If you are in a growth mode, perhaps your business is only a few years old and you are trying to establish yourself in the local market, then your measurements will focus on growth.

Before you can measure your growth you need to be clear about where you are now and where you hope to go. What size is the market? Have you targeted a certain geographic area? Or perhaps a certain channel, like hair salons for your handmade moisturizing products.

Whatever the growth goals are, you can develop a system for tracking your progress. Let’s take a look at Carls’ Candles and the managerial accounting system he has developed to measure his growth.

Carl has been making container candles for three years now. At the current prices Carl has been able to increase sales year over year. But the growth rate has slowed and last year he only grew his sales revenue by 5%.

The market for container candles is growing and the distribution outlets are numerous. Carl has been marketing his candles direct by selling through independent retailers and small gift shops in the area.

Carl sells to the retailers at $3 per candle. The direct costs for each candle are $1 and the overheads are $4,000 per month. In Carls’ overhead budget he includes his own wages, electricity, and insurance. The direct costs include soy wax, containers, fragrance, wicks, and delivery.

Break even for Carl is $3 minus $1 divided into $48,000, or 24,000 candles per year. For the last three years Carl has sold 26,000 then 30,000 and 31,500 candles each year. Carl wants to develop a pricing program that will help him to stretch out into new areas like wholesale distribution.

If Carl keeps his price the same for all his customers he won’t be able to offer a lower price to the wholesalers. But if Carl drops his price to the wholesalers, below the $3 per candle, then he would not be making enough profit. What can Carl do?

Using managerial accounting, Carl has listed out the raw material costs for his candles.

$.45 Soy Wax

$.05 Glass Container

$.01 Wick

$.15 Fragrance

$.44 Delivery

$1 Total Direct Cost per Candle

Carl can offer the same candle to a wholesaler at $3 minus 44 cents for delivery, which equals $2.66 per candle. Will this be enough to increase his sales volumes? Carl puts out a flyer and mails it to all the local wholesalers. His sales increase because now the wholesalers can distribute many more candles than Carl.

But Carl tracks the sales and notices an increase in his wholesale shipments but a decrease in his retail sales. What has happened? The wholesalers are now shipping his old retailers direct. So Carl is selling more product at a lower price. In this simplistic example you can see how managerial accounting has helped Carl make decisions about his growth oriented pricing strategy.

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Obtaining an accredited education in accounting and finance will help to prepare you for an exciting career. There are numerous schools and colleges that can provide the training needed to enter into the workforce. The different accounting and finance career preparation possibilities can supply you with the skills that are necessary to seek successful employment. Professionals are trained in a variety of specialized areas and degrees and certificates are available at a number of levels. You can start the educational process by researching programs deciding on the path that’s right for you.

Accounting and finance professionals work with a variety of people and business in order to ensure that their monies are being used and recorded properly. Training for a career in this field can allow you to enter into the career you dream of. Career options can include working in specific area like:

• Accounting
• Bookkeeping
• Accounting Technology
• Corporate Financing
• Finance and Banking

Pursuing a career in any of these areas can be done by enrolling in and completing an accredited educational training program. Training length and coursework will depend on the level of education and specialized area of study you choose to enter into.

Accredited schools and colleges are available to provide you with training that will give you the skills needed to enter into the workforce. Training can be completed in this field at the following levels of education:

• Certificate
• Associate Degree
• Bachelor Degree
• Master Degree
• Doctoral Degree

The length of study required will be based on the level of education you choose to pursue. Certificate programs can range from several months to one year. Degrees typically require anywhere from two to eight years depending on the level. You will have the chance to study a variety of topics in the specialized area of your choice.

Coursework will vary by level of education and the career being pursued but will consist of similar topics. Accredited schools and colleges can offer the skill training needed to enter into the career you desire. Studies may provide the chance to learn administration skills, accounts receivable, technical communication, and more. You can also study technology, business information systems, principles of bookkeeping, lending, and many other related courses. Training in these areas will ensure that you have the knowledge you need to enter into the workforce in the profession of your choice. Possible employment can include working as a:

• Bookkeeper
• Accounting Technologist
• Bank Manager
• Financial Officer
• Accountant
• Financial Analyst

…and much more. Begin the path to a new career by enrolling in an accredited learning program that fits your individual needs and goals.

