Accounting Mistakes That Cause Your Business to Lose Money

Accounting matters are crucial for businesses because it helps define a company's profitability and an overview of its financial performance. With that, we should be all aware of the things related to accounting because if it is left unnoticed, it might cause severe problems and issues that might lead to a total loss or bankruptcy.

Here are some of the accounting mistakes that might cause your business money loss:

1. Being Extra Budget-Conscious & Messy Financial Files

Yes, looking after your budget is a good practice but do not exaggerate. Some companies are exaggerated to the point of cutting down the budget on labor which prevents them from hiring an adequate number of people for a particular job. As a result, the quality of service becomes below standards which disappoint customers who bring in money to the company.

Whether hard or soft copies, disorganized files can bring you a massive amount of penalties in the long run. You might miss out on deadlines that have corresponding penalties if paid late or closed late. That being the case will shed you a tremendous amount of money paying these fines.

• Connor Brown, Founder

2. Using Accounting Software Inappropriately

We're going to assume that if you run a medium-sized company, you probably use accounting software. You should get it right now if you don't have accounting software. To make your accounting more productive, it's critical to use it correctly. However, accounting software has helped a lot in your financial progress by managing paper copies of invoices, financial records, payments, bills, and other essential documents that should be saved and filed correctly.

- Cindy Corpis, CEO of SearchPeopleFree

3. Not Making the Full Use of Data in Reporting

When it comes to accounting, most business leaders make the mistake of stopping at the reporting stage. These companies may know their numbers and have ample data on past performance, but they limit their profitability potential by failing to connect historical data to future strategic decision-making. 

In order to grow as a business, the way leaders view the role of accounting must change. As the word itself suggests, companies must account for the numbers they've reported by responding to what they know, rather than just recapping the data and leaving it in the past.

• Jim Downes, Founder of Blueprint CFO

4. Not Properly Managing Cash

Not properly managing cash flow also ends up causing businesses to lose money. This often occurs when a business does not keep a regular pulse on its numbers, and makes purchasing decisions without considering the impact on the timing of cash flow. This often results in carrying higher interest debt that may otherwise be avoidable. If you have a regular pulse on your cash flow, and you have upcoming purchase decisions for which you may requiring financing, knowing this in advance will allow for effective planning to reduce the hit on interest rates that you will be subjected to, or to augment timing to avoid financing altogether.

• Joshua Leyenhorst, BSc, CPA Principal, BasePoint Accounting And Finance Inc

4. Inconsistent Bank Reconciliation

The practice of verifying the account amount reported on your books against the real balance of your bank account is known as bank reconciliation. Small prices and expenses that you may not be aware of at the time can sometimes go unnoticed. Reconciling your accounts allows you to precisely keep track of your finances without letting anything fall through the cracks.

It's critical, especially for small firms, that all transactions are accurately recorded, and your books are reconciled at least once a month. This is because every small transaction adds up, and if left unattended for too long, those small transactions might add up to a huge difference.

• Gerrid Smith, Chief Marketing Officer at Joy Organics

5. Not Using the Right Software

Using software for accounting purposes is now seen very often in businesses. While this is a blessing to the accountant, it can also be a complete disaster in no time. Using the wrong software can lead to major mishaps. You need to pick your software based on your needs. Check what all features the software offers. For example, if you have heavy inventory management, your accounting software needs to have the appropriate features. Hence, you need to be careful while picking the accounting software for your business.

Beyond this, completely ignoring physical documentation might also lead to losses. Some financial records should be kept in physical prints along with digital copies. These, are only to safe keep them and use them wherever required.

• Christopher Sioco, COO

Conclusion

The bottom line is accounting mistakes can cause major financial issues for your business. It is important to look out these issues to maintain your cash flow and running your business smoothly. Hiring accounting outsourcing services can make all the difference for efficiency and bottom line of your business.

Author bio - Stacey Howard has 6 years of experience in accounting & bookkeeping. She has been working as an accountant with reputable firm Cogneesol– accounting and tax preparation service provider. Due to her passion, she has contributed significantly through her write-ups about multiple accounting industries.