Tag Archive | Small business
June 18, 2013  

Xero Training & Support – Perth Based

xero logo

xero logo (Photo credit: xeroaccounting)

Xero is a great accounting software, however the information that is entered will only be as good as the person entering it!

It’s important to make sure that you fully know how to use Xero, whether you have used another accounting software like MYOB and have converted to Xero or are using an accounting software for the first time make sure you know how to use it first.

It won’t necessarily cost you a lot of money to get training, and if you know how to enter data into Xero correctly then it will save the costs which are incurred in having someone come and fix your transactions at a later date.

My first  place for training which I refer my clients to is the FREE (my favourite word and I’m sure yours too!) online Xero customer training. These are in the form of live webinars where you can ask questions directly and which are answered on the spot, or a recorded video which can be watched any time.  The Xero Customer Training covers Setting up your business on Xero, Setting up Xero Payroll and more.
Once you have done these training because they are a general training with an overview of Xero I can do a one on one training with you where we use your live Xero and enter in actual transactions specific for your business. Things that can be covered include:
  • Entering invoices
  • Emailing invoices & customer statements
  • Setting up Payroll
  • Preparing a Payrun
  • Bank Reconciliation
  • Fixed Asset Register
  • and more….
Training can be initially when you set up Xero, or on an ongoing basis, and can be based from your office or online using screen sharing.  You might have Xero setup and maintaining your accounts yourself but as the year goes on you encounter new scenarios and need help on how to do this.
You may also just need some Support for a specific issue or transaction that you are trying to record in Xero.  The first place you should always visit is the Xero Business Help Centre, this is constantly updated by Xero when there are new releases and has step by step instructions on how to process within Xero including videos.
Alternatively you can contact me at e-accountant where I can put you onto a monthly support plan to help with regular queries or can help you with one off queries. Or even contact your own regular Tax Accountant. The charge of half an hour and making sure it is done right will be a lot better than the charge of 3 + hours of myself or your accountant trying to fix any mistakes because you didn’t ask for help!
May 22, 2012  

National Business Name Register

The ASIC National Business Name Register is due to go live Monday 28th May 2012! You may have heard of this but not known what it means… it is great news for small business as it means that your business name will be registered Australia wide not just for a state.  In the past if you wanted to register your business name but to stop other people from registering it in other states you would have to register as a company… this is no more.  When it goes live this is what it will mean for small business:
✔Businesses only need to register their name once on a single national register
✔Existing business names will be automatically transferred to the national business names register
✔Cuts red tape and compliance costs for business—easier, quicker and cheaper
✔Go online to our ASIC Connect portal—register, renew, search
✔Pay $30 to register for one year, $70 for three years
So when you need help with registering any business names, contact us as we are registered ASIC agents so can help get your name registered.

 

April 11, 2012  

The 5 steps of starting an online business

Starting an online business is easier than many people think.

1. Coming up with a product is the first and hardest part of starting an Online Business Startup. People need to think of a product they will love to sell and one that also potential clients need, so that in the end they can make a lot of money out of this. That is why you should first research the demand for that product and if you have people to market it to.

2. Your website for marketing the product needs to have a good layout and Shopping Carts should also be implemented. Regardless of how good the product might be, if the website doesn’t look legitimate, people cannot get to have buyers. Many times, on Websites that don’t look safe, people will think twice before giving out their credit card information. On the other hand if the website looks professional, they will feel safe doing so.

3. Sales and promotions are vital when it comes to starting out with a business online. It will not only help out with the business name, but will also give value. Furthermore, marketing the website and developing a customer base is also recommended, as traffic is the key of an online business. By submitting the website to online search engines, traffic will be increased a lot. Offline marketing is also important, even though the business is on the internet.

4. Advertising is very important when having an online business. This is because such a business cannot be seen by the potential buyer, unless the word is sent out about it. With no advertising, people will certainly have problems reaching the product’s website. With that being said, it’s mandatory to get as much traffic as possible. If there’s no traffic, there are no visitors. If there are no visitors, then there are no sales. And if there are no sales, people can’t make profits with their online business!

5. Last but not least, integration with accounting software Xero is vital. When people will purchase something from a website, their payments will need to be processed very fast and without any problems. Using it people will also find it easier to send invoice, so that payments and other related aspects of running an online business will be simplified. No more will they have to worry about dealing with software that is just too hard to understand, hard to use and overall unpleasant.

Running an online business may have been harder in the past, due to the lack of good software, but from now on those who run one such business can relax and stop worrying about it. With the available tools nowadays, businesses are not only simplified, but also improved and thus profits increased. In the end, who would choose to set aside such useful software which can even double their monthly earnings?