Bookkeeping

Simplify Your Workflow: The Benefits of Payroll Software for Accountants and Bookkeepers

In the fast-paced accounting world, staying efficient, accurate, and compliant is paramount. Accountants and bookkeepers are often tasked with managing payroll processing, which can be time-consuming and filled with many challenges, from navigating complex legislation to ensuring accurate calculations. 

Thankfully, payroll software has emerged as a game changer and can streamline and improve many processes especially when integrated with accounting software.  In this blog, we’ll explore some of those benefits.   

1. Integration with Accounting Software 

A significant benefit of modern payroll software is its ability to seamlessly integrate with popular accounting software like QuickBooks and Xero. This integration ensures accurate financial records, eliminates double data entry, and provides real-time updates, giving businesses up-to-date financial information at their fingertips. 

2. Automation of Payroll Processes 

    One of the biggest advantages of payroll software is the automation of tedious payroll tasks. Automatic calculations for wages, taxes, deductions, and benefits significantly reduce the risk of human error. Additionally, features like direct deposit facilitate automatic payments to employees’ bank accounts, streamlining the entire process and saving valuable time. 

    3. Compliance and Updates 

    Keeping up with ever-changing payroll legislation can be daunting. Payroll Software is frequently updated to comply with the latest regulations and tax laws, ensuring businesses remain compliant. It also assists with preparing and filing payroll taxes, reducing the risk of penalties and fines associated with non-compliance. 

    4. Time and Attendance Tracking 

    Payroll software often integrates with timekeeping systems, allowing for accurate tracking of employee hours, overtime, and leave. This integration ensures precise payroll calculations and helps manage employee leave and absences effectively. 

    5. Data Management and Reporting 

    With payroll software, all payroll-related data is stored in one centralized location. This makes it easy to access, manage, and update employee records. Additionally, the software generates comprehensive reports, providing insights into labour costs, tax liabilities, and other critical metrics that aid in informed decision-making. 

    6. Efficiency and Productivity 

    Manual data entry is not only time-consuming but also prone to errors. Payroll software reduces the need for manual input, minimizing mistakes and freeing up time for accountants and bookkeepers to focus on more strategic tasks. Batch processing capabilities further speed up the payroll cycle by allowing multiple payrolls to be processed simultaneously. 

    7. Employee Self-Service 

    Employee self-service portals provided by payroll software empower employees to access their payroll information, payslips, tax documents, and personal data independently. This reduces the administrative burden on accountants and bookkeepers, as employees can resolve many of their queries on their own. 

    8. Scalability and Flexibility 

    Whether you’re a small startup or a large enterprise, payroll software can scale to meet your needs. Its customizable features allow it to adapt to the specific requirements of different businesses and industries, ensuring that it remains a valuable tool as your business grows. 

    9. Security and Confidentiality 

    Payroll software ensures secure storage of sensitive payroll data, protecting it from unauthorized access. Role-based access controls allow only authorized personnel to access specific payroll information, maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of the data. 

    By leveraging the powerful capabilities of payroll software, and integrating it with accounting systems accountants and bookkeepers can transform their payroll processes, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and compliance. This not only leads to better service for clients and employers but also frees up time to focus on strategic financial planning and advisory services. 

    Ready to experience the benefits of payroll software first-hand? Book a personalized demo for Quick Payroll Software today and discover how it can simplify your compliance and payroll management! 

    What to Look for When Choosing a Payroll Software Provider? 

    Choosing the right payroll software and provider is crucial for the efficiency and success of your business operations. To ensure a quick setup and smooth transition, it’s important to consider certain attributes to ensure you are up and running in no time.  

    Comprehensive Customer Support  

    Reliable customer support is an important aspect of any payroll software provider. Here’s what to look for:  

    • 24/7 Availability: Ensure that support is available around the clock, especially if your business operates across different time zones or has critical operations.  
    • Multiple Channels: The ability to access support via phone, email, and self-service portals is essential for convenience and flexibility.  
    • Expertise and Responsiveness: Look for knowledgeable support representatives who can provide prompt and effective solutions, allowing you to resolve issues quickly and keep your business running smoothly.  

    Seamless Implementation  

    A smooth implementation process can significantly reduce the time and effort required to get your payroll software up and running. Consider these elements:  

    • Detailed Onboarding Process: A structured onboarding process helps you understand how to use the software effectively from the beginning.  
    • Training: Access to comprehensive training ensures that you and your team can learn how to use the software efficiently, minimizing the learning curve.  
    • Dedicated Implementation Support: Having a dedicated implementation team or manager to guide you through the process can reduce complexity and accelerate the setup.  

