Do The Books

02/09/2026

SEPTEMBER CLEAN-UP!

No, I'm not talking about spring cleaning the office.

I'm talking about cleaning up your bookkeeping!

If your accounting software currently contains:
* Unreconciled transactions
* Random expenses sitting in "Ask My Accountant"
* Customers who apparently owe you money from 2023
* Suppliers you haven't used since dinosaurs roamed the earth
* Receipts living in your glovebox
* Bank transactions you've been "meaning to look at"

…then September is your sign.

Take a little time to tidy things up.

A clean set of books means:
* Better financial information️
* Easier BAS preparation
* Better cash-flow visibility️
* Less stress at tax time
* Fewer nasty surprises

And if your bookkeeping has become a bit of a crime scene…

Don't panic.

That's literally what bookkeepers are for.

01/09/2026

27/08/2026

YOUR BANK BALANCE IS NOT YOUR PROFIT!

I know, I know… your bank account says you've got $20,000 in it and you're feeling pretty fabulous.

But before you order the champagne…

Let's remember that $20,000 might include:
💰 GST you need to hand over
🧾 Bills you haven't paid yet
👩‍💼 Superannuation
💵 PAYG withholding
📅 Tax that will eventually come knocking
📦 Stock you've already ordered
💳 Credit card payments waiting to come out

And THAT'S why I keep telling small business owners:
Cash in the bank ≠ profit.

Your bookkeeping needs to tell you what's actually happening behind that bank balance.

So, before you decide you're suddenly rich and buy yourself a new ute…

Check the numbers first!

Your bookkeeper will thank you.

26/08/2026

HOW IS IT ALREADY THE END OF AUGUST?!

Small business owners, August is wrapping up, so before we launch head-first into September, here's your friendly bookkeeper nudge to get your numbers in order.

* ️ Reconcile your bank accounts
* ️ Chase those outstanding invoices
* ️ Check your unpaid bills
* ️ Review your cash flow
* ️ Make sure your payroll is up to date
* ️ Check your GST/BAS records
* ️ Don't forget those pesky subscription renewals
* ️ Have a look at your profit — not just your bank balance!

And please, for the love of spreadsheets… don't wait until tax time to discover you've been paying for 17 software subscriptions you don't use.

Your bookkeeping should tell you what's happening in your business now, not six months after the money has disappeared.

September is a great month to stop, look at the numbers and ask:
"Is my business actually making me money?"

If you're not sure, that's what bookkeepers are for.

25/08/2026

IS YOUR BUSINESS ACTUALLY MAKING A PROFIT?

Here’s a little bookkeeping reality check…

1 in 3 Australian small business owners don’t know whether their business is turning a profit.

And honestly? I’m not surprised.

Running a business involves SO much more than sending invoices and watching the money hit the bank account.

You need to understand:
* Revenue – how much money you're bringing in
* Profit – what's actually left after your costs
* Cash flow – whether you have money available to pay the bills
* Margins – whether you're charging enough
* Expenses – where your hard-earned money is disappearing to

Recent Xero research found that while 85% of small business owners feel confident managing their finances, only 37% could answer 10 basic business finance questions correctly.

Even more interesting?
* 41% of business owners are reluctant to ask financial questions because they think they should already know the answers.
* 22% feel overwhelmed by their business finances.

And here's my favourite one…

* More than 1 in 3 small business owners have used public AI tools for business advice, while 95% of accountants and bookkeepers believe small businesses are receiving financial misinformation, much of it from social media.

As a bookkeeper, I want to say this loud and clear:

YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW EVERYTHING.

You don't need to be an accountant to run a successful business.

But you do need to understand what your numbers are telling you.

And asking questions isn't a sign that you're bad at business. It's actually one of the smartest things you can do.

If you don't know whether you're making a profit, whether your pricing is right, where your money is going, or why your bank balance doesn't match your sales…

Let's talk numbers.

Because your bookkeeping shouldn't just tell you what happened last month.

It should help you make better decisions about what happens next.

And if your current financial strategy is "I'll just check the bank account and hope for the best"…

We REALLY need to talk!

20/08/2026

BOOKKEEPER REMINDER: TPAR IS DUE 28 AUGUST!

If you’re in one of those industries where you pay contractors, it’s time to stop scrolling and check your records! 😜

Your Taxable Payments Annual Report (TPAR) is due 28 August 2026.

If your business pays contractors in certain industries, you may need to report those payments to the ATO. And before you ask… yes, it’s one of those annual jobs that has a habit of sneaking up on you!

What you need to know-
* Paper lodgments are no longer accepted — TPARs must now be lodged electronically.

You can lodge through:
* ️ Online services for business
* ️ Online services for individuals and sole traders
* ️ SBR-enabled accounting software
* ️ Your registered tax or BAS agent

The deadline-
28 AUGUST 2026

If you don't need to lodge a TPAR this year, don't simply ignore it. You may need to submit a Non-Lodgment Advice (NLA) to let the ATO know.

Bookkeeper's advice?
Don't leave it until 27 August when you're suddenly hunting through bank statements, invoices and emails trying to remember who was a contractor and who wasn't!

Get your records together now and tick this one off your list.

And if your bookkeeping is currently held together by coffee, screenshots and crossed fingers… maybe it's time we had a chat. ☕😂