Accreditation is provided to quality educational programs that offer you the best education available. You can ensure accreditation by requesting more information about the accounting and finance schools and colleges of your choice. Agencies like the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools ( http://www.acics.org/ ) are approved to fully accredit educational programs. You should start the path to the career of your dreams by researching programs and enrolling today.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERIC OUTLINE and may or may not depict precise methods, courses and/or focuses related to ANY ONE specific school(s) that may or may not be advertised at PETAP.org.

Copyright 2010 – All rights reserved by PETAP.org.

Renata McGee is a staff writer for PETAP.org. Locate Accounting and Finance Schools and Colleges as well as Online Accounting and Finance Schools at PETAP.org, your Partners in Education and Tuition Assistance Programs.

Accounting tasks to a non-financial person can be a mammoth task. Wading through invoices, bank statements amongst others duties can be quite tasking especially for small business owners who have a lot of other things to do. Even businesses that have an in-house business team still need to manage the functions of the team to ensure they meet the business objectives at a minimal cost.

What is Outsourcing?
Prior to the 1980s, a lot of business functions were carried out in house by many organisations. Businesses will employ a temporary member of staff to carry out the duties their regular staff could not undertake. This provision obviously increases the operation costs through recruitment, training, salaries, office space and other benefits.

Outsourcing has now taken the place of temporary staff amongst other roles in many organisations. Defined as the contracting out of a business function to an independent agent or firm, outsourcing is now a popular choice for businesses who want to streamline their processes.

Many companies now outsource a lot of their business functions such as Accounting, IT, Payroll and even recruitment tasks to external agencies. Some individual agents tend to work on site whilst others outsource their work to organisations that operate in their own premises. This is common practice amongst accounting and recruitment firms.

Benefits of Outsourcing.
Outsourcing accounting functions to an external organisation has many benefits such as:

Cost reduction: The most apparent benefit of outsourcing accounting services to an accounting firm is the reduction in personnel related costs – recruitment, salaries, benefits, office space and other costs synonymous with staff. A number of businesses who outsource their business functions reported at least a 30% reduction in business costs without a decrease in productivity.

Quality of Work: Outsource companies thrive on reputation and to build their business they must offer a quality service. Businesses that outsource their accounting services benefit from a competitive market where firms must provide exceptional services to retain their clients.

Focus on core areas: Outsourcing allows a business to focus on the core business functions which can boost productivity by at least 32% according to a recent survey.

Access to innovation: To maintain a competitive edge, accounting firms endeavour to stay at the cutting edge by investing in advanced accounting systems and techniques for the benefit of their clients. Rather than invest heavily on a new accounting system and staff training, organisations now prefer to outsource these services to benefit from these new technology developments.

Pool of Expertise: Businesses tend to benefit from a pool of experts and sustainable source of professional accountants. Reputable accounting firms recruit exceptional and qualified personnel to ensure they deliver on their service contracts and retain the loyalty of their clients. Companies that outsource their accounting services benefit from such expertise without the added cost of recruiting top level staff.

Faster Turnaround: Accounting firms operate based on targets and deadlines. They know the in and out of tax deadlines and other legal requirements, so they aim to file records on time by providing a quick turnaround service to their clients.

Accounting is a vital aspect of any organisation, the outcome of accounting tasks can have a significant impact on a company’s productivity and profitability. It is important that businesses retain proper balance between the core business functions and other secondary tasks.

Outsourcing is one of the most simplistic options a business can choose when the need for a quality accounting service exceeds quantity. Accounting firms have to work in line with regulatory bodies, they therefore need to maintain a high standard of service for accreditation purposes to the benefit of the client.

Is your company’s accounting tasks stalling your business growth? Then help is at hand from Vicom Accounting Services Limited, a firm of chartered accountants and tax consultants who specialise in providing tailor-made accounting services for any business. Vicom Accountancy provides an initial business diagnosis, to help small and medium companies streamline their accounting processes. For more information on how they can improve your accounting system, visit their website at http://www.vicomgroup.co.uk.