    Efficient Data Migration  

    Transferring data to a new payroll system can be challenging. To ensure a successful migration, focus on these factors:  

    • Data Integrity and Security: Ensure that your data will be transferred accurately and securely, without any loss or corruption.  
    • Minimal Downtime: The migration process should be designed to minimize operational disruption, ensuring business continuity.  
    • Clear Migration Plan: A well-defined migration plan with timelines, milestones, and checkpoints helps you understand the process and what to expect at each stage. 

    Integration Capabilities  

    Effective payroll software should integrate seamlessly with your existing systems. Key aspects to consider include:  

    • Compatibility: Ensure the software is compatible with your current HR, accounting, and other business systems to avoid disruptions.  
    • Ease of Integration: Look for software that offers easy and straightforward integration processes, reducing the need for extensive manual input.  
    • API Availability: Software with robust APIs allows for custom integrations and enhancements, providing greater flexibility and scalability for your business.  

    Robust After-Service Help  

    After the initial setup  ongoing support is crucial for the long-term success of your payroll software. Here’s what to look for:  

    • Regular Updates and Maintenance: Continuous updates, bug fixes, and improvements ensure the software remains up-to-date and secure.  
    • Proactive Communication: Keeping informed about upcoming changes, new features, or potential issues builds trust and reduces uncertainties.  
    • Customer Feedback Mechanism: Providing channels for feedback and suggestions helps improve the service and address specific needs or concerns.  

    At EasyBiz Technologies, we understand that efficient payroll and HR processes are the backbone of any successful organization. That’s why we pride ourselves on being your reliable partner for payroll and HR solutions. With our comprehensive support and onboarding, seamless data migration, and easy integration capabilities, we ensure a stress-free experience for your business. Beyond setup, our commitment extends to providing regular updates and proactive communication, keeping your software secure and efficient.  

    Request a quote today and sign up for Quick Payroll before 30 June 2024 and get two months on us to help kickstart your journey towards effortless payroll management.  

    Streamlining Your Annual Employer Reconciliation Declaration: Why Time, Accuracy and Compliance Matter.  

    It’s that time of year again! The Annual Employer Reconciliation Declaration (EMP501) filing season is officially here. Submissions opened on 1st April and will close on 31st May 2024.   

    What is an employer annual reconciliation declaration?   

    The EMP501 submission is a yearly report that South African employers must submit to SARS. It contains detailed payroll data, like monthly EMP201 declarations for PAYE, UIF, and SDL. It also covers payments made (excluding penalties and interest) and employee tax certificates (IRP5/IT3(a)s) from 1st March of the prior year to 28th February of the current year. 

    Why is it important to submit accurately and on time? 

    Submitting accurately and on time is paramount for several reasons, each bearing significant implications for both employers and employees: 

    1. Ensuring Correct Tax Payments: Timely and accurate submissions guarantee that employers are paying the correct amount of tax to SARS. This not only maintains compliance with tax regulations but also fosters trust and transparency in financial transactions between employers, employees, and SARS. 
    1. Identifying and Rectifying Errors: Prompt submission allows for the identification and correction of any errors in payroll records. This proactive approach ensures that discrepancies are addressed swiftly, minimizing the risk of inaccurate reporting and potential penalties. 
    1. Avoiding Penalties and Interest: Timely submission helps avoid penalties and interest charges imposed by SARS for late or erroneous submissions. By adhering to deadlines and ensuring accuracy, employers can mitigate financial consequences and maintain a favourable standing with SARS. 
    1. Improving Employee Tax Certificates: Accurate and timely submissions contribute to the precision of employee tax certificates (IRP5/IT3(a)s). This is crucial for employees when filing their tax returns, as discrepancies in their tax certificates can lead to confusion, delays, or even potential penalties on their part. 

    How can payroll software streamline this process? 

