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The Not-So-Scary Guide to Basic Bookkeeping for Service Based Businesses

TRUE COST OF EMPLOYEE

Get ready, home service pros – it's time to explore the exciting world of bookkeeping! We're here to make numbers fun and show you why clean books are as crucial as clean gutters, pipes, and windows.

Contents and What You'll Learn:


  1. Basic Bookkeeping Definitions
  2. The True Cost of an Employee
  3. The Magic of Real Bookkeeping
  4. Invoices vs. Collections
  5. DIY Bookkeeping vs Hiring Pros
  6. Deciphering Profit Formulas
  7. Quarterly Financial Reflections
  8. CPAs
  9. Cash is King
  10. Conclusion

Basic Bookkeeping and Finance Definitions

  • Bookkeeping: The process of recording and organizing all financial transactions in a business, including sales, purchases, payments, and receipts. It's the foundation of the business's accounting system.
  • Employee Cost: This includes not just the hourly wage or salary of an employee but also additional expenses such as benefits, payroll taxes, training costs, and equipment or software they use.
  • Cash Flow: The total amount of money being transferred into and out of a business, especially affecting liquidity. It’s a key indicator of a company's financial health.
  • Invoice: A document issued by a business to its customer, detailing products or services provided and the amount owed.
  • Collection: The process of pursuing payments of debts owed by customers. In bookkeeping, it refers to the successful receipt of payment against invoices issued.
  • Costs of Goods Sold (COGs): The direct costs attributable to the production of the goods sold in a business. This includes the cost of materials and labor.
  • Vendor: A party in the supply chain that makes goods and services available to companies or consumers. In bookkeeping, it often refers to suppliers of business essentials.
  • Profit Formula: A calculation to determine earnings, typically represented as Revenue minus Expenses (including COGs). It shows how much money a business is making.
  • Depreciation: An accounting method of allocating the cost of a tangible asset over its useful life. It’s used to account for declines in value over time.
  • Payment Processing Fee: A fee charged by payment processors for handling transactions. This can include a percentage of the transaction value and/or a fixed fee per transaction.
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA): A professional designation given to accountants who have passed a qualifying exam and met government-mandated work experience and education requirements.
  • Profit Margin: A financial metric used to assess a company's financial health by revealing the percentage of money left over from revenues after accounting for COGs.
  • Net Profit: The actual profit after working expenses not included in the calculation of gross profit have been paid.

Understanding the true cost of an employee

Key Facts:

  • Additional cost for benefits
  • Difficult to calculate true cost
  • Difficult to handle immediate raise requests

So, you've hired Bob for $20 an hour, thinking, "That's $3,200 a month, easy-peasy!" Hold your horses – it's not that simple. There are hidden treasures (or traps) like benefits, vacation time, and those sneaky software costs. Suddenly, Bob's more of a $3,840-a-month kind of guy. And if your payroll is a whopping $150,000, guess what? You're actually dishing out $180,000! Surprise!

The Magic of Real Bookkeeping

In the spellbinding world of home services, whether you're scaling ladders to fix roofs or diving into the depths of plumbing, there's a mystical figure every company needs – a bookkeeper, the Gandalf of your financial Middle-earth. Let's unravel more of this magic!


The Spell of Accurate Financial Tales

Your bookkeeper isn't just a number cruncher; they're the storyteller of your business's financial saga. Imagine you're a roofing company. Each shingle, nail, and hour of labor is part of your story. Your bookkeeper weaves these into a coherent narrative, helping you understand where your gold coins are going and coming from.


The Crystal Ball of Cash Flow

In the magical land of home services, cash flow is your lifeblood. Let's say you're a landscaper. You've got payments flowing out for seeds, tools, and that fancy new mower, and payments coming in from those manicured lawns. Your bookkeeper is like a seer with a crystal ball, forecasting your cash flow, ensuring you're not spending tomorrow's gold on today's dreams.


