How to Use QBO Class and Location Tracking to Better Analyze Your Data
A powerful, but lesser know feature of QBO is the ability to organize your data by using two separate features which are location tracking and class tracking. These features allow business owners to effectively create a higher level of categorization, in addition to their accounts, which allows for significantly better reporting and analysis.
Class and location tracking are essentially classification mechanisms that allow for reporting by an additional layer of categorization. The primary way to categorize transactions in any accounting system is to assign them to specific accounts eg. sales, purchases, computer equipment, travel, meals, office expenses etc. This is referred to as a “Chart of Accounts”. There does, however, exist two additional layers ways to categorize your transactions in QBO which work on top of the chart of accounts allowing each transaction can be grouped into a broader category. This is particularly useful for companies that have separate locations and/or divisions where they might want to see their results grouped together for deeper analysis and a better understanding of the performance of your business or organization.
4 Simple Financial Metrics to Help Measure the Success of Your Small Business
Most small business owners want insights into their business performance to get a sense of what they are doing well while also trying to understand their areas of weakness. Unfortunately a big picture view does not always immediately reveal itself– a thorough understanding of your business generally requires a more thorough analysis and introspection. You may be tempted to look at cash (or lack thereof) in your bank account or your net profit , however these are not always reliable indicators of success or failure , particularly when taken in isolation. Every small business owner should identify the specific needs and constraints of their business to determine the optimal analysis required to assess its financial performance. Some general analysis that most businesses can benefit from are presented below:
Is Facebook’s Valuation Justified? A Comparison of Key Financial Metrics to Apple and Google
The recent release of Facebook's S-1, the financial filings that are required to be publicly available prior to filing an IPO, has created a media frenzy. The report has been dissected and analyzed extensively, financial news networks can’t seem to stop talking about it and it seems that people who have never heard of an IPO are discussing it, fittingly, on their Facebook pages. The most controversial issue, of course, is whether Facebook is actually worth $100 Billion.
Although Facebook is unique in its global reach and ubiquity, the starting point for any valuation is to compare it with similar businesses. I have chosen Apple and Google, given the similarity of their business models and their respective global dominance, to compare certain key metrics:
5 Notable Disclosures in Groupon’s Financial Statements and What They Mean.
Since Groupon first submitted its S-1 filing in June, 2011, there has been a wave of negative sentiment around Groupon’s upcoming IPO. Many analysts believe that not only is Groupon not a good investment at the approximate $20 Billion + that its IPO’s initial share price will value it at, but is in fact on the brink of insolvency. They are also some that do not believe that, in the long run, Groupon’s business model is profitable .
In an effort to determine whether Groupon is in fact a raging buy or, as alternatively presented, on the verge of insolvency, I have undertaken an analysis of their latest S-1 , which was filed with the SEC on August 10, 2011. The document, which is required by all companies who want to file an initial public offering, comprehensively reviews its operations, long term viability, business risks (which are numerous) and its financial condition. Some of the more interesting discoveries, as they relate to the 6 months ending June 30, 2011, are presented below: