Running a small business means you’re constantly trying to keep up to date with the day-to-day administration, balance your accounts, keep a consistent filing system and manage your inbox. So, how can you prepare for the end of quarter? A virtual assistant can help your small business with end of quarter organisation, review outstanding administration and make sure everything is in order for the next quarter.
Now is the perfect opportunity to get administrative support for your business and start the next quarter with clearer desk, a tidy inbox and better organised records.
How do you begin?
End of Quarter Financials
Reviewing your financial situation at the end of each quarter can help you catch issues early, assess cash flow and help you to make decisions for the future of your business.
In preparation for giving your financial information to your accountant, a virtual assistant can provide bookkeeping support by helping with the administrative side of invoicing and financial organisation.
A virtual assistant can:
- Check whether invoices have been raised.
- Prepare and send invoices.
- Check if your customers have paid their invoices on time.
- Follow up on overdue invoices.
- Record payments received.
- Match invoices with transactions.
- Maintain an organised invoice filing system.
- Highlight discrepancies, or items that need the business owner’s attention.
A detailed checklist small business owners can follow in the lead up to the end of quarter can be read here for more information.
Electronic Filing System
Digital files can quickly become difficult to manage when documents are saved on desktops, downloaded into folders, attachments are sent within the body of an email or stored in different cloud storage platforms.
A VA can help you create a logical electronic filing system where you can easily find the documents you’re looking for. No more looking in various different locations for that specific invoice or contract.
For example, have dedicated folders for specific information or documents:
- Invoices
- Expenses
- Contracts
- Client Documents
- Suppliers
- Reports
- Policies
Then have a consistent naming convention with dates and file names, such as:
26-08-24_[Client Name]_Invoice Number
rather than:
Invoice Number_[Client Name]
Your virtual assistant can assist you with your document management by reviewing existing folders and files, removing duplicates, renaming and moving documents into an agreed structure.
Take Control Of Your Inbox
An overflowing, busy inbox can become a chore and something business owners dread opening. It’s a task that needs regular monitoring and organising. This is a service I provide for clients to help them organise emails into folders, create useful email labels, flag important messages which need attention and archive historic correspondence.
My Email Management and Inbox Detox services can be found here if you would like further details.
It’s worth identifying how your inbox is functioning at the end of the quarter so that it doesn’t become another task to manage.
As an example, a VA can:
- Highlight emails that require action.
- Delegate or send ‘holding emails’ to client enquiries.
- File important documents.
- Unsubscribe from newsletters.
- Delete or archive historic emails.
- Remove email chain conversations – keeping just the most recent email.
Review Recurring Administration
The end of a quarter is also a good opportunity to look at the routine tasks that keep getting pushed aside. When you work with a virtual assistant they provide ongoing administrative support, not just when things become overwhelming.
Have you considered reviewing your admin tasks? What could you pass onto a VA?
- Diary and calendar management.
- Client follow-ups.
- Supplier correspondence.
- Website updates.
- Database or CRM (client relationship management) records.
- Contact lists.
- Meeting notes.
- Recurring invoices.
- Document and policy updates.
- Upcoming deadlines.
Prepare For The Next Quarter
A VA can help you, a busy business owner, create an administrative action list for the next three months.
Before the next quarter begins:
- Clear outstanding emails.
- Chase unpaid invoices.
- File important documents.
- Update client records.
- Organise upcoming appointments.
- Review recurring tasks.
- Prepare documents needed for upcoming projects.
- Identify administration that could be delegated.
By passing on these tasks to a virtual assistant, you’re not only tidying up the previous quarter, you are creating a better starting point for the next one.
In Conclusion
A virtual assistant can take care of the administrative tasks that often get pushed to the bottom of your list. Whether its managing emails and organising digital files, to supporting you with your invoicing and keeping your records up to date. By getting your administration under control at the end of each quarter, you can start the next one feeling organised, prepared and ready to focus on running your business.
Ready to take control of your business admin? Whether you need help managing your inbox, organising your electronic filing system, keeping on top of invoices or tackling those jobs that keep getting pushed down your to-do list, I can help.
Get in touch to discuss how my virtual assistant services could give you more time to focus on running your business and start the next quarter feeling organised.
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