaders keep their promise to open up at 70% and 80%,” Denita Wawn said.

Small business recognised in Canon’s 2021 Grants

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Canon Oceania has announced the winners of its 2021 Grants Program, recognising seven organisations across Australia and New Zealand that are paving the way towards a better future for their communities. As COVD-19 lockdowns continue to impact Australian businesses, Canon’s Grants Program includes a small business category and increased cash donations for the second year running.

After the public cast more than 4,000 votes for this year’s finalists, Canon is awarding more than $30,000 worth of grants. Australian winners will each receive $5,000 in cash and products ($2,500 in cash and $2,500 in Canon products).

Australia’s winning projects will help disadvantaged communities connect with nature, support learning and communication for individuals with autism, and deliver therapy to children impacted by adversity.

“We’re continuously inspired by the breadth of organisations working to make a positive contribution to society, despite the tough economic and personal circumstances that COVID-19 has created for many Australian communities and organisations,” said Dave Yoshida, Managing Director, Canon Oceania.

“This is especially true for small businesses, with many significantly impacted by the current restrictions in a number of states. We’re proud to support these organisations, providing them with tools that help them adjust to the ‘new normal’ and set themselves up for future success. We’re excited to see how this year’s winners use their grants to positively impact their communities and our environment.”

For the past 15 years, in the spirit of Canon’s Kyosei guiding philosophy – living and working together for the common good – Canon Oceania has supported more than 75 schools, not-for-profits and community groups with more than $420,000.

Previous winners have used the grant to provide assistance and therapy dogs for children with disabilities, facilitate learning for children with hearing loss, and stop dolphin cruelty.

AUSTRALIAN WINNERS 2021 Grants: $5,000 ($2,500 in cash, $2,500 in Canon products)

Small Business: The Young Naturalist (NSW)

The Young Naturalist is a social enterprise, especially interested in assisting women and children in disadvantaged communities throughout Australia. It provides scientific nature programs to help children understand and connect with nature.

Sharing their excitement, Dr Aniuzka Kazandjian and Dr Fiona Benyon, the co-founders of The Young Naturalist said, “Our mission is to bring Australian biodiversity to life and connect children with nature by providing experiences in microscopic investigation, citizen science participation and hands-on creation of biodiverse habitats. The 2021 Canon Oceania Grant will enable us to ‘capture the moment’ our Young Naturalists make their first scientific nature discoveries, creating tangible memories of their connection with nature. Thanks to Canon, our Young Naturalists will be able to share their Nature discoveries with the world, by contributing their images to iNaturalist and the Atlas of Living Australia. The high-quality images captured with Canon cameras will also contribute to the creation of our Young Naturalist series of Natural Sciences books and field guides, assisting children to identify our unique Australian biodiversity. We would like to express our sincere thanks to Canon Australia for sharing The Young Naturalist’s vision to ‘nurture the future custodians of our Natural World’.”

For more information about Canon Oceania’s Grants Program, please visit: https://www.canon.com.au/about-canon/community/grants

For more information about grants, Small Business Answers has a guide.

Video Production and Editing

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Video is a very powerful medium. We spend so much time consuming it ourselves and the internet has only increased that.  A video can tell a story so much better and can help your business stand out from the crowd. In this guide, we will look at why you should consider using video. What is involved in video production and editing and how you might go about producing a video.

Corporate or business video production is the end-to-end process of making a professional video for communication to external or internal audiences. Content may be used as promotional videos and video marketing, recruiting videos, and for learning and development, or sales.

WHY should you consider using video?

The exponential rise in video adoption across the internet – especially on social media – has inspired businesses to implement video in ever-new and exciting ways. From sales and marketing, right through to internal communications, training and human resources, organisational functions are transforming the way teams communicate with engaging, effective business videos.

Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to only 10% when reading text. (Source: Insivia)
78% of people watch online videos every week, with 55% of viewers watching videos every day. (Source: HubSpot)
By 2022, online videos will make up over 82% of all consumer internet traffic – 15 times higher than in 2017. (Source: Cisco)
90% of users say that product videos are helpful in the decision process. (Source: HubSpot)

Videos can be made to help convey the following:
  • How-to videos
  • Tips & tricks content
  • Recorded webinars
  • Behind the scenes videos
  • Customer testimonials
  • Stories that showcase your products or services
  • Business overview

WHAT is involved in video production and editing?

