When establishing a small business, the owner may employ a minimal staff to wear many hats in an effort to keep the company running on a small budget. This familiar scenario often leads to individuals performing tasks outside of their capabilities. The result is too many chefs in the kitchen leading to miscommunication, innocent mistakes and costly fees to correct them.

Especially in the financial management of your business, it’s best to keep your circle small and have one designated person, whether in-house or outsourced, to maintain your basic bookkeeping. Beyond basic bookkeeping, a second individual is typically employed to reconcile books, create budgets, manage the general ledger, provide periodic financial reporting, and process year-end closings. Assigning one individual to communicate necessary information and manage financial data in order to complete these tasks will eliminate errors and protect confidentiality in your financial statements and tax filings.

When creating your budget, be sure to itemize accounting fees as it pertains to your company without skimping. A cutback on this line item may incur more of an expense than needed, not only resulting in a high budget variance but decreasing your bottom line.