How to manage your bookkeeping this Black Friday

Black Friday offers huge sales opportunities for small businesses, but it also brings a surge in bookkeeping tasks. For small business owners, managing your finances efficiently during this period is crucial to ensure profitability, cash flow stability, and accurate reporting.

Our top tips for bookkeeping this Black Friday

We have developed a guide to help you stay on top of your bookkeeping this Black Friday, so you can make the most of the holiday sales season.

1. Prepare for increased sales volume

The influx of sales during Black Friday can be exciting, but it also means handling a higher volume of transactions. To stay organised:

• Use automated bookkeeping tools: Platforms like Xero, or other bookkeeping software can streamline data entry, track sales in real-time, and reduce manual entry errors.
• Reconcile daily: Regular reconciliations ensure accurate records and prevent the end-of-month backlog. With high sales volume, daily or weekly reconciliations keep your books accurate.

2. Stay on top of inventory costs and management

Inventory management becomes essential as demand increases during Black Friday. Here’s how to stay on track:

• Record inventory changes promptly: Ensure that your inventory purchases and restocking costs are accurately tracked. Proper tracking allows you to stay aware of cost of goods sold and prevent stock shortages.
• Adjust for discounts: Record discounts given to customers against sales. A lower selling price does not itself change inventory purchase cost. Adjust inventory carrying value for relevant purchase-cost changes or a required write-down to net realisable value, and review the effect on gross margin.

3. Keep a close eye on cash flow

Cash flow management is key during Black Friday. Increased revenue is great, but promotions, marketing, and increased operational costs can put pressure on cash flow. To manage this:

• Monitor incoming and outgoing cash closely: Track the sales inflows and promotional expenses to maintain a clear understanding of cash flow.
• Plan for immediate and future expenses: Black Friday might mean a temporary cash boost, but setting aside funds for future expenses, like restocking or holiday bonuses, helps maintain stability.

4. Track expenses and understand profit margins

Black Friday promotions often involve discounts and marketing expenses, which can impact profit margins. Accurate bookkeeping is essential to understanding these costs and assessing profitability:

• Categorise promotional expenses: Use specific categories for Black Friday marketing, shipping, or other promotional costs. This helps you track how much you’re spending on the sale and assess its overall profitability.
• Review profit margins: With proper expense tracking, you’ll have insights into profit margins after discounts. This information is valuable for future Black Friday planning and pricing strategies.

5. Consider tax implications and potential liability

A Black Friday boost increases what you owe: more GST to pay on your next BAS if you are registered for GST, and more income tax on the extra profit. For sole traders and partners, extra profit can also be taxed at a higher marginal rate. To avoid surprises at tax time:

• Track revenue accurately: Make sure all Black Friday sales and discounts are recorded in detail. Accurate records are key for both tax filings and financial analysis.
• Set aside funds for tax: Based on your expected profit from Black Friday, set aside the GST you collected (less the GST credits you can claim on purchases) and a portion of profit for income tax. This can prevent cash flow shortages later in the financial year.

6. Use Black Friday insights for financial reporting and future planning

The data generated during Black Friday can provide valuable insights for your business:

• Analyse sales data: With thorough bookkeeping, you can review which products sold best, track customer behaviour, and evaluate the success of promotional efforts. This data will guide you in future promotions by helping you understand profit margins and bestsellers.
• Strategic reinvestment: If your Black Friday sales brought a boost in cash flow, consider reinvesting it strategically. Stock up on bestselling products, enhance your marketing efforts, or upgrade technology to streamline operations. You could also expand your product line, improve customer experiences, or set aside funds as a financial buffer. Thoughtful reinvestment can drive long-term growth and set your business up for future success.

Final tips for a successful Black Friday bookkeeping strategy

Managing bookkeeping during Black Friday can feel overwhelming, but with a proactive approach, you can handle the increased volume and make the most of your sales. If you’re looking for extra support, Visory runs the finance function for growing businesses and can take that work off your plate, from daily reconciliations to managing cash flow and generating timely financial reports.

This Black Friday, let Visory handle the numbers so you can focus on growing your business and delivering outstanding customer experiences. Book a discovery call to learn how Visory can support your business through the holiday season and beyond.