    Payroll software plays a crucial role in simplifying and streamlining the submission of bi-annual and annual declarations to SARS (South African Revenue Service). Here’s how:  

    1. Automation of Calculations: Payroll software automates the calculation of taxes, deductions, and other payroll-related expenses accurately. This reduces the risk of manual calculation errors, ensuring that the figures submitted to SARS are correct.  
    1. Generation of Required Documents: Payroll software can generate all the necessary documents required for bi-annual submissions, such as annual reconciliation declarations (EMP501), employee tax certificates (IRP5/IT3(a)s), and monthly employer declarations (EMP201). This saves time and effort by eliminating the need to manually create these documents.  
    1. Data Validation and Error Correction: Many payroll software solutions offer built-in validation checks to identify errors or inconsistencies in the payroll data. This allows users to rectify any issues before submitting the data to SARS, reducing the likelihood of rejections or penalties due to incorrect information.  
    1. Electronic Submission: Most payroll software systems support electronic submission methods such as eFiling or e@syFile, which are approved channels for submitting bi-annual and annual declarations to SARS. These systems often have built-in integration with SARS eFiling or e@syFile platforms, allowing for seamless and efficient submission directly from the payroll software interface.  
    1. Compliance and Updates: Payroll software vendors regularly update their systems to ensure compliance with the latest regulatory requirements set by SARS. This ensures that users have access to the most up-to-date tax tables, forms, and reporting formats, reducing the risk of non-compliance. 
    1. Record-keeping and Audit Trails: Payroll software maintains detailed records of all payroll transactions and submissions, providing an audit trail that can be used for compliance purposes or in the event of a SARS audit. This helps businesses maintain transparency and accountability in their payroll processes.  

    Overall, Quick Payroll Software can significantly simplify submitting bi-annual and annual declarations to SARS by automating calculations, generating required documents, validating data, facilitating electronic submission, ensuring compliance, and maintaining accurate records. 

    Selling your accounting services in a virtual world

    Selling your accounting services in a virtual world

    Selling accounting services today is very different from how it used to be. Firstly, most interactions take place digitally, and secondly, the market itself has changed. Clients behave differently and expect different things. Having learnt how to survive the many challenges of the past two years, now’s the time to hone the skills of marketing and selling your accounting services virtually.

    It may seem a daunting task to peddle one’s trade in the online space. For starters, in marketing and selling your services digitally, it may feel that all face-to-face contact has been lost. However, this need not hinder the process if we learn to intentionally make virtual interactions more intimate.

    The first thing to get right is knowing the difference between marketing and selling. Marketing is the act of messaging your target market. It’s about consistently putting out content for your market to hear you and it’s got to be the right market. Going digital means your market has widened, but you still need to decide where to place your focus.

    Do you want to focus on specific industries and market your accounting services to them or do you want to be more of a generalist? Also, do you want to specialise in certain services, for example, strictly bookkeeping, or specifically payroll, or perhaps navigating the complexities of tax for your clients?

    Marketing to your target audience
    In a virtual world, your website is your ‘shopfront’, and it’s the first place people go to assess what sort of business you are. You want your website to get more hits, but you first want to make sure you’re presenting the right image. To make it more personal, have pictures of yourself and your team members, their titles and what they do. This helps clients connect with you.

    If you haven’t updated your website in six months, it’s time for a refresh. In a world where instant gratification rules, it’s essential that you make your services as quick and easy to understand. Remember also that most clients will read a review before making a decision to connect with you, so place your reviews prominently.

    Getting noticed
    If you want to get more hits on your website, remember to use hashtags and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) in all your posts. You could also consider using Google Ads. Using Google Ads allows you to specifically target the market you’re focusing on, and you can align your website with specific keywords so that you’re appearing as one of the first results to the right client.

    Since business and social events are scarce these days, the opportunity for networking has diminished. However, word of mouth still applies, so ask your clients to rate your service and incentivise them to send more business your way. Offering a small discount on the next month’s invoice or offering an existing client a free advisory session for every new sign-up they refer to you is a good way to get your clients to do some marketing for you.

    Crafting the right messaging
    Marketing is about messaging your market very consistently and with very relevant information. This includes blogs on your website, posts on social media, and newsletters that are helpful to the industry. You can collaborate and do webinars or podcasts to add credence to your messaging and add weight to your reputation. Remember to talk about what’s relevant to potential clients in their specific industry – you’re not sending out messaging for other accountants.

    Also important is that whenever you put out any kind of post, add a button for people to click on and respond if they liked it, or give them an email address or let them fill in a form so they have the ability to respond to you in some way.