The Potion of Profit Maximization

Bookkeepers concoct potent potions of profit analysis. For instance, as an electrician, you might wonder if LED installations are more profitable than fixing old wiring. Your bookkeeper analyses costs and revenues, guiding you to the most lucrative paths.


The Shield Against Tax Trolls

Ah, the dreaded tax season – when the trolls come knocking. Your bookkeeper is your shield, ensuring you're not only compliant but also taking advantage of all mystical tax deductions and credits. Whether you're a window washer claiming ladder expenses or a plumber deducting those miles traveled to rescue flooded kitchens, your bookkeeper has your back.


**5. The Advisor in the Tower**

When you're contemplating hiring another knight in your HVAC army or whether to invest in a new pressure washing dragon, your bookkeeper is the wise advisor in the tower. They help you weigh the costs and benefits, ensuring your kingdom remains strong and financially sound.


The Guardian of Your Treasure Trove

Think of your bookkeeper as the guardian of your treasure. They protect your hard-earned coins from getting lost in the chaos of daily battles. For a sheet metal company, this might mean tracking the fluctuating costs of materials and labor, ensuring you're not unknowingly bleeding silver.

Invoices vs Collections: The Epic Showdown!

The Mighty Invoices: Your Proclamations of Prosperity

Imagine you're a gutter-cleaning champion, scaling heights and clearing away nature's debris. Each completed job is followed by an invoice – a royal decree stating what you're owed. It's a proclamation of work done, a paper promise of future gold. But here's the twist – these proclamations are not gold in your treasury yet. They're your kingdom's IOUs, floating out there, waiting to be turned into real treasure.


The Gallant Collections: The Actual Gold in Your Coffers

Now enter Collections, the true heroes of our story. They're the knights who return to your castle with actual gold. In the world of electricians, for example, it's not enough to just wire a house and send an invoice. The real victory is when the payment lands in your account. It's the difference between celebrating a job done and celebrating a job paid for.

The Quest of Converting Invoices to Collections

Every home service wizard, from HVAC masters to window-washing acrobats, knows this quest all too well. You've sent out your invoice-army across the land, but now you must ensure their safe return with collections. Implementing efficient billing systems, gentle yet firm payment reminders, and offering multiple payment options are all strategies to ensure your invoices don't turn into forgotten scrolls.


The Enchantment of Prompt Payments

There's a spell for ensuring timely collections – incentives for early payments and mild curses (also known as late fees) for delayed ones. For instance, if you're running a pressure washing service, offering a small discount for early payments might encourage your clients to fill your coffers sooner rather than later.


The Perilous Pitfalls of Invoice Illusions

Beware, noble landscapers and sheet metal artists, of the illusion that a sent invoice is as good as gold. It's a mirage in the desert of financial management. Keeping a vigilant eye on your collections, tracking who owes you what, and when, is crucial. Don't let your hard work vanish like mist in the morning sun.


The Triumph of Balanced Books

The ultimate goal in this grand showdown is to balance the scales – where the weight of your collections matches or surpasses your invoices. This is the sign of a thriving kingdom, where cash flow is strong, and the realm is prosperous.

DIY Bookkeeping: Heroic or Foolish?

Ah, the age-old question for every brave soul in the home service kingdom, from the gallant roofers to the meticulous landscapers: Can you don the cape of a bookkeeper while wielding your tools of trade? Let's embark on this quest!


The Tempting Path of DIY Bookkeeping: A Hero's Journey?

Picture yourself, oh valiant electrician, after a day of battling rogue wires, now sitting down to duel with spreadsheets and receipts. Or imagine, noble plumber, swapping your trusty wrench for a calculator as twilight descends. There's a certain heroic allure to managing your own books – a feeling of control over your financial destiny. But beware, for this path is fraught with hidden traps and mystical tax laws that could ensnare even the bravest of souls.


