10th October, 2024
If you’ve ever found yourself sweating over cashflow issues, you’re not alone.
In fact, Beth Dowsett, a Product Marketing Manager for SMEs at MYOB, explains, “Research shows cashflow is a top concern for Australian SMEs, with 24% facing extreme pressure on their business.”
Managing the ebb and flow of money in your business can definitely be tricky. But don’t worry, we’ve got some handy solutions that’ll have your cashflow running smoother before you know it.
There are multiple ways you can take charge of your firm’s cashflow and enjoy less stress as a result. For example:
There are also many ways you can manage your cashflow more effectively with the help of accounting software such as MYOB’s solutions.
Modern accounting software gives you a bird’s eye view of your finances whenever you want.
With MYOB’s dashboard for both desktop and mobile app info on the go, you can see exactly where your money’s coming from and where it’s going, in just a glance.
From the dashboard, you can track daily cashflow, view monthly sales and purchases, and see your venture’s performance for the year.
Plus, MYOB offers lots of great reporting features, including forecasting tools.
Using these is like having a crystal ball for your finances, helping you plan for lean times and make the most of the good ones.
You can keep a close eye on what your cashflow is doing daily and weekly, and plan accordingly for different times of year.
Beth explains, “At MYOB, we understand SMEs need a clear view of their current and future cashflow to make informed decisions. That’s why our reporting tools identify potential cashflow shortfalls and provide business owners with the confidence to invest in growth.”
“Time is another critical factor for SMEs looking for better cashflow, as they often juggle multiple responsibilities,” Beth says.
“Thankfully, admin-heavy tasks, like creating invoices, chasing overdue invoices, and reconciling payments, are fully automated within our MYOB Business Lite and Pro products.”
With MYOB, there’s no need to spend hours each week manually creating invoices, so you can get paperwork out the door ASAP and get paid sooner.
The software can automate much of the invoice creation process with customisable templates you can input with your logo and branding once and then keep using over time.
You can also quickly turn your quotes into accurate invoices with prefilled customer details and GST calculations.
You can create and send invoices from any device, too, so you can catch up on this side of your business whenever suits you best, whether you’re on a job site waiting for a supplier and have a few minutes spare or are working in your office.
The sooner you send invoices, the sooner they can be paid.
Also, getting them to customers right after you finish a project means the work will be fresh in clients’ minds, and they won’t put off paying the bill because they’re unsure what it’s for.
Plus, we all know that chasing payments can be about as fun as a sunburn.
MYOB’s software can automatically send reminders to your clients, saving you time and awkward conversations and helping you get paid faster so your cashflow is better in turn.
Another feature of MYOB is the Online Payments option.
Add the ‘Pay Now’ button to your invoices and your clients can pay you in seconds.
Plenty of incorporated options are available, such as BPAY, credit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal, and Google Pay.
“Getting paid on time is essential to easing cashflow stress, and online payments enable customers to get paid up to three times faster than traditional methods,” Beth explains.
“With a single application, businesses can accept payments through all major credit cards and digital wallets.”
Direct bank feeds mean your accounts are always up to date, so there’s much less manual data entry (which can lead to errors) or end-of-month surprises.
Setting up your bank accounts to “talk” directly with MYOB will make it quicker and easier to reconcile accounts and know your firm’s cashflow position every week.
To get your cashflow under control, you also need to keep an eye on where your hard-earned cash is going every month.
Identifying unnecessary expenses can help you trim the fat, so take advantage of MYOB’s mobile-optimised expense-tracking software to manage bills, quickly on-charge expenses to customers, and snap photos of receipts while on the go.
The MYOB Capture app will take the details from your receipt photos and automatically file them into your expense management software, so you won’t be trying to tally up costs months later or worrying about lost paperwork.
One area that can have a big and negative impact on cashflow is inventory.
If you have too much stock and, in particular, too many items you don’t use or sell, your cashflow will be more of a struggle than necessary.
MYOB’s inventory management software makes it simple to see your current stock on hand and view your bestsellers and duds.
It will help you determine which items to reorder ASAP so you can maximise sales and which to clear out via discounts, bundles, or deals so you can free up some more cash.
In addition to premium accounting software access, it’s worth considering invoice financing to boost your business cashflow.
Invoice financing is like getting an advance on money you’re owed. A financing company pays you a percentage of your outstanding invoices, giving you access to cash now rather than waiting for your clients to pay.
How can it help?
MYOB has partnered with Butn to help its customers access invoice financing quickly and easily and smooth out low cashflow times.
“These are small loans paid back over short periods of time, to fill gaps and get businesses moving when they need it most,” explains Rachel Kimber, a Product Manager at MYOB.
“What makes Butn invoice finance stand out is that it’s completely undisclosed, meaning the only people who need to know about the funding are the business owners.”
In fact, Butn invoice finance has been integrated right into the MYOB platform.
“This has significantly streamlined the process for our users,” Rachel notes.
“Adding the ‘Invoice Funding’ link on the invoice list page ensures that the option is always visible, making it easier for small businesses to access the funds they need without disrupting their workflow.”
The Butn invoice financing integration makes it more cost-effective for small business owners to access financing when needed.
Rachel says, “It helps our users avoid the high, ongoing costs associated with traditional working capital loans, allowing them to instead focus on growth and stability.”
Imagine this: Your accounting software flags that a big bill is coming up, but you’re waiting on payments from clients. No worries!
You can quickly identify which outstanding invoices to finance, get the cash you need, and keep your business humming along.
By combining the power of accounting software with the flexibility of invoice financing, you’re setting yourself up for cashflow success.
Remember, though, that every business is unique, so it’s worth chatting with your accountant or a financial advisor to figure out the best strategy for your situation.
But with all these tools in your kit, you’ll be well on your way to smoother sailing in the sometimes choppy waters of business finance.
Information provided in this article is of a general nature and does not consider your personal situation. It does not constitute legal, financial, or other professional advice and should not be relied upon as a statement of law, policy or advice. You should consider whether this information is appropriate to your needs and, if necessary, seek independent advice. This information is only accurate at the time of publication. Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information contained on this webpage, MYOB disclaims, to the extent permitted by law, all liability for the information contained on this webpage or any loss or damage suffered by any person directly or indirectly through relying on this information.
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