    Selling to potential clients
    When someone responds to your messaging by sending an email or filling out a form, they have become a potential client. Once they’ve shown interest, it’s time to reach out to them. Selling is educating, so the more you can educate them, the more they trust you. This is when you explain, for example, why they need to have regular reports, why they need to keep their taxes up to date, why they need to transition to an online platform, and so on.

    Being consistent is a large part of building trust and creating processes is what helps you be consistent. Following your processes steadfastly helps clients build trust in your ‘brand’ – accountants don’t sell products, they sell services, so the client experience you create is your brand.

    Making contact
    The very first interaction is key. When someone emails you or fills out the form on your website, it’s an opportunity for human interaction. You then send out an email, explaining your values and what you believe is important in the relationship, for example, collaboration and communication. This is to determine whether your business and the potential clients have similar values.

    When they agree with your values, you can send a second email with more information. They may want to hurry things up because they want you to do their taxes, for example, but you’re building a relationship, so each step is important. This is not a process of talking about accounting, it’s about discussing the potential client and their needs.

    Ask them questions like ‘What are you struggling with?’, ‘Where are you succeeding?’, ‘Why do you want to do this now?’, ‘How do you want to grow in two years?’. These questions are important to let the client feel that you’re focused on them and that you’re demonstrating a high level of care.

    Meeting face to face
    After the emails, you can set up your very first face-to-face meeting on an online platform. This is where you discuss what the client values and expects. When you have this meeting, turn on your camera, ask your client to turn on their camera, and share your screen as well. These are tactile things that drive trust and intimacy. Then follow up with an email to let them know that you are creating pricing packages for them and you’re looking forward to presenting them soon.

    Pricing your services
    Now it’s time to set up the second face-to-face meeting and this is when you’ll have the conversation about pricing. You present a high, medium and low price – this helps them feel in control and able to choose which option is best for them. Often they’ll ask for a fourth option that combines elements of the three you first presented.

    Your pricing should expire in seven to 10 days, so that the client is encouraged to make a decision and commit. Once they’ve agreed to the pricing, you begin setting up the contract detailing what services they can expect and the pricing structure. It’s important that you don’t start any work until the contract has been signed.

    Once they’ve signed, you have a final meeting which is to celebrate their coming on board. Introduce people from your team and ask to be introduced to people from their team. This allows a more personal interaction and lets everyone feel part of a real partnership. This meeting is to celebrate them and to thank them.

    Following these procedures may seem time-consuming, but it is necessary to build trust and start the relationship off right. It will also encourage the client to refer other clients to you in future. Marketing and selling your accounting service virtually need not be an intimidating prospect. By marketing correctly and having solid procedures in place, as well as using the tools available to create as personal an interaction as possible, you can succeed in growing your business in the online space.

    //Ends

    Payroll Software – What to Consider When Choosing for Your Business

    Payroll Software – What to consider when choosing for your business

    As your business grows, it becomes increasingly important to have the right tools to support and fuel your growth. Payroll software is a great example of this – it allows flexibility and creates efficiencies. For small to medium enterprises, in particular, you can never have enough of these two things!

    But how do you go about picking the right payroll software? There are several options out there – and migrating between them could be disruptive. We’ve compiled a list of key things to look out for as you pick what’s right for your business.

    Ease-of-Use

    You shouldn’t have to be a developer or an accountant to figure out how to use the software. Payroll software is meant to make things easier for you – not harder! Its interface should be intuitive and easy to understand. Reading reviews online and in the relevant app stores can help you gauge how user-friendly an option is.

    Local Support

    There are times when you might need help with even the easiest to use software. When you do need to reach out for help, you’ll want to know that you can find the answer quickly. That might be through an FAQs section on a website, a community-based support section or a localised call centre. Local help is particularly handy when you want to be talked through the issue you’re facings step-by-step.

    Compliant to New Legislature 

    As you probably know, business legislature is constantly evolving. This means it’s important that your software evolves with it. Ideally, you’d like these updates to be automatic and free – so you can focus on your business. A good example of this is the POPI act and how your software handles employee data.

    Consider Payroll Software Integrations 

    Often, different business divisions have a favoured software to do their job. However, these preferences don’t always integrate well with other divisions. If you have existing HR software, for example, do some research into how well it integrates with payroll software. This can help narrow down the options you need to research.

    Free Trials and Demos 

    While it may seem obvious, getting hands-on with software before you make a purchase is preferable. Surprisingly, not all software has this option though. If you’re the kind of person that needs to see it and “kick the tyres”, then keep an eye out for trials and demos that let you get a feel for the software first.

