Tips for Improving Your Business's Financial Reporting

Inaccurate financial reporting doesn’t only make your business look substandard to key stakeholders and investors, but it can also lead to a loss in finances and attract the attention of certain regulatory bodies. Several factors affect the standard of financial reporting, like old systems, poor security, and inadequate communication. However, here are seven suggestions to improve your company’s financial reporting.

Large Data Analytics

The capability of analytics is helping make large data manageable in companies worldwide. In finance — which mainly focuses on data from several sources — analytics would make a huge difference when dealing with your business’s data, and eventually result in more intelligent reports.

Cloud Storage

Cloud storage is easy to use and free if you utilize programs such as Dropbox or Google Drive. However, you could always pay for additional storage. Storing your information in the cloud allows everyone to easily access and share documents.

Integrate Your Information

Due to the importance of your business’s financial statements, it is advisable to have one final file that would serve as the endpoint for every data in the reporting cycle. This file should only be accessed by someone with total accountability and this individual must be responsible for checking whether this data is accurate or not.

Accept Technology

These days, finance is tech-driven, and the businesses that can efficiently adopt and utilize leading technology will have the advantage over others. Find time to update yourself on the most recent financial systems and software.

Make Your Employees Accountable

People are the leading factor that affects the standard of financial reporting. Managers must ensure that their employees are delivering at the highest quality, by regularly analyzing financial reports ethically and accurately. Improving transparency can also result in better work quality because accountability encourages employees to perform more efficiently.

Work In Unison With Other Sectors

All sectors in a company are involved when it comes to financial reporting, though not all sectors generate income, each sector has costs linked with them. Ensuring optimal collaboration between every sector will result in more comprehensive financial reporting. By developing a strong collaboration between your employees, you can emphasize how accurate proper financial reporting is.

Safeguard Your Data

Safeguarding your information is important in maintaining the validity of your financial data. As the world becomes more technologically inclined, cybersecurity becomes a bigger concern. Even major tech companies suffer from hacks and data theft. Businesses of all sizes must ensure to set up cybersecurity protocols.

Utilize Data Visualization to Get Insights

Data visualization is becoming a necessity with investors, the board, and senior managers increasingly waiting for finance to deliver actionable insights which would drive businesses forward. Data visualization utilizes diagrams, maps, charts, and additional visual elements to give a clear story of what’s going on past the numbers.

By prioritizing your people, systems, and the security of your data, you can significantly increase the standard of your company’s financial reporting. Always ensure to use the tools at your disposal, including programs and technologies. And if you are having a hard time running your business, you could always get a virtual CFO.