The thought of filming a video can be quite intimidating whether it be a camera pointed in your face or all the equipment perceived to be needed to make it look professional.

To end up with a successful video that will help your business there are 4 key steps:

  1. Planning (or preproduction)
  2. Shooting
  3. Editing
  4. Distributing
Planning

This is the most important step. Long before a camera is even switched on you need to be clear on why you want a video and then come up with the idea for the video. Part of this planning process is also understanding how you will enable people to see the video which might affect how long it is and the creative idea. Next step is to create a storyboard or video plan template which may or may not contain a script depending on how structured the video will be.  This process will help you determine what shots you need to ensure you record everything you need to convey your message. Download a video plan template here.

Shooting

This is where you will shoot or record what you have outlined in your video plan template. Ensure your presenters or interview subjects know what is expected of them and at your selected location look for an interesting backdrop.  Another key consideration is lighting which can be provided by natural light or using artificial lighting.  Never put the sun behind your subject.

Your talent may not even be the star of your video it may be a product or a process. Gathering what is referred to as B roll footage enables other shots to be inserted during editing whilst you still hear the presenters voice.  Stock B roll footage may also be purchased if it is impractical to get the shot.

Before you finish filming ensure both your video and sound is good by playing it back as it will be much easier and potentially cheaper to do a second take then, as not all mistakes can be corrected in editing.

Editing

Editing is the process of taking all the footage you have taken and assembling them in a logical sequence to convey your message. To edit video a video editing software package is required. Free trials are available to help you find one that suits. If you have no experience then you can learn to do this but it does take a certain skill to deliver a professional result.  Be careful not to over-edit with too many transitions between shots and effects. 

The soundtrack is just as important as the video, music and effects can be a useful addition to the recorded speech. Additional voice overs can also be added at this time.

Distribution

Now that you have a video it is time to get people to watch it.  This might be used only for a private audience like training through to anyone on the internet.  Consider who will see it and who should not.  If making the video public consider your audience and where best to display the video which may be multiple places. Some ideas include your website, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

HOW do I create a video?

Now that you understand what is involved you may be feeling confident and you may not. You have some options.

The first option is to outsource the entire project.  A video production company can do everything for you and a short corporate video will probably cost around $5,000 to $10,000.

If you have experience or are feeling confident you can have a go at doing the entire production yourself.  You will need a camera (a modern high-end smartphone has an excellent camera for recording video) and a tripod. If your budget allows a wired or wireless microphone and video light will immediately improve your results. As discussed above video editing software and a reasonably powerful PC will be needed. More details can be found in our guide on buying a PC. Editing a video yourself will take time to learn how to edit then time and patience in to produce the final video.

A third option is available through an innovative Australian company Shootsta who offer a service to provide you with equipment and guidance to shoot the video yourself and then they will edit it professionally within a few days.  They also will take your video footage from your smartphone and edit it. They also offer many instructional videos to help you get that professional result.

HINTS

Great video guides to learn how to make videos can be found here.

According to HubSpot the ideal length of a video used for social media should be:

  • Instagram: 30 seconds
  • Twitter: 45 seconds
  • Facebook: 1 minute
  • YouTube: 2 minutes

You may love a popular song but putting it in your video without permission may put you in court.  Ensure you use royalty-free music and sound effects in your productions.

SUMMARY – Video Production and Editing

Video footage has been proven to enhance a business message. They not only can be used in sales and marketing but also for training.  Always start with a solid plan on how the video will be used and turn that into a checklist to get to that outcome in the video’s production. Your steps of video production include Planning, Shooting, Editing and Distribution.

Having professional help or support in the process will raise the level of your production and increase your chances of the video delivering on the reason you made it in the first place.

Record Keeping for small business

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Running a small business is about understanding what is going on and about meeting your obligations. You might have obligations to employees, suppliers, the taxman or more simply an obligation to yourself to understand if you are making any money or the ability to look up a past agreement.  This guide will look at why record keeping is important, what you need to keep records on, and how to keep good records.

Record keeping is the activity or occupation of keeping records or accounts.
Record keeping in financial terms is the process of recording transactions and events in a ledger or accounting system. Since the principles of accounting rely on accurate and thorough records, record keeping is the foundation accounting.

WHY should I care about record keeping?

