Even if prices are raised and there are more affordable alternatives on the market, we will often continue to buy products from the same brand. The reason for this is the same as explaining why we always choose to fly with the same airline or get our coffee from the same place:...
Keeping track of taxes in the UK isn’t exactly a piece of cake. There are so many types of taxes that it’s difficult to know which ones apply to you and/or your business. If you don’t file your taxes correctly with the HMRC, it could result in penalties, which could cost you...
Customer care is one of the corner stones of a successful company – whether you are running an online shop or offering bank accounts. Even smaller companies can benefit from the use of CRM tools, which help to organise customer- or buyer data. These software systems automate and...
Before a business idea can be implemented, it is necessary to create a business plan. This serves as the founder’s roadmap, and summarises all necessary information about planning and finances. However, the business plan is also highly relevant for investors as well as potential...
According to the Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), a small business is a privately-owned and operated business with a small scale of trade and a small number of employees, depending on the industry. Small businesses are commonly referred to by the European term “SME” which...
Would you like to judge the price of a product or service appropriately, but you don’t know its corresponding overhead costs? In contrast to direct costs, overheads such as factory rental costs cannot be directly assigned to a product or service. Instead, you must calculate the overhead rate to determine the appropriate percentage of overhead costs and, subsequently, the total expenses which...
Merchants pursuing trade activities are legally obliged to prepare annual accounts based on double-entry bookkeeping. The profit and loss account is an integral part of this, as it demonstrates just how successful a company was during a given financial year. When you close your nominal accounts, it is important that the structure and sequence of your profit-and-loss accounts abide by various...
The option to make use of a cash discount is an incentive for both customers as well as sellers to pay an invoice on time. Offering a cash discount is not a requirement, but rather a strategy on the part of the supplier or seller to make sure bills get paid on time. The size of the cash discount and its deadline varies. In order to make use of a cash discount, it is sometimes advisable to use a...
A properly prepared trial balance is the key to accurate company valuations and is also the basis of your annual balance sheet. For this reason, it is very important that there are no errors. Your trial balance should consist of a list of all assets and liabilities. But what exactly is a trial balance? We will explain what you need to look out for and show you an example of what your trial balance...
The decision has been made: you want to close your limited company. The reasons for dissolution can vary, but what happens now? Simply ceasing business operations is not enough. A limited company must be dissolved in accordance with statutory regulations and according to a fixed procedure.
What does depreciation mean and what role does it play in a business environment? These questions are of great importance to entrepreneurs. Depreciation is often a closed book for business founders. To find out more about the basics, continue reading this article, in which we explain not only various depreciation types and methods of calculation, but also shed light on how to act with low-value...
Setting up a business involves a number of tasks and obligations. The development of a business plan, for example, is a must if you want to come across as professional to sponsors and other businesses. Business plan software, which is available both in free and paid versions, can help get you up and running.
All beginnings are difficult - this also applies in setting up a business. Luckily, there are three special schemes where small businesses have an exception for all things accounting, including registering as VAT exempt. However, the status of a small business is not always helpful, and in some cases it may help to register for VAT even if you’re not obliged to – check out the pros and cons.
Many entrepreneurs ask themselves what an accounting record of a cash discount looks like. The concept in question seems simple to those who know how to record cash discounts properly. However, it can also cause some confusion at the start. How does this fit in with VAT? Are cash discounts recorded as deductions? Is opting for the gross method better than opting for the net method? We get to the...
In the party scene, you’ve probably heard of “BYOB“ or “Bring Your Own Beer” where guests are expected to bring whatever they want to drink. The term “BYOD” therefore also sounds quite positive. “Bring Your Own Device” means you have the comfort of working on your own laptop instead of having to get to grips with the devices provided by the company. Mobile workplaces have now become the norm....