The Sage Bookkeeper: Your Guiding Star

Enter the sage bookkeeper, a guiding light in the murky waters of financial management. These wise wizards bring order to chaos, transforming your scattered numbers into coherent tales of profit and loss. They are the guardians who keep you from the dark dungeons of payroll errors and the lurking monsters of tax penalties.


The Art of Cost-Cutting (Without a Chainsaw)

Our bookkeeping magicians aren't just about keeping score. They're skilled in the ancient art of cost-cutting – identifying where your hard-earned gold can be saved without resorting to drastic measures. Think of them as your financial strategists, advising you on how to fortify your castle without having to sell the drawbridge.


The Perilous Pitfalls of DIY Bookkeeping

Venturing into the DIY bookkeeping forest may seem like a cost-saving quest at first. But hidden within are pitfalls – missed tax deductions, overlooked expenses, and the dreaded miscalculations. These are the dragons that can consume your time and peace of mind, turning your dream of financial independence into a nightmare.


The Harmony of Collaboration: The DIY and Professional Duo

Fear not, for there is a middle path. You, the courageous window washer, can keep a hand on your bookkeeping tiller while seeking guidance from a professional bookkeeper. This alliance allows you to understand your finances while benefiting from expert advice, forming a powerful shield against the uncertainties of the business world.


The Final Verdict: Heroic, Foolish, or Wise?

So, is DIY bookkeeping a heroic endeavor or a fool's errand? The answer lies in balance. For those who thrive on numbers and have the time, DIY bookkeeping can be a fulfilling part of your journey. But for many, the wise choice is to summon a bookkeeper – your financial knight in shining armor, leaving you free to conquer the realms of home services.

The Mysterious Maz of COGs and Vendors

COGs: The Invisible Sprites of Business

Costs of Goods and Services (COGs) are like mischievous sprites dancing unseen around your business. They're in everything you touch – the nails you hammer as a roofer, the pipes you wield as a plumber, and the seeds you sow as a gardener. These sprites whisper of costs you might overlook, like the hidden expense of storing all those shingles or the fuel guzzling in your fleet of service vans. They're a tricky bunch, often forgotten in the excitement of a job well done but always nibbling away at your profits.

Vendors: The Enigmatic Allies (or Foes)

Vendors, on the other hand, are the enigmatic characters you encounter on your quest. They offer you tools and treasures to aid your journey – a new software system for scheduling, a bulk deal on window-cleaning supplies, or perhaps a shiny new lawnmower. But beware – not all vendors are allies. That $500/month Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system? It might just be a glittering dragon hoarding your gold without giving enough in return.


The Dance with COGs: A Delicate Balance

Navigating the world of COGs requires a dance with precision. Take for example a window washing enterprise. You need squeegees, cleaning solutions, and safety equipment. But each of these has a cost, a little sprite tagging along. The trick is to dance with them gracefully – knowing when to spend, how much, and on what. It’s about making each dollar stretch its legs but not break a limb.


Vendors: Choosing the Right Partners for the Ball

Selecting vendors is like choosing a dance partner for a grand ball. You want someone who complements your steps, who adds to your performance without stepping on your toes. For a sheet metal business, this might mean choosing a supplier who offers quality materials at a fair price, not the one with flashy promises but lackluster delivery.


The Hidden Pitfalls in the Shadows

Lurking in the shadows of COGs and vendor relations are pitfalls waiting to trip the unwary. Overlook a small recurring cost, and it becomes a gaping hole in your finances. Choose the wrong vendor, and it’s like having a partner who constantly steps on your feet during the dance.


Mastering the Art of COG and Vendor Navigation

Mastering this art is crucial. Keep a keen eye on your COGs, track them like a hawk stalking its prey. And when dealing with vendors, be discerning. Negotiate, research, and don’t be dazzled by false promises. Remember, every penny saved from these elusive entities is a penny that can grow your business.

Profit Formulas: What's left over after everyone is paid?