    This is just scratching the surface of what you should consider when picking payroll software. If you need to talk about payroll software and how it could improve your business’s efficiency – let’s talk

    //Ends.

    The easy way to prepare your business for Financial Year End

    The easy way to prepare your business for Financial Year End

    We saw many trends emerging in the accounting industry in 2020 and 2021, and these are going to continue into 2022 – with a few additions. The role of the accountant has changed, remote working has become the norm, and digitisation is on the increase. Two new trends to consider are blockchain technology and sustainability reporting.

    Gary Epstein, MD at EasyBiz Technologies, the authorised partner for QuickBooks Online Accountant in South Africa, and Christopher Botha, Director at Nwanda Incorporated, unpack the top trends and how they will affect the accounting field.

    In 2020 and 2021, many accounting firms were either not familiar with cloud accounting or were reluctant to adopt it. They had to make a quick turnaround to be able to continue operating and to future-proof their business.

    Cloud-based Accounting

    Cloud-based accounting has become the norm and has opened up a world of opportunities for accountants. It has enabled remote working, and through this, we have been able to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines and take on clients in other provinces and even other countries.

    Not all clients have adopted or will adopt cloud-based accounting, though, so accounting firms may have to craft a hybrid system. Remote working doesn’t work for everyone – humans are social animals after all.

    Remote Working

    Remote working is seen by many as a positive change; however, there does need to be a considerable focus on employee wellbeing and more care taken regarding clients’ needs. In several studies conducted, employees experienced loneliness, lack of collaboration, distractions at home, different time zones, and struggling to stay motivated as negative effects of remote working.

    A second study by HubStaff found that the biggest challenges for businesses with remote teams include communication, scheduling, tracking performance, language/cultural barriers, and building and maintaining trust between remote team members. Both the needs of employees and businesses need to be addressed for remote working to be truly successful.

    Digital Transformation

    Digital transformation is accelerating across every finance function, and the use of AI opens opportunities to service a much wider audience. Being able to readily access data helps accountants tell clients more about their business in less time.

    Many AI vendors now enable the detailed analysis of client general ledgers for errant transactions or can review thousands of invoices to find potential anomalies, process millions of lines of transactions as part of the audit process, and more. This opens opportunities for accountants to add new business advisory services. With this comes a new demand for people with cloud capabilities and AI automation from a finance angle. As a result, there will be an increase in salary expectations.

    Blockchain Technology

    Blockchain is a system of recording information in a way that makes it difficult or impossible to change, hack, or cheat the system. It is essentially a digital ledger of transactions that is duplicated and distributed across the entire network of computer systems on the blockchain.

    Accountants can benefit from blockchain technology as it would improve efficiency and accuracy of transactional data, making reconciliation much simpler and improving the integrity of data. Accountants will need to interpret the results and be able to put together the entire picture of the business’ financial position.

    A Company’s Sustainability Status

    The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) saw an agreement signed by global powers to put legislation in place to compel companies to report on their climate change. But how does this involve accountants?

    COP26 created a category for Chief Financial Officers (CFO) – the CFO Task Force – in the realisation that climate change efforts cannot be separated from business, and that there is an urgent need to involve key decision-makers in reporting on progress as it relates to the climate change agenda.

    With more than 300 000 CFOs, FDs, Financial Managers (FMs) and Financial Controllers (FCs) responsible for the financial management of the $300 billion South African economy, South Africa is well placed to influence and lead the development of international standards and realignment.

    In conclusion, with trends showing little to no change, remote working seems set to continue. However, with the Government’s new easing of COVID regulations, companies could see fewer remote workers. Digitisation and AI are here to stay, and blockchain is fast becoming accepted. Accountants need to support their clients in 2022 as it is seen as the year of recovery for most businesses that had a tough time during the last two years.

    Ends.

    Online Tools to Help You Work Remotely

    With business needs and technology evolving year after year, working remotely is becoming a necessity for most individuals and businesses.

    However, sometimes working remotely isn’t as easy as it sounds. There is a lot that can go into it regardless of your industry. It takes discipline, determination, and quite a bit of help from technology. Here are some online tools to help you work remotely, effectively and efficiently.

    1. Video and Conference Calling

    Working from home can sometimes feel isolating. As humans, we need interaction with other people. It is important not to isolate yourself and have the ability to connect with people face to face.

