How to use accounting reports to support your strategic and operational decision-making

Financial accounting reports are an essential part of any business and provide invaluable insights that help businesses stay compliant, manage performance and improve overall decision making. 

Although financial reports are used to record, summarise and report on the transactions and financial activities undertaken by a business over a period of time, most people don’t appreciate the significant potential that financial reporting presents. 

The benefits of financial reporting

The relationship between accounting and decision making is often described as a two way street – you can’t have one without the other. An essential requirement by law for tax purposes, financial reports help demonstrate to investors and creditors the financial integrity of a company while providing important information that can be used to make better and more informed business decisions.

This means that no matter what your financial goals are, harnessing the power of financial reporting can help accelerate the growth of your business. By recording and reporting on the financial transactions that regularly take place in your company, you can better understand the financial health of your business and make informed business decisions.

Assists in forecasting

Forecasting is an important financial tool that enables business owners and managers to forecast future opportunities and trends by analysing their financial statements. This then provides them with the financial know-how to make more informed decisions on things such as the purchase of new equipment or employing more staff without second guessing their decision. 

Helps predict cash flow

No matter the size of your business, managing cash flow effectively is essential in ensuring the optimum financial health of your business. Cash flow is helpful for tracking how your business is managing the financial side of things.

This means looking into anticipated profit and loss while keeping financial transactions secure and fluent in the process. Considering cash flow and how it affects your business means creating budgets and trend charts so that you can utilise these pieces of information to decide how to best allocate budget and resources to ensure forecasted revenue growth.

By examining your cash flow, you can gain insight into how much cash your business is generating and using.

Identifying trends

Financial reporting is also an invaluable tool in identifying trends within your business, both past and present. The ability to identify trends helps you assess any weaknesses in the business and make immediate improvements which are designed to benefit the overall financial health of your company.

Having access to real-time insights into your financial activity allows you to make accurate and informed decisions that can avoid potential roadblocks while ensuring financial fluidity at all times.

For more information on how you can utilise the power of accounting reports, talk to our team today and find out how we can help with your accounting needs.