The Fundamental Spell: Revenue Minus COGs Equals Profit

This is the cornerstone spell in your grimoire, dear service wizards. Imagine you're a wizard of window washing; the gold you receive for making those panes sparkle is your revenue. But ah, there's a catch! The cost of your enchanted squeegees, the potion-like cleaning solutions, and the chariots (vans) that carry you to your destinations – these are your Costs of Goods and Services (COGs). The true magic happens when you subtract these COGs from your revenue. What remains? Your hard-earned profit!

The Caveat of Counting Dragons Before They Hatch

In the world of plumbing knights and electrical mages, it's tempting to count your dragons (profits) before they've fully hatched (realized). You've sent out an army of invoices (see the previous chapter on Invoices vs. Collections), and it feels like a hoard of gold is coming your way. But remember, these dragons are still in their eggs; they aren't real gold in your coffers until they've hatched into actual collections.


The Sneaky Goblins of Depreciation and Payment Processing

Beware the goblins that lurk in the shadows of your profits! Depreciation is a sly creature, diminishing the value of your magical tools over time – be it your enchanted hammers, spell-infused drills, or fleet of roving chariots. And let's not forget the payment processing goblins. They take their tiny cuts from every transaction – a few coins here, a few there, nibbling away at your profits like mischievous imps.


The Spell of Net Profitability

This is a more advanced spell, requiring a keen eye and a steady hand. Once you've calculated your gross profit (Revenue - COGs), you must then consider all other expenses – the spells you cast for marketing, the gold you pay your apprentice workers, and the tribute to the tax kingdoms. What remains after this is your net profit, the true measure of your business's financial health and wizardry.


The Art of Casting These Spells Wisely

Casting these profit spells is not just a matter of waving a wand. It requires careful study of your ledger scrolls, constant vigilance against the goblins of hidden costs, and a strategic mind. Whether you're a landscaper shaping nature's own magic or a roofer guarding against the elements, knowing and understanding these spells can turn your business from a mere trade into a thriving empire.

Watch out for those Ghoulish Payment Processing Fees

In the bustling marketplace of the home service realm, where trades like magical potion brewing (think of it as your unique service) meet the digital age, there lurks a band of stealthy creatures – the Payment Processing Gnomes. Let’s explore how these unseen entities can nibble away at your hard-earned treasure.


The Tale of Judy the Potion Seller: A Cautionary Fable

Imagine yourself as Judy, a renowned brewer of magic potions (or a skilled electrician, plumber, or landscaper in our world). You've concocted a potion (service) with a 75% profit margin – or so you think. Each potion sold brings gold and glittering coins to your coffer. But wait! As each coin clinks in your treasure chest, a sneaky gnome, known as Payment Processing Fee, takes a small bite out of it.


The Hidden Bite of Processing Gnomes

These gnomes are crafty. They charge a small percentage, plus a fixed fee per transaction. So, when you, as a window washer, receive payment for making panes glisten, these gnomes might take 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction. It sounds like mere pebbles in a vast mountain, but oh, how those pebbles can accumulate!


The Illusion of Gross Profit

Back to our potion-selling metaphor: Judy thinks each sale fills her vault with a certain amount of gold. But after the gnomes have taken their share, her real profit is less than anticipated. It's like casting a spell for a bountiful harvest, only to find a portion has vanished overnight. For home service providers, this means what you think you earn per job isn’t the full amount you get to keep.


The Impact Over Time: A Goblin’s Feast

The impact of these fees might seem trivial at first – a tiny gnome’s bite here and there. But over time, like a feast for goblins, they add up. Imagine you're a roofer, and you project a certain level of profit for the year based on your services. Not accounting for these gnomes could leave your projections as fantastical as a fairy tale.


Banishing the Gnomes: Strategies for the Wise

While you can’t banish these gnomes completely (they’re part of the digital transaction realm, after all), you can outsmart them. This involves negotiating better rates, understanding your pricing structure, or even passing on some of the costs to your clients in a fair and transparent way.