    It not only creates a community, but it also allows you to feel connected to your clients, team, and colleagues.

    These are some ways of achieving this:

    • Schedule check-ins with your team. It helps you make sure that things are not falling through the cracks and gives you all quality time together.
    • Microsoft Teams, Skype, and Whatsapp are all good online options to consider.

    2. Messaging Channels

    Messaging channels are great to keep it feeling like an office environment. These are also great ways to contact your colleagues or team without the hassle of long threads and having a million emails to get through. Have a channel that is dedicated to non-work-related chat, this can be a channel whereby you have normal conversation and reconnect as a team and as people.

    Some great messaging apps include:

    • Slack has a searchable history feature that allows users to easily find past chats and shared information in less time. This app will even let you share documents like PDFs, images, and videos.
    • Microsoft Teams is not only a great app for video and conference calling, it is also a great messaging platform, thought of as an alternative to Slack.
    • CloudApp is one of its kind – this is a visual communication platform that brings screen and webcam recording, GIF creation, and image annotation features securely to the cloud.

    3. Project Management

    Managing people and projects remotely can be a nightmare. But it doesn’t need to be. These apps will help you keep everything in tow.

    • Trello is a visual project management software. All your work happens on Boards. Boards are divided into lists, which represent different stages in a project and populated with cards. A Card represents a specific task and can contain due dates, chat boxes, attachments, and more.
    • Todoist is a smart to-do list app. Perfect for remote workers seeking simplicity.

    4. File sharing

    There is one app that does this perfectly and that is Dropbox. It is easy to use and is immensely popular and used by millions of people around the world.

    All you need to do is upload your file to your Dropbox account and then share access to it with your colleagues. Easy!

    5. Cloud-Based Accounting Software

    Firstly, the cloud is a platform to access data and software online anytime from any device. This platform keeps data secured and up to date. How can this help you?

    Quick Books Online is a cloud-based accounting software that allows multiple people to access and work on an account from a variety of devices, while your data is kept secured and up to date constantly.

    These are some of the benefits you get with using QuickBooks Online:

    • Dashboards allow you to get a snapshot of your business. This includes Profit & Loss, Overdue Invoices, and Bank Balances in seconds.
    • Your data is secured with the same encryption technology used by the world’s leading banks. QuickBooks Online Security.
    • QuickBooks integrates with ABSA, FNB, Nedbank and Standard Bank to allow you to import your bank statements easily.
    • Know where your business stands and have ready access to 65+ reports in a single click. Get a clear view of the overall state of your business with the Company Snapshot.
    • Get enormous flexibility by customizing how your invoices and receipts look and what information they contain.
    • Handle multiple currencies and track currency gains and losses.
    • Give your employees access, while maintaining control over what information they can view or modify with multi-user collaboration.
    • Take your business with you anywhere, anytime and access QuickBooks Online on any Internet connected computer, tablet or phone using any operating system.
    • Free Mobile/Tablet App
    • Your accountant has free access to your financials
    • If you need help, free and unlimited support is just an email or phone call away.

    Working remotely requires extra focus and tools to help you get work done fast and well. We hope that this blog has given you some advice on how to do just that.

    How to Digitise your Business through Social Media Marketing

    digitise

     

     

    With a lot of companies and people working remotely and the country going into lockdown, there is no better time to focus on digitising your business.

     

    Most people will be spending a lot more time online. With that being said, this is a peak time to market your business and services on social media. This can help you reach more potential customers and ultimately increase your business leads, while your customers can contact you directly from the chosen platforms.

    Wondering where to start? Here we have some tips to help you digitise your business and market on social media.

     

    1. Start with a Plan

    Before you begin creating social media marketing campaigns, consider your business’s goals. Starting a social media marketing campaign without a social strategy is a recipe for disaster and panic.

     

    1. Meet Your Marketing Goals

    Now to consider your business’ goals and how to meet them. Here are some questions to ask when defining those goals:

    • What are you hoping to achieve through social media marketing?
    • Who is your target audience?
    • What platforms would your target audience use and how would they use social media?
    • What message do you want to send to your audience with social media marketing?

     

    These goals are important and will help you do a stellar job on social channels. But you also need to understand how those goals can help your business. Social media marketing can help with several goals, such as:

    • Increasing website traffic
    • Building conversions
    • Raising brand awareness
    • Creating a brand identity and positive brand association
    • Improving communication and interaction with key audiences

     

    1. Choose the Right Platforms

    There is no shortage of social media platforms where content can be shared. Sharing your content on the right platforms is crucial to your success.

