Is Your Bookkeeping on Track? Assess with This 5-Point Audit

Here’s a quick check-up for your business finances.

Get ready. Take a breath. Evaluate your bookkeeping by answering five straightforward questions.

Just five.

Before you dismiss this by thinking, “Everything's under control,” dive in — even thriving businesses often uncover surprising insights through this exercise.

This straightforward audit can unveil significant underlying issues — cash flow constraints, pricing inefficiencies, missed tax advantages, growth obstructions… the costly challenges that tend to go unnoticed until too late.

Ready to begin? Let’s dive in.

Understanding Your Score

Assign yourself 0–5 points for each query.

  • 0 = Not at all

  • 5 = Every single month, consistently

Your final score: 0–25 points.

No judgment, just clarity.

Question 1: Are your books accurately closed each month?

Treat your monthly financial closing as business hygiene.
Skip it once? Perhaps.
Skip it twice? Risky business.

A solid monthly close ensures:

  • Precise financial data

  • Dependable reports

  • Fact-based decisions

  • Awareness of potential issues before they escalate

If you’re lagging months behind or still struggling to unravel your financial mysteries, rate yourself accordingly.

Score yourself: 0–5.

Question 2: Do you know your gross profit margin?

Your revenues cover the costs, but your gross profit margin is what sustains you.

Without insight into your margin, you're essentially selling with a blindfold. It’s impossible to address issues related to pricing, workforce, or processes if you're not aware of your revenue’s effectiveness.

Successful businesses intimately understand their margins and continuously work to enhance them.

Score yourself: 0–5.

Question 3: Do you know your breakeven point and cash reserve days?

Think of this as a financial stress test.
It’s a reality check.
It distinguishes between peace of mind and sleepless nights.

If you're unaware of:

  • The sales volume needed to breakeven

  • The number of days your cash reserves can support the business

  • Your capacity to weather slow periods or unforeseen expenses

…you might need to reassess your strategies.

Score yourself: 0–5.

Question 4: Does your financial reporting display trends and KPIs, not just figures?

Reports that just list expenditures? Informative.
Reports that display trends, insights, and real-time analysis? Empowering.

FREE Consultation
Contact us to see if we're a good fit and if we can add incredible value to you and your business.
Contact Us!

Trendlines highlight patterns.
KPIs reveal performance.
Together, they equip you with tactical control over your enterprise.

If your reports only inform you of "what happened" without delving into "what it implies," evaluate your situation candidly.

Score yourself: 0–5.

Question 5: Do you manage a budget or forecast cashflow?

Forecasting elevates your financials from reactive to proactive management.

A budget directs your financial trajectory.
A cashflow forecast ensures sustained momentum.

Without these tools, your management approach could be unpredictable, draining, and costly.

Score yourself: 0–5.

Your Total Score: Interpretation

0–10 points: Financial Firefighting

You find ways to keep afloat, but it's more challenging than it needs to be.
You're reacting instead of planning and may be a step away from critical stress.

The upside: Significant improvements often occur rapidly from this starting point.

11–17 points: Stable, but Reactive

You're not at risk, but you're missing opportunities.

Margins, capital, and analytics could benefit from a sharper focus.

This stage often feels adequate — until you realize the potential for enhanced performance.

18–22 points: Healthy, with Room for Growth

Solid foundations in place.
Appropriate structure.
Minor refinements could unlock greater profitability and efficiency.

This is where growth transitions from inadvertent to strategic.

23–25 points: CFO-Level Precision

You're running your business with a high degree of efficiency.

Achieving this level is commendable — but remember, the journey doesn’t end here.
Foundations are set for scalability.

Looking to Improve Your Score? We're Here to Assist.

Most entrepreneurs don't need more metrics—they need clearer insights.
Simplified systems.
Enhanced routines.
Collaboration with a financial expert who deciphers the data into meaningful narratives.

For help refining your bookkeeping, enhancing analytics, crafting forecasts, or developing an insightful dashboard, reach out at any time.

Your financials should serve as a growth stimulus — not an enigma. Call us Today 860-337-2112. The call is FREE!

FREE Consultation
Contact us to see if we're a good fit and if we can add incredible value to you and your business.
Contact Us!
Share this article...

Want tax & accounting tips and insights?

Sign up for our newsletter.

I confirm this is a service inquiry and not an advertising message or solicitation. By clicking “Submit”, I acknowledge and agree to the creation of an account and to the and .