Keeping good records is important for any small business. Whether that is to help manage your costs, whether it is for legal, regulatory or tax reasons, or simply to help manage and improve your business.  Collecting, storing, and effectively analysing your data is vital.

Without adequate records, it would be impossible to measure the health of your business and to keep track of your progress. It also helps avoid fines for doing the wrong thing and demonstrate your financial position if you need a bank loan.

Records must be kept by law for:
  • 5 years for Australian Tax Office purposes
  • 7 years for Human Resources time and wages records
  • 2 years after you have offset a capital loss against a capital gain (individuals & small business)

Keeping good records will make running your business easier and save you time in the long run.

WHAT should I keep records on?

The types of records you should consider keeping include:
  • Client Files
  • Contracts
  • HR required records for 7 years
    • employee details including pay, leave and work hours
    • reimbursements of work-related expenses
    • workers compensation insurance for each employee
    • pay as you go (PAYG) tax instalments
    • superannuation contributions
    • ending employment
  • HR records recommended:
    • resumes and job applications
    • contracts of employment
    • performance reviews
    • trade or registration certificates
  • Business records (for example, business registration, formal meeting minutes etc)
  • General business information (for example, job tracking, customer correspondence)
  • Accounting and tax for 5 years
  • Business expenses
  • Bank statements / credit card statements
  • Annual tax returns
  • Quarterly/Monthly tax filings
  • Payroll
  • Inventory
  • Sales
  • Revenue
  • Petty cash
  • Vehicle logs
  • Invoices
  • Cancelled cheques and cheque stubs
  • Purchase orders

HOW do I make record-keeping easy?

Under Australian law records must be:
  • readily accessible if required
  • must be unchanged and must be stored in a way that restricts the information from being changed or the record damaged (changes may be permitted for correcting an error)
  • in writing (electronic or paper)
  • legible
  • in English
  • explain all transactions
  • accurate and not misleading

A bookkeeper or your accountant can help with this process but this will not remove your need to still be involved in keeping accurate records.

Although you can keep records on paper it will be much easier if you do so electronically.  Refer to our essential guides on expense management, accounting software and payroll software to understand more. If you are concerned about outlaying funds for software you could set up a series of spreadsheets to help manage your accounts.

Other key documents like signed contracts, lease documents etc should be kept in a safe preferably fireproof storage. These documents can also be scanned and stored electronically ensuring you have back up copies.  Refer to our guide on Storage and sharing of files.

Electronic solutions and storage of records have the following advantages:
  • back up records in case of disaster
  • automated processing and provide ready-made reports
  • produces taxation and employment reporting requirements for government submission online
  • keep up with the latest tax rates, laws and rulings
  • save on physical storage space

HINTS

The Australian Tax office (ATO) provides a record-keeping evaluation tool which will help you evaluate how well you are keeping your business records. https://www.ato.gov.au/Calculators-and-tools/Host/?anchor=&anchor=RKET/#RKET/questions

The ATO provides an App for sole traders to help them record business income, expenses, and vehicle trips.  https://www.ato.gov.au/general/online-services/in-detail/mydeductions/mydeductions/

SUMMARY – keep records under Australian law

Record keeping is not just about keeping records for accounting.  Under Australian law, some taxation, superannuation and employment records must be kept for 5 or 7 years. 

Accurate and regimented record keeping will help you find the information you need, provide reporting and make running your business easier.  Modern accounting and payroll cloud-based solutions will not only streamline the process but also produce required government reporting for you.

Lack of record-keeping, false or misleading reporting can result in fines. Always ensure you have backup copies.

10 Things PR Professionals want you to Know

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PR professionals have a reputation for being a friendly, unflappable bunch but like anyone, they too experience moments of frustration. Here are 10 things every PR professionals secretly wishes you knew but are too professional to tell you.

Being experts at navigating social relations doesn’t make PR professionals immune to the everyday frustrations that inevitably crop up in their work. Though your gracious PR rep may be well-equipped to handle anything that comes their way, there are things that drive even the most seasoned PR professionals batty. Here are 10 common things PR reps wish their potential clients knew:

1.          PR is a non-negotiable part of business

“If you think PR is negotiable or a ‘nice-to-have’, you’re dead wrong,” says Jordan, a PR specialist from Sydney who regularly works with fledgling brands. “If your business is trading you are already in the business of PR. Everything you do plays a part in crafting your reputation and public relations is just the applied way to build and manage your brand.”

