If you’ve been budgeting for a while now, you may have noticed ups and downs in prioritized expenses every month. Rarely do they stay constant nor are they predictable.

The best way to track your cash flow is to use electronic accounting. That is keeping digital records of your financial transactions, and using accounting software to process the data. You can use an app, spreadsheets or specialized programs like QuickBooks.

Electronic budgeting saves time

Tracking your finances electronically helps you spot significant changes quickly in your budget, giving you to respond before it’s too late. Unlike household expenses that are predictable, businesses experience a big swing in money that changes monthly. Electronic tracking of money that comes in (revenue) and money that goes out (expenses) will help you manage those swings and plan for the future.

The best way to take advantage of a digital system is to transfer your transactions from paper to a computer at the end of every day. If you can’t do it daily, then ditch the paper and use a laptop or iPad to record sales as they happen.

Categorize your expenses for budgeting

Using an accounting software, you can categorize each expense using labels. Applications make it easy for you by suggesting categories and color coding them.

At a single glance, you’re able to monitor your cash outflow better through spreadsheets and graphs which visually tell you where your money is going every month. Using this information, you can then re-prioritize expenses and plan cost-effectively.

Instant forecasting

Digital records give you instant answers to how your revenue and profit will be affected if you make changes in your budget. Using trends and forecasting models, it will tell you, for example, how much money you can generate by using materials that are 10% cheaper or by taking on a new marketing campaign. Plug your plans into the software and it will predict its outcome based on previous data and trends.

Budgeting for tax season

Because physical space isn’t an issue, you should keep digital records for as long as you are in business. It is especially useful at the end of the year during tax season. You can send all your records to your accountant – who will be grateful to you for making his job easier – and you can pay the right amount, not a penny more.

Quick budgeting answers

If you ever need a loan from the bank, electronic financials help make presentations straightforward and quick. Banks want key information about your business and they want it instantly. Using a program, you can get the numbers you need to build your presentation.

Accounting softwares help you search through your data and filter it according to their needs. The computer does all math for you, so you can respond to directly to the bank’s inquiries and concerns as quickly as they voice them.

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