Chartwell News
In today's digital times, you're probably used to having unrivalled access to your financial numbers, key performance indicators (KPIs) and cashflow metrics. Without good bookkeeping, the speed and quality of your reporting can quickly fall down. So, why is fast and accurate bookkeeping so important? And what are the main bookkeeping tasks that your business should be getting right?
Starting a business can be daunting between sales, marketing, and day-to-day financing, plus there is the big question of which business structure to use. The three most common types – a company, a partnership, or a sole trader – have very different cost and administrative burdens, as well as different implications when it comes to legal status and liability. Find out more about the pros and cons of each below.
Being the boss means you get to make all the big decisions about your business – including how much to pay yourself in wages, salary or drawings. As the owner, you might need to underpay yourself in the early stages of building your business, so you can reinvest the profits. But your time is valuable – and you need enough money to pay the bills. So how can you find the right level of pay? It has to be enough to keep the mortgage paid, while also building a thriving business.
Cashflow is incredibly important for businesses. More cash in the account means more capital to fund day-to-day expenses or buy new equipment. However, many small business owners report difficulties when it comes to the delay between issuing an invoice and actually getting paid. Six ways businesses can encourage clients to pay their invoices quicker
Healthy sales revenue numbers don't always mean your small business is profitable. It's easy to mistake rising sales and income for profitability. But unless you understand your operational costs, profit margins and net profit, you won't truly know whether the business is making long-term, sustainable profit.
Tax planning is a strategic approach to managing your business’ financial affairs, with the aim of legally minimising your tax liability. In other words, you plan ahead to make sure you pay the taxes you should be paying, but not a penny more. Working with your tax adviser, you can look for deductions, credits, exemptions and tax-saving strategies that will help to optimise your company’s overall tax position.
“Just 20% of SMEs identify regulatory compliance as an organisational priority, compared with almost a third of larger firms (32%). With little or no HR support and limited guidance, small businesses often lack awareness of employment law and may struggle to comply with the changes.” CIPD Labour Market Outlook, May 2026 The recent Labour Market Outlook report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) shows that some small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have a poor awareness of employment law and are not prioritising their regulatory duty as employers. But with the Employment Rights Act 2025 introducing several recent changes to UK employment law, it’s vital that your SME is aware of current employment law and your regulatory requirements as an employer. Five recent changes to employment law that came into force from April 2026.
In the current economic climate, covering your operational costs and overheads can be a major challenge. Higher running costs are affecting all businesses, from large down to small. In Australia, a recent survey from Prospa shows that nearly half (46%) of SMEs have raised prices over the past three months to offset rising costs. And stats from the UK’s Federation of Small Businesses show that 85% of small businesses have reported that costs were rising. So, costs are a major issue worldwide! But what are you doing to manage these costs? We’ve highlighted five ways to review and mitigate your operational costs.
Need a hand managing cash flow? You’re not alone. The key is getting your invoicing right, by invoicing customers as soon as possible and using tools like Xero’s invoice reminders to move payments along. That said, there are a few other simple rules you can apply to manage your cash flow and get your invoices paid even faster: Keep your books accurate and up to date - so you can see your financial state at a glance. Don’t be too lenient with your customers - you can be direct and still polite. Keep a close watch on your accounts receivable turnover at all times and act sooner rather than later. Keep your accounting simple - so you have a good handle on these business metrics. We can help with this. Keep your business and your professional finances separate - this is essential to understanding your true cash flow position. Mixing your business and personal finances can leave you uncertain about business performance. Build a cash reserve - so you are prepared for unexpected events and can take advantage of opportunities when they pop up. Track your cashflow and forecast - whether it's automated reporting, AI, or a custom report we prepare for you, staying on top of your cashflow and making sure you have funds to operate smoothly is crucial. First you want to get your invoicing right. Get into a habit of sending invoices quickly. Then follow the steps above to collect revenue and keep your finances organised. Get in touch for guidance on your invoicing and business cash flow, if you need support tracking or projecting your cashflow we're here to help.
With many businesses expecting a lower profit this financial year, the more prepared you can be for the unexpected, the better. Managing expenses is a good idea at any stage in your business and you can also consider increasing your prices to improve your margins. Smart ways to get your costs under control Cashflow has been a big issue for thousands of businesses this year, and when the money’s not rolling in, it can help to rethink your costs. To do it effectively involves more than just keeping an eye on outgoings. It’s about looking at all the moving parts of your business to see if your systems (or lack of) are costing you unnecessarily. Here’s how: Muck in - Do a cost control audit to work out where your big cost centres are, and look at your systems for managing them. Be aware - Don’t just slash your expenses without considering impacts. Also track costs and look out for opportunities to trim fat or take a different approach to get the same result. Unite your team - Bring everyone together to monitor and analyse inputs and expenses. Reviewing and developing your systems? Get your team’s feedback. Look to your peers - How do your costs compare to others? If a business of a similar size and production system to you is performing well, but spending less, explore what they’re doing differently. Seek advice - Got a good idea of where the issues are, or feeling totally confused? Talk to your advisors about your next steps. How can I put my prices up without losing customers? If you need to change your pricing to make ends meet, be honest and up-front with your customers at all communication points. Make it clear on your website and social media that prices have changed and why. Send an email to let all your clients and suppliers know about the changes. Meeting people face-to-face? Make sure they’re aware of the price hikes before they’re invoiced, no one likes a nasty surprise and many countries and regions have fair trading and/or consumer protection acts. Provide the best customer experience you can by updating staff on any changes and advising them on how to communicate these with customers. Worried you’ll lose fans? Consider staggering price increases of individual products over time. Get in touch if you'd like us to help with an analysis of your margins and expenses.