How do you manage your business finances?

The success of every business relies on the use of financial tools such as loans and investments.

The financial management of your business is essential to its proper functioning and making informed decisions. It refers to the funds accessible in a business and is at the heart of every business function, whether you are starting a new business, expanding an existing business or producing new goods.

Your company's revenue is generated through the sales force of products or services. They are then used in production, to create new products to sell. The remaining funds are used to pay employees and cover administrative costs.

Controlling cash flow is a vital element for any business, and plays a key role in its proper functioning. Indeed, the success or failure of your business is determined by how these flows are managed. Even the day-to-day financial operations of your business require a constant flow of funds, from marketing expenses to employee salaries. Taking practical steps will help you control your expenses and grow your business without taking excessive financial risks.

Here are some helpful tips for managing your business finances.

1.Manage cash flow

Ensuring the financial health of your business requires effective cash flow management.

Take a close look at all your business expenses (direct and indirect) and overhead (fixed, variable, and semi-variable) to calculate your overhead rate and monitor it regularly. Review your business reports and evaluate your core business and financial operations against your sales and operating margins. Once you get a handle on costs and margins, you can leverage a variety of financial services and tools to manage your business's funds and cash flow.

Evaluate your purchasing, liability, credit and interest needs when considering a business debit or credit card. Obtaining financing is another tool to help your business grow. A business line of credit or business credit card can be a good option for short-term financing. To finance larger projects or business needs, such as a renovation, equipment or a new marketing campaign, a business loan may be the solution.

Effective management of trade receivables also improves the company's cash flow. A regular follow-up of customers in arrears must be put in place. Adopt good terms and conditions of payment. Systematically follow up with your late customers and forward recalcitrant cases to your debt collection partner.

2. Prioritize business financial planning

Budgeting, accounting, forecasting, tax planning, risk management are important aspects of managing your business finances as part of a comprehensive financial plan. Don’t hesitate to analyze accounting reports and financial statements to better understand your business’s performance.

Thinking ahead is also the best way to avoid the stress of tax season. Avoid common tax mistakes with organized records and accounting. For tax advice on your business's unique needs, consult a tax accountant.

3. Improve inventory accuracy

Mastering inventory management is essential for your business. Poor management can lead to multiple problems: excess inventory causes unnecessary tying up of funds and unnecessary risk of spoilage while too little inventory can cause problems when customer demand increases. Both situations can lead to lower sales, poor customer experience, and financial instability.

Effective stock management must ensure that the necessary quantity is available at the right time. Many companies opt for an omnichannel sales strategy to reach more customers. This involves total efficiency in managing inventory simultaneously across all sales channels. For example, if a customer does not know that an item unavailable in store can be purchased online, a sale is lost.

Stay ahead of your inventory levels by using inventory management software that automatically connects your in-store and online catalogs.

4. Mitigate supply chain risks

Closely monitoring demand and working with suppliers to ensure availability can help business owners mitigate product access risks and ensure your customer experience remains reliable and positive. Adjust supply chain strategies, track existing contracts and orders, and bring in backup suppliers to prevent disruptions from eating into your planned sales and revenue.

To plan for the future, review all of your business and supply chain plans and consider proactively tracking additional costs related to business continuity.

5. Optimize your payroll process

The payroll process is a challenge for many businesses, even if they generate enough revenue. By optimizing this process, you can improve your cash flow, making it easier to compensate employees. Keep an eye on any salary indexations and take into account social charges, annual bonuses and other ancillary costs. The use of external annual funding allows the salary cost to be spread evenly throughout the year.

6. Review your spending regularly

It is important to closely monitor your business expenses. Good accounting software will allow you to quickly write useful reports, such as:

• Profit and Loss Reports: These show your business's revenue, expenses, and profits over time;
• Balance sheet reports: these show assets, liabilities and net equity;
• Cash Flow Statement Reports: These show the cash flow in and out of your business;
• Accounts payable and accounts receivable reports: they give a statement of the amounts due and receivable but also the payment deadline;
• Depreciation reports.

Also keep an eye on your payroll, even if you outsource part of it.

For a growing business, this is often more complex than expected. Review all of these regularly, preferably with the help of your accountant or financial advisor. Remember to separate your personal and business finances: use a separate credit card and bank account for business expenses

In conclusion, good financial management is essential to increase profits and ensure the success of your business in the relevant field. Effective financial planning has the ability to increase the value of your business and improve its profitability. You can get help from highly experienced, knowledgeable and expert professionals by availing their services.