Bookkeeping is the process of recording and organizing financial transactions for a business or organization. It involves keeping track of all financial transactions, including purchases, sales, receipts, and payments, and organizing them into categories such as income, expenses, assets, and liabilities. Bookkeeping is essential for businesses to keep accurate financial records and to make informed financial decisions.
There are two main methods of bookkeeping: single-entry and double-entry bookkeeping. Single-entry bookkeeping is a simple method that involves recording each transaction only once, either as income or expense. Double-entry bookkeeping, on the other hand, involves recording each transaction twice, once as a debit and once as a credit. This method is more complex but provides a more accurate picture of a business's financial health.
Bookkeeping provides several benefits for businesses, including:
- Accurate financial records for tax purposes and financial reporting
- Insight into a business's financial health and performance
- Identification of areas where a business can cut costs or increase revenue
- Ability to make informed financial decisions based on accurate data
Some common bookkeeping mistakes to avoid include:
- Mixing personal and business finances
- Not keeping accurate records of all financial transactions
- Not reconciling bank statements regularly
- Not categorizing transactions correctly
- Not keeping receipts and invoices organized

I started working for myself at 9. My first tax bill showed up at 14. I didn’t understand it, and nobody around me could really explain it. If you’ve been there, you get it. Twenty years later, after creative directing for brands in New York and buying and selling a few companies, I kept seeing the same thing: smart, talented people losing money to a system that wasn’t built for how they work. That’s why I built WorkMade. Not to make taxes “easier to understand” but to make them disappear into the background, so you can get on with your life.