One of the best ways of staying organized and being ahead of the game in your business is the ability to track your books. Small business finance software can help you do just that! Financial software is a term used for a collection of programs that help you to manage the financial records of your business. These programs aid in managing the flow of transactions such as inventory, accounting, payroll, taxes, etc. In addition, to keeping tabs on your business financials, financial software for small business ensures that you comply with IRS regulations. It also helps to simplify your life by making those “daunting” accounting tasks less stressful. Additionally, you as the business owner are able to always have financial information at your fingertips in real time. This means that you ‘re constantly in the know of what’s happening in your business by staying abreast of the money that’s flowing in and out of your business.

The types of financial management software at your disposal are plentiful. Below is a list of the most common financial programs used in smaller enterprises:

Small business accounting software – a business management tool which keeps record of all accounting transactions. Provides the ability to manage invoices, bookkeeping, accounts receivables, accounts payables, inventory, payroll, financial reporting, all in one program. Some even have the capability of business budgeting and cash flow management as well.

Small business bookkeeping software – is software that helps you to effectively manage the financial tasks that you would perform in your business every day. This includes data entry of cash receipts, invoices to pay, sales and expenses tracking, banking and credit card transactions. Some provide the functionality of integration with your current accounting software.

Small business payroll software – provides the ability to manage employee payroll services. You can manage hours, taxes, tax compliance, direct deposit of employees’ pay and much more. Many can be integrated with your accounting programs.

Online Accounting Programs – provides the same functionality as other accounting programs, but in a secured web-based environment.

Small business tax software – software used for preparing and filing small business taxes. The more updated tax programs have step by step instructions and ask appropriate questions to ensure that you take advantage of every business tax deduction. Some also provide the functionality to incorporate your personal taxes.

Financial Software downloads – download software from the internet that will help in managing the finances of your business. Some are free and some are reasonably priced.

Consider simplifying your business finance and your life with small business finance software. You can save money, time, and frustration by moving to an automated financial management process utilizing software.

When it comes to entrepreneurship, you can easily sink into financial disaster or swim your way to success. You can keep your finances on the up-and-up with our recommendations for small business financial software. Get organized and let your business go the distance!

There are three major functional areas in accounting, which need to be considered in modern day accounting for any business. The three are financial, cost and management accounting.

The first area, namely financial accounting, is primarily useful for ascertaining the results of the business on a periodical basis; for example, one year. This will help to determine the future course of action in the long term. In economical terms, financial accounting treats money as a factor of production.

Cost and management accounting are tools to enable management to take decisions on a day-to-day basis. Cost and management accounting are not useful for their own sake. These two functions assist management in the conduct of the business along with other key factors involved in running of the business. Key factors could be demand, supply, competition, availability of raw material, logistics etc.

The second area, namely cost accounting, seeks to ascertain the value of direct costs and indirect costs involved in production . From this value, management can make an informed decision regarding the improvement of production performance. In economic terms, cost accounting is a measure of economic performance. This information gives management a clear indication of economic performance of the production resources of the business.

Costing also helps the sales manager in setting prices. But since costing is a measure of economic performance, it cannot be considered as an absolutely accurate basis for setting prices. This is because selling prices are more of an economic decision. It would not be amiss to mention here that prices depend basically on market factors. Prices depend more on demand, supply and competition and less on costs. For example, high demand coupled with lack of competition would mean that business could charge higher prices for its products, well above the costs.

The third area, namely management accounting, is closely interrelated with costing accounting. Although it has evolved from cost accounting, management accounting has a broader role to play in management decisions. It measures economic performance of the business enterprise as a whole, vis-a-vis the economic environment in which the business operates. This function of accounting seeks to combine the financial and cost information in a broader aspect.

Finally, management accounting is instrumental in assisting and advising management in making important business decisions. It makes management aware of the economic implications and consequences of their decisions. In economic terms, it implies a close study of money as an economic resource, while simultaneously treating it as a measure of economic performance. This enables management to measure it as an economic factor of production, e.g. the rate of return on capital employed.

It is thus seen that accounting has a distinct role to play in three different areas, which are equally vital. With the advent of computerised accounting, it has become very easy for management to monitor the accounting information on the tips of its fingers. Financial accounting programs enable financial statements and various cost and MIS statements to be produced almost instantly at push of a button. Now, only the laborious part of accounting is data entry. Financial managers must ensure that meaningful data is input into the system to produce meaningful information. Proper categorisation must be done and keying errors avoided at all costs, ensuring providing accurate financial information to management.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Accounting