“PR is one part of a holistic and integrated marketing and communications plan. Often small businesses see the outcomes of PR and instantaneously want to emulate the same for their business,” says KK Projects Director Keri Kitay.

“It’s important as a small business to realise that it’s a marathon and not a sprint. Before engaging in a PR campaign, it is essential that you have everything in place, such as your sales channels to capture leads generated by PR, an e-commerce system that can support enquires and sales, customer service, all your purchasing, refund and shipping policies in place and enough product in stock to support sales. In addition, it is important for a small business to recognise that PR will generate awareness and provide leads to your website but it is equally if not more essential that your website is optimised to convert the sale. “

2.          Have realistic expectations

“It’s important to understand that PR isn’t instantaneous and it can take a few months to see results. Your agency needs some time to build relationships with key media on behalf of your business, and some publications are working to an editorial calendar, so you may not be relevant to what they’re working on at the moment,” says MHPR Director Meg Harris, “This is why we always recommend new clients give us a minimum of 3 months to build the momentum and start to see coverage coming through.” 

3.          Measurables won’t give you the full picture

“We can report on KPIs like media coverage, engagement or web traffic but PR is more of an art form than an exact science,” says Jordan, “Measurables don’t always give you the full picture of how a campaign is going, especially to measure how consumer sentiment is changing over time. Instead of being fixated on particular numbers or metrics, it pays to think of what your overall brand strategy is and look at what measurables will truly reflect its progress.”

4.          Please get back to PR professionals quickly!

“We want to be fully prepared to take advantage of every opportunity that comes up,” says Sydney based agency rep Siobhan, who works in corporate communications. “When there’s missing information or a slow response from our clients it means that sometimes we miss out on great opportunities to promote their brand. In media timing is everything.”

5.          It’s all about relevancy

“What you think is interesting or relevant may not always resonate with everyone else,” advises Katie, who enjoys working with clients to identify their best-selling points in her role as an account manager at a Melbourne PR agency. “That’s where we come in to do the research and advise on what angles work best to promote the client.”

6.          Social media is here to stay

“Social media gets a bad rap from some corners, but what some businesses don’t realise is that it’s a really budget-friendly and effective way to get your name out there,” says Katie. “It’s not just a place for teenagers to hang out. Lots of people use social media to learn about products and get recommendations; any business can use social media to build a relationship with customers and get valuable insights.”

7.          Have a plan

“To execute a PR campaign effectively, small businesses need to allow adequate time for agencies to audit the business, the market and the PR opportunities before putting together a strategy,” says Keri, “A well thought out PR plan requires detail and research. Similarly, the time to execute a PR plan and generate media coverage and results does not happen overnight. There is a lot of detail in a plan and considerate execution, which your PR agency or publicist has spent many years crafting, building relationships with media and developing their IP to produce results.” 

8.          PR is not the same as advertising

“Part of the value of PR is that media coverage is so much more powerful than straight-up advertising because consumers place greater trust in independent reviews,” says Siobhan, “But obtaining coverage is not as straightforward as paying for an advertising slot. A lot of patience is needed but the results are worth it.”

9.          Pay attention to presentation

“High-quality assets can be the difference between being featured or not,” says Meg, “If you can afford to, arrange to shoot a variety of high res imagery such as simple product shots on a white background and lifestyle images so you have a greater chance of being able to provide for different publications’ needs.” 

“More journalists are mindful of the environment these days so extravagant product send-outs with excess packaging are no longer necessary to secure coverage. It’s more important to really research who your business is relevant to and send them a personalised pitch with your product and the key information.” 

10.   Listen to us

“My dream clients are clients who really take my feedback on board even if they don’t agree with me,” says Maya, who has spent most of her career working with corporate clients from her base in Sydney. “A trusting relationship is essential to achieving the best results; at the end of the day, I feel most appreciated when I feel listened to. My expertise is hard-earned and being able to put it to good use is its greatest reward.”

Director of Millennium Communications, Cassandra Hili says you should expect transparency and honesty saying, “Just like in any good relationship, this goes both ways. By having these two values at heart, it will make your experience with your PR so much more enjoyable and won’t allow for any miscommunication or unmet expectations.”

“When it comes down to PR, it really is a team effort. So make sure you’re open to the ideas and angles that are presented to you.”

Written by Mary Nguyen at HM&M

Read the Small Business Answers guide to understand more on how PR can help grow your business.