Guide
Set up a simple bookkeeping system
Build a lightweight system for tracking money in and out before the paperwork piles up.
Choose a system that matches your size
A spreadsheet is genuinely fine for a very early business. As transaction volume grows, dedicated bookkeeping software saves more time than it costs.
Set up categories that mean something to you
Use a short list of categories that reflect how your business actually spends, rent, supplies, software, marketing, rather than a generic template with fifty options you'll never use.
Record transactions weekly, not monthly
Fifteen minutes a week is manageable. A full month of unsorted receipts is not, and details get forgotten.
Keep business and personal completely separate
This only works cleanly if every transaction in the system is a genuine business one. Mixing the two undoes the whole point.
Reconcile against your bank statement monthly
Once a month, check that your records match what the bank actually shows. This is how small errors get caught before they become big ones.
That’s the whole thing.
Keep going
What to read next
- 01
Bookkeeping Basics
Track expenses without losing receipts
Build a habit that captures every business expense the moment it happens, not weeks later.
- 02
Bookkeeping Basics
Reconcile your accounts every month
Catch errors, missed charges, and fraud early by matching your books to your bank, monthly.
- 03
Bookkeeping Basics
Choose bookkeeping software that fits your business
Pick a tool you'll actually keep using, not the one with the most features.