Money Matters for an Organized Office

If you run a small business out of your home, store, or office, you need to control your money because it matters for running your business.  Or perhaps you or are in charge of various money distribution or travel arrangements for an organization, then you also need to keep good financial records. Below are a few suggestions for running an organized office with money concerns. 

If you use a petty cash box, it needs to be lockable and kept in a safe at night.  During the day, keep

it secure it to the inside of a lockable drawer.  If you do not have access to a safe, secure the box by mounting it in the drawer by screwing through it and into drawer bottom.  For security reasons, you need to be sure to have cash out and ready for known delivery times so no outsider sees where cash box is kept.  Also, be sure to keep a log of how petty cash is used to track expenses and know when to replenish it.  You will need to keep receipts of cash expenditures for accounting and tax purposes.

In your files, keep a list of credit card types, numbers, and expiration dates. This way it is easier to cancel and replace credit cards if one is stolen or lost.  In addition, having a list of all company cards makes it easier to collect back credit cards if someone leaves the business.  When traveling, make sure someone has access to a copy of the credit card list in case help is necessary for getting cancellation and replacement if something happens during your travel. 

In addition when traveling, if using travelers checks, make a list of travel check numbers and the number to call if they are lost or stolen. Again, you need to give this list to someone that can help get the checks replaced if something happens.  Also, be sure to take an envelope to put all expense receipts in during travel to keep them together for expensing later. 

Another financial data list that is a good idea to put together includes other vital data such as where all accounts are and what types they are.  Place this list in a secure place for future reference or give a copy to someone like a lawyer or accountant for safekeeping.