The Wisdom of Awareness

The key to dealing with these gnomes lies in awareness. Know their ways, understand their tricks, and plan your finances with their presence in mind. Whether you’re laying enchanted tiles or painting magical murals, factoring in these gnomes will give you a true picture of your kingdom's wealth.


In conclusion, while payment processing fees are an inevitable part of modern business spells, understanding and planning for them is crucial in the mystical world of home services. By keeping an eye on these invisible thieves, you ensure that your treasure chest remains as full as it rightfully should be, securing the prosperity of your magical domain.


Get those Quarterly Financial Reviews in Order

In the land of home services, where daily quests range from taming wild electrical currents to sculpting landscapes into works of art, there exists a powerful artifact – the Quarterly Company Reflection, akin to gazing into a magical mirror.


The Ritual of Peering into the Business Mirror

Every three moons, it’s wise to pause and peer deeply into your business mirror. This isn’t just any mirror; it’s a mystical surface that reflects the true state of your kingdom – your revenues, expenses, and the progress of your quests (profit goals). Whether you’re a master of the roofs or a guardian of home comfort systems, this moment of reflection is crucial.


The Mirror’s Reflection: Revenues and Quests

As you gaze into this mirror, it shows not just your face but the face of your business. How much treasure has flowed into your coffers? Are your services as a plumber or electrician bringing in the gold you anticipated? And what of your quests – those lofty profit goals you set while dreaming under the starlight? The mirror reveals how close you are to reaching these fabled lands.


The Bookkeeper or CPA: Your Mirror Mage

While the mirror is powerful, interpreting its reflections can be a complex art. This is where your Bookkeeper or CPA comes in – the mage who can decipher the mirror’s cryptic messages. They point out the financial dragons lurking in unseen caves (unexpected expenses) or the hidden treasure troves (areas of unexpected profitability).


The Dance with Financial Dragons

As you scrutinize the mirror, you might spot dragons – perhaps a vendor’s costs have soared skyward or a particular service isn’t yielding the expected gold. These reflections are invaluable, for they allow you to strategize – to sharpen your sword, adjust your shield, and prepare for battle.


The Power of Adjusted Quests

The beauty of the quarterly reflection is its power to guide adjusted quests. If a particular service, say gutter cleaning or window washing, is proving to be more lucrative than anticipated, the mirror suggests it’s time to embark on more such quests. Conversely, if a service is like a path leading to a dragon's den (less profitable), it may be time to chart a new course.


The Ritual’s Outcome: A Strengthened Kingdom

By regularly consulting this magical mirror, your business – your kingdom – becomes stronger, more resilient. You’re not just reacting to the winds of fate; you’re anticipating them, preparing for them, and, when necessary, altering your course to navigate through calmer seas or more prosperous lands.

CPAs: Stainless Steel or Rusted and Green Copper

In the diverse and bustling world of home service kingdoms, where every day is an epic saga of conquering leaky faucets or crafting enchanted landscapes, there exist legendary figures known as CPAs (Certified Public Accountants). These are not just any ordinary sages; they are the grand wizards of finance, the archmages who wield the most potent of fiscal spells.

The Potent Spells of a CPA

While bookkeepers are adept at maintaining the day-to-day scrolls of your financial records, CPAs can conjure far more powerful spells. They delve into the arcane mysteries of tax laws, summon strategies for financial planning, and can even ward off the dark arts of audits. Their prowess extends to interpreting the most cryptic of financial runes, turning complex data into actionable insights.

The Cost of Their Sorcery

Indeed, securing the services of these financial archmages can require a princely sum. Their expertise, much like the rarest of magical ingredients, comes at a premium. However, the investment often yields bountiful returns. The financial strategies they craft and the pitfalls they help you avoid can save your kingdom – be it plumbing, electrical, or roofing – much more gold in the long run.


When to Summon a CPA

While you may not need an archmage for everyday bookkeeping spells, there are times when their superior skills are invaluable. Major financial decisions, complex tax situations, and navigating the labyrinth of business growth are all quests where a CPA’s magic is most potent.