     

    When determining which channels to use, you should consider your customers (audience) and your business. It’s important that you create accounts on the platforms your target audience uses, so they can easily connect with you. You should also consider which sites best fit your products.

     

    1. Create a Content Plan

    Scrambling to create posts at the last minute can lead to low-quality content and panic. A lack of organization can lead to repetitive posts or a lull in your presence on one or more of your channels. Creating social media content calendars or content plans can help avoid those mistakes and lead to more effective posts. Content plans also help you create goals and strategies for meeting them and track your progress toward them.

     

    To make a content calendar, use a regular calendar for each social media channel and plan out your posts in advance, complete with hashtags, links, images and other content.

     

    Make sure you post regularly and offer truly valuable information that your ideal customers will find helpful and interesting. The content that you share on your social networks can include social media images, videos, infographics, how-to guides and more.

     

    1. Consistent Brand Image

    Using social media for marketing enables your business to project your brand image across a variety of different social media platforms. While each platform has its own unique environment and voice, your business’s core identity, whether it’s friendly, fun, or trustworthy, should stay consistent.

     

    1. Sharing Links

    While using social media for marketing is a great way to leverage your own unique, original content to gain followers, fans, and devotees, it’s also an opportunity to link to outside articles as well. If other sources provide great, valuable information you think your target audience will enjoy, don’t be shy about linking to them. Curating and linking to outside sources will improve trust and reliability, and you may even get some links in return.

     

    1. Competitors

    It’s always important to keep an eye on competitors—they can provide valuable data for keyword research and other social media marketing insight. If your competitors are using a certain social media marketing channel or technique that seems to be working for them, considering doing the same thing – but make yours better!

     

    1. Keep Track of your Success

    You can’t determine the success of your social media marketing strategies without tracking data. Google Analytics can be used as a great social media marketing tool that will help you measure your success, as well as determine which strategies are not working. You can also make use of Facebook Business Manager, Twitter Campaign Manager, LinkedIn Campaign Manager, etc.

     

    1. Community Management

    Have someone dedicated to checking your platforms. This means that someone will monitor the comments, inbox messages, and reviews, etc. posted to your channels. This is a good way to show your customers that you are there for them and gain potential new customers.

     

    1. Address Problems Quickly

    Hopefully, you receive mostly positive feedback on social media. Occasionally you may encounter someone who is upset, argumentative or has something negative to say about your company.

     

    You should carefully monitor mentions of your brand on social channels, so you can catch issues before they escalate. If you spot a problem, engage with the person by publicly apologizing if necessary and offering to solve the problem over a direct message exchange. This way, people who see the post know you were responsive but don’t have to see all the specifics of the issue.

    1. Provide Value

    Perhaps the most important thing you can do on social media to provide value to your followers. Create something that your audience will find useful. It could be something that tells them something they didn’t know before, makes them laugh, entertains them or anything else that’s beneficial in some way.

     

    This aspect of social media is what attracts the right customers to your business, makes people want to follow you on social sites and helps content to spread. Master this, and you’ll be a big step closer to a successful social media marketing campaign.

     

    With nearly 3 billion active users, social media is a potential goldmine of new customers and current patrons who could become repeat customers. Create a good social campaign, and you’ll be able to connect with some of those people and grow your customer base.

     

    In case you missed our previous blog, here we talk about how to digitise your business through digital marketing: here

    2020 Trends for Accountants

    Technology is always evolving and the advent of innovations in the world is boosting economic growth at a global level.

    Accounting is no exception. It plays an important role in any business. By being up to date and organized, accounting software can provide accurate, relevant, and valuable financial information, leading to better business decisions and assist in reaching the desired business growth.

    Here are some of those trends you can expect to see this year:

    1. Migrating to Cloud-based Software

    Cloud-based software has already made its presence in accounting. By adopting this, you can establish your practice as a leading brand that provides up to the mark CPA services.

    QuickBooks Online is a perfect example of this.

    Find out more here.

    Products such as QuickBooks Online allow you to store & access data, utilize inbuilt tools and features from anywhere, anytime. As well as automated bank feed reconciliations, expense claim tracking, inventory control,  multi-currency processing, etc. Everything is automated.

