How is a properly set up Chart of Accounts linked to job profit?

What is a chart of accounts?

A chart of accounts is a list of all the financial accounts set up, usually by an accountant, for an organization, and available for use by the bookkeeper for recording transactions in the organization’s general ledger.

The chart of accounts is the foundation of a company’s financial reporting system. It organizes all the financial transactions that a company conducts into categories that can be tracked and reported on.

The chart of accounts typically includes the following categories:

• Assets: These are the resources that a company owns, such as cash, accounts receivable, and inventory.
• Liabilities: These are the debts that a company owes, such as accounts payable and loans.
• Equity: This is the ownership interest in a company, such as common stock and retained earnings.
• Revenue: This is the income that a company earns from its business activities.
• Expenses: This is the cost of doing business, such as cost of goods sold, selling, and administrative expenses.

The chart of accounts can be customized to fit the specific needs of a company. For example, a company with multiple product lines may need to create separate accounts for each product line.

The chart of accounts is an important tool for financial reporting. It provides a framework for tracking and reporting on all the financial transactions of a company. This information can be used to make informed decisions about the company’s finances.

Why is setting up a chart of accounts properly fundamental to business profit?

Setting up a chart of accounts properly is fundamental to business profit because it allows you to track your income and expenses in a way that is meaningful to your business. A well-structured chart of accounts will help you identify areas where you can cut costs, increase revenue, and improve your bottom line.  You need to be certain to customize your chart of accounts to track expenses that are unique to your business since, without this customization, you will not be able to “track” these costs as line items.  “If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it.”

Here are a few reasons why setting up a chart of accounts is important:

• It helps you track your income and expenses. A chart of accounts is a list of all of the accounts that your business uses to track its income and expenses. This information is essential for understanding your financial performance and making sound business decisions.
• It helps you identify trends. By tracking your income and expenses over time, you can identify trends that may indicate problems or opportunities for your business. For example, if you notice that your expenses are increasing, you may need to take steps to cut costs.
• It helps you comply with tax laws. The IRS requires businesses to keep accurate records of their income and expenses. A well-structured chart of accounts will make it easier to comply with these requirements.
• It helps you make better decisions. By understanding your financial performance, you can make better decisions about your business. For example, if you know that your marketing expenses are not generating a return on investment, you may need to change your marketing strategy.

If you are not sure how to set up a chart of accounts and link how this can be used to effectively track job cost, please feel free to reach out.  Ionji Consulting specializes in Job Cost Accounting and can both help you set up your chart of accounts properly and teach you how to implement this all the way through to tracking job costs more accurately and improving profit. Click this link to contact us today or e-mail us at info@ionjiconsulting.com