The Harmony Between Bookkeepers and CPAs

In the realm of home services, the most successful kingdoms often strike a balance between their trusty bookkeeper sidekicks and the mightier CPAs. The bookkeepers maintain the day-to-day harmony of your financial records, while the CPAs are summoned for the bigger battles and more challenging quests.


The Emblem of Financial Wisdom

In summary, CPAs are the revered archmages of the financial world, armed with knowledge and skills that can profoundly impact the prosperity of your home service kingdom. They are the wise counselors and powerful allies in your quest to build a thriving, financially sound enterprise. So, when the time comes for high-level financial wizardry, know that the CPA is your go-to mage for guidance and mastery in the arcane arts of finance.


Cash is King: The Crown of Finance

In the grand kingdom of home services, where valiant heroes tackle everything from mystical landscaping to the alchemy of HVAC systems, there reigns an undisputed ruler – Cash, the King. This golden rule is the cornerstone of your business empire, a beacon guiding you through the treacherous terrain of financial management.


The Throne of Cash: Ruling Over Revenues and Expenses

In the bustling markets and busy streets of your service kingdom, cash holds the scepter. It’s not just about the gold flowing into your coffers from delighted clients; it’s also about the gold flowing out to procure supplies, pay your loyal knights (employees), and maintain your chariots (service vehicles). The balance of this inflow and outflow is what keeps your kingdom prosperous.


The Visibility of the Royal Treasury

Having a clear view of your treasury is like having a map of your realm. Without it, you might as well be wandering blind in the dark forest of financial uncertainty. Are your coffers brimming enough to embark on a new quest, like expanding your plumbing services? Or are they dwindling, necessitating a strategic retreat to reassess your conquests? Knowing where your cash stands is knowing the health and heart of your kingdom.


The Perils of Ignoring the King

Neglecting the rule of Cash the King can lead to dire consequences. Imagine a scenario where you, a noble window washer, invest heavily in enchanted cleaning solutions without considering your cash reserves. You may find yourself in a bind when the time comes to reward your hardworking sprites (employees) or when an unexpected dragon (emergency expense) appears.


The Wisdom of Cash Flow Management

Wise rulers of the home service realms – be they electricians, roofers, or landscapers – know the art of cash flow management. They track the gold, ensure their expenses don’t outweigh their earnings, and always keep a reserve for unforeseen adventures or challenges.


The King’s Advisors: Bookkeepers and CPAs

Even a king needs advisors. In managing your kingdom’s cash, your bookkeeper and CPA are invaluable. They help you decipher the royal scrolls (financial statements), predict upcoming feasts and famines (financial forecasting), and plan for future crusades (strategic investments).


The Golden Rule in Action

Embracing the rule of Cash is King means making decisions with a clear understanding of your financial standing. It’s about being bold in investments when your treasury allows and cautious when it warns of low tides. 

Final Thoughts - Get Your Books in Order

In this enchanting guide, we've journeyed through the mystical world of bookkeeping tailored for home service companies. From the true cost of an employee to the potent magic of real bookkeeping, we've unveiled the hidden facets of financial management. We explored the clash of invoices and collections, the heroics and perils of DIY bookkeeping, and navigated the enigmatic maze of COGs and vendors. Our quest delved into the secrets of profit formulas and outsmarting the ghoulish payment processing fees.


Every quarter, like gazing into a magical mirror, we emphasized the importance of reflecting on your financial status, understanding that cash is indeed the king in this realm. Bookkeepers emerged as trusty sidekicks, while CPAs stood tall as the grand wizards of finance, casting powerful spells to safeguard and grow your business empire.


Ultimately, this guide isn't just about numbers; it's a call to arms for home service professionals. It’s a tome of wisdom, urging you to embrace the financial aspects of your business with the same fervor as your trade. By mastering these mystical arts of bookkeeping and finance, you equip your business for success, ensuring your kingdom prospers under your wise and watchful rule.

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