    1. Potential of Internet

    Using the internet allows your bookkeepers and accountants to have two-way conversations with colleagues and clients. There are many applications out there for face-to-face virtual interactions as well as being able to expand and assist clients across the globe.

    1. Millennial Clients

    Slowly but surely the younger generation of “Millennials” will start taking the lead in most aspects of almost everything. Many business owners that fall in that category are willing to explore beyond standard business approaches and systems. Cloud-based accounting is the exact reflection of something they would expect. The era of millennials means that accountants need to handle completely different types of clients who prefer a greater level of proactiveness, enhanced operational transparency, and a personalised approach.

    1. Social Media Platforms & Accounting

    Platforms such as LinkedIn, allow firms to market their services more broadly and keep connected with clients, colleagues, and partners. Such platforms also help you stay updated with the latest trends in the accounting and business sectors and how they make a difference in their work.

    The number of social media users worldwide in 2019 hit 3.484 billion, up 9% year-on-year. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can be used for B2B and B2C with a massive number of users as well.

    1. Artificial intelligence

    Artificial Intelligence (A.I) is an exciting prospect for accountants as there is the potential to effectively add a ‘virtual’ member to the team that is available 24/7 to answer multiple questions and carry out simple tasks even when the office is closed. This emerging technology will be used in the day-to-day running of businesses allowing complex and repetitive tasks to be automated with A.I, machine learning, and robotics with extreme accuracy.

    2020 brings with it new opportunities and digitisation is the key trend that will dominate the profession. Accounting firms that are looking for sustainable and long-term success will need to ensure their clients can accomplish any task relating to their finances on a mobile device.

    In conclusion, digitisation is becoming a must for all businesses, and it is shaping the trends that we will see in accounting. Something that every business needs to keep up with to strive and make sure they not only stay relevant but that they can offer the best and most up to date solutions for their clients and business.

    Understanding Financial Year-End

    One of the biggest parts of a smooth and successful financial year-end is understanding it. We are going to dive right into what a financial year-end is and the importance of it.

    A financial year, also known as a fiscal year, is the period used by governments for accounting and budget purposes. It is different from your normal year that begins on 1st January and ends on 31st December. A financial year is often very different to this. It also consists of a twelve-month period, except it generally runs anywhere in between February and March – although there are some exceptions.

    What is important?

    It forms the period over which a company is taxed. It also is a method of measuring the profitability over a set period and thus provides the ability to compare to previous financial years.

    What is involved?

    The Annual Financial Statements (AFS) reports need to be prepared and extracted. Accountants assist in preparing the AFS of a business. In order to make sure that the figures in the reports are correct there are certain accounting procedures that need to be undertaken. These are mostly reconciliations and certain year-end adjustments.

    At the start of a new financial year, accounts will have a zero balance and the Balance Sheet account will all contain the carried forward figure (which includes the accumulated profits or losses) from the previous financial year.

    How can an Accounting Software System help?

    Having an accounting software system will mean that information from all the different areas of the business are captured on a real-time basis during the course of the financial year.

    This is all because the system is fully integrated, all the information will automatically update all the necessary accounts so that the bulk of the information is already there to be extracted.

    We can help here: Quick Payroll.

    Once the year-end process is complete and all adjusting entries have been processed, it is important to be able to “close off” the previous financial year. It is important to close off the prior in order to ensure that the accounting system continues to reflect the correct balances.

    We hope this breakdown has given you some insight if you are new to financial year-end, that it helps you understand the importance of it, as well as making sure you are organised throughout the year. If you have any questions on how our accounting software can assist you during financial year-end, give us a call here: 0861 726 657.

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    Please fill out the form below to receive the trail demo link

    Personal Information
    Where a party receives any personal information (“PI”) related to the other party, the party who receives the PI, will comply with and have adequate measures in place to ensure that its employees, agents, subsidiaries and representatives comply with the provisions and obligations contained in the Protection of Personal Information Act, No. 4 of 2013. Any PI pertaining to one party which is required by the other party, will only be used by that other party for the purposes of this contract and will not be further processed or disclosed without the written consent of the latter and the recipient of that PI will take all reasonable precautions to preserve the integrity and prevent any corruption or loss, damage or destruction of the PI. If and when the contract is terminated, each party will, save to the extent that it is required to do otherwise by any applicable law, erase or cause to be erased, all PI and all copies of any part of the PI relating to the other party”.