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Stratford-upon-Avon

13 The Courtyard
Timothy's Bridge Road
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Warwickshire CV37 9NP

01789 294484

enquiries@gjassociates.co.uk

London

7-8 Stratford Place
Mayfair
London
W1C 1AY

0207 495 0304

enquiries@gjassociates.co.uk

Digital Bookkeeping: Tips To Build Your Business Empire

Articles

Digital bookkeeping

In today’s digital age, where keeping your books online is the norm, accurate and efficient bookkeeping is the backbone of every successful business. Here, we explore digital bookkeeping and share practical tips to give your business the boost it needs.

Which is best: digital bookkeeping or traditional? 

Traditional bookkeeping often involves manual data entry, paper trails, and time-consuming reconciliation. For a more in-depth look, please read our blog ‘DIY bookkeeping: weighing the pros and cons’.

While traditional methods have their merits, they can also be labour-intensive and susceptible to errors. Enter tech-based bookkeeping, which offers a multitude of benefits: 

  • Cloud-based solutions: Access your data anytime, anywhere, from any device. 
  • Automated tasks: End repetitive data entry and streamline your processes. 
  • Real-time insights: Visibility into your cash flow, profitability, and financial trends. 
  • Collaboration tools: Communication and data sharing with your team and advisors. 

At Grenfell James, we believe in harnessing the power of technology to transform bookkeeping from a burden to a strategic advantage for your business. We manage your digital bookkeeping needs so you can focus on running your business. We tailor our service to you through our apps and a leading accountancy software provider, Xero

Our tech-based approach goes beyond crunching numbers, providing: 

  • Industry-specific expertise: We understand your unique challenges and opportunities. 
  • Proactive guidance: Regular reviews and consultations to stay ahead of potential issues. 
  • A trusted partnership: We’re an extension of your team, committed to your success. 

Cloud-based accounting software can give you a view of your business finances from anywhere. Read our post on Xero Accounting Software Tips for a summary of our favourite features to maximise efficiency. 

Digital bookkeeping tips to grow your business 

Gone are the days of drowning in paperwork and spreadsheets. Thanks to technology, bookkeeping has become streamlined and efficient, allowing you to prioritise what truly matters: growing your business. However, even with modern tools, navigating bookkeeping can feel overwhelming. Here are three simple tips to conquer bookkeeping with ease! 

Tip 1: Embrace the Tech Force 

Gone are the days of manual data entry and tedious calculations. Cloud-based accounting software offers many benefits, including: 

  • Instant access: View your financial data anytime, anywhere, from any device. 
  • Seamless collaboration: Share records and communicate easily with your accountant or team. 
  • Automated tasks: Streamline invoice creation, expense tracking, and bank reconciliation. 
  • Real-time insights: Visibility into your cash flow, profitability, and financial trends. 

Investing in the right software is an investment in your time and sanity. Choose a user-friendly platform that integrates with your existing tools and caters to your business needs. 

Tip 2: Unleash the power of automation 

Let technology handle the heavy lifting! Many accounting software solutions offer robust automation features, including: 

  • Automatic bank feeds: Eliminate data entry by syncing your bank account with your software. 
  • Recurring invoices: Set up automatic invoice generation and payments for regular clients. 
  • Expense categorisation: Utilise AI-powered features to categorise your expenses automatically. 
  • Receipt capture: Snap pictures of receipts with your phone for automatic processing. 

Automation tools free up your time for more strategic activities while ensuring accuracy and efficiency in your bookkeeping processes. 

Tip 3: Get organised 

Developing a structured approach to your finances simplifies bookkeeping. For example: 

  • Categorise transactions: Organise income and expenses into categories for tracking and analysis. 
  • Schedule regular tasks: Dedicate specific time slots for data entry, reconciliation, and review. 
  • Utilise folders and labels: Organise digital documents and receipts for easy searching and retrieval. 
  • Back up your data regularly: Periodically back up your data to the cloud or an external hard drive. 

Remember, consistency is critical. Establishing and maintaining a well-organised system will save you time and give you valuable insights into your financial health. 

Bonus Tip: Don’t go it alone! Consider partnering with a tech-savvy accountancy practice. They can offer expert guidance, ensure compliance, and provide valuable financial insights to fuel your business growth. 

If you are a business owner in the UK looking for guidance on digital accounting or choosing the right software, the team at Grenfell James is here to helpContact us today to discover how we can revolutionise and simplify your business.

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Grenfell James Technology Adoption Index

How does your business perform against others adopting financial tech? Find out with our interactive diagnostic:

1.

How does your business receive invoices?

A)

Invoices are mainly received in paper form

B)

Invoices are mainly received by email

C)

Invoices are emailed then automatically forwarded to a designated mailbox

2.

How are purchase invoices processed?

A)

Invoices are entered manually

B)

Invoices are attached to manually raised invoices

C)

Automated software (e.g. ReceiptBank, 1Tap, HubDoc etc) collates invoices

3.

How are accounts processed?

A)

Using Excel/paper-based

B)

Using Computer-based, offline software

C)

Using cloud-based accountancy software

4.

How often is business data revised?

A)

Data is updated annually

B)

Data is updated quarterly

C)

Data is updated monthly or more often

5.

How is banking updated for your business?

A)

Banking is updated manually

B)

Banking is updated by imports

C)

Banking is updated via a live feed

6.

How are bank payments made?

A)

Bank payments are manual

B)

Bank payments are made using bulk imports

C)

Bank payments are made directly via accounting software

7.

How are bank receipts reconciled?

A)

Receipts are chased and reconciled manually

B)

Receipts are chased and reconciled automatically

C)

A third-party platform is used to chase debts and collect fees

8.

How often are management reports produced?

A)

No reports are provided

B)

Reports are provided but often too late to be valuable

C)

Reports are automated with real-time information

Score 8-12:

Curious Exploration

Your financial technology phase is Curious Exploration

% of respondent businesses are in this phase too.

Switching accountancy systems may seem like an upheaval, but can be much more straightforward than most businesses imagine. From talking to our clients, they have found moving from paper invoicing and desktop-based accounting software to the cloud and apps quickly makes the transition process a worthwhile investment of time. Digital accounting solutions bring in streamlined processes, up-to-date business data and greater confidence in the accuracy of information when making financial decisions.

Grenfell James works with your team to fully assess the needs of your business and minimise the impact of any transitions for solutions we recommend.

Find out more about App Advisory

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Score 13-19:

Measured Discovery

Your financial technology phase is Measured Discovery

% of respondent businesses are in this phase too.

Once cloud accountancy software is in place, there’s still plenty of scope to improve your accountancy processes and make sure your business is maximising the benefits of adopting a digital accounting solution. Grenfell James assesses each business to understand how any implemented solutions are being used, identify areas for improvement and the needs of the business overall to support your business goals and achieve success.

Our team of experts can discuss a range of time-saving automation and get different apps and cloud-based solutions talking to create and manage a digital accountancy eco-system to help your business grow.

Find out more about App Advisory

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Score 20-24:

Bold Innovation

Your financial technology phase is Bold Innovation

% of respondent businesses are in this phase too.

You know the benefits of accounting technology and the impact it can have on your business goals. If you want to take it a step further, our team can conduct a systematic review of your processes, apps and business goals to ensure your digital accountancy ecosystem is keeping pace with the changing needs of a growing business.