Every business large or small depends on a number of business budgets, from the large scale master budget used to control final profitability, to smaller targeted budgets intended to increase the financial performance of a specific section or project within the company.
Use of exact budgeting to control expenses is key to reducing overhead and maximizing performance, something which any business would benefit from at any time.
This core tool of financial responsibility can be fine-tuned based on a project, department, or even specific employee or subcontractor, allowing total control over expenditures and keeping your business on track to reach specific milestones.
Project Budgets
Good project management relies on a strong connection between predictions and results.
At the start of a project, knowing the methods, costs, and timeline can help you budget correctly. Know how much the company can afford to invest in the project and ask the project’s team what it needs to meet the desired goals.
Work with your team to set the right budget to meet both sets of needs and re-calibrate if the agreed budget is over- or under-used.
Team and Department Budgets
Each department is a percentage of your company and exists to make the company stronger by providing a team of similarly specialized professionals.
Making the most of your department budget could be a simple matter of prioritization.
As a small business, function outweighs both form and tradition.
Your company is much better served by new computers and a reliable wifi network than a supply of pencils, staplers, and legal pads.
In fact, many of the old standbys in office supplies are quickly becoming outdated as smartphones and tablets replace almost all need for physical paper and it’s accouterments.
Overhead Budgets
Keeping the lights on is only the first concern of a small business owner.
Your budget goes to a million tiny little uses. From paying salaries to developing a mobile app, the most important financial task is to keep track of it all. It can help to categorize.
Even if you don’t have more than one team member per department, separate your costs by department anyway.
Examining your budget in relevant categories can help turn the data from an endless stack of numbers into a clear picture of how your business is running.
Your small business is a system of interlocking budgets, fed by sales and processed into employee hours and more products you can offer. Keep your finances healthy and balanced by treating each budget with the care and attention it deserves.
Separate, carefully managed budgets are the key to keeping your finger on the pulse of your small business.
Contact us today for more advice and assistance managing the budget of your small business. We specialize in outsource accounting services to provide small businesses with a way to grow their business more effectively.
