21 July 2025

Crystal’s Calculations: Why ‘good enough’ bookkeeping just isn’t good enough

By Crystal Boston, Co-Founder of Delphini

Let me tell you something I hear far too often:

“I’ve just been doing the books myself – ‘it’s really simple, nothing much to it”

I smile, nod, and try not to visibly wince, because unfortunately just entering invoices and bank transactions wherever seems ‘good enough at the time, never to consider where or how they are showing on Xero’ style of bookkeeping is not good enough.

Not if you want to run a business that’s financially healthy, scalable, and future-proof.

It’s the business equivalent of brushing your teeth once a week and wondering why you need fillings.

Bookkeeping is not just admin – it informs your overall strategy

When we talk about bookkeeping for small businesses, we’re not just talking about uploading receipts or logging transactions into some software and calling it a day – that’s really the surface-level stuff.

Real bookkeeping means creating a foundation that supports every financial decision you make.

If your books are messy, so is your strategy and you’ll struggle to:

Forecast your cashflow accurately
Understand your true profitability
Plan for Corporation Tax or VAT deadlines
Apply for funding or loans with confidence
Price your services based on facts – not guesswork

I’ve seen businesses price themselves out of profit, panic at surprise tax bills, or fall foul of HMRC simply because their books were too vague to offer any real clarity.

DIY spreadsheets are a slow road to stress

I know Excel is free and I know you’re smart and capable, but unless your spreadsheet is built like a fortress – reconciled, reviewed, and risk-tested – you’re gambling with your peace of mind.

Bookkeeping isn’t just about tracking the past, it’s also about understanding the now and predicting the future.

DIY setups can be brittle, inconsistent, and impossible to scale and don’t even get me started on the chaos of merging personal and business finances in one file.

Crystal Calculation: Good bookkeeping is an investment

Here’s your Crystal Calculation for the week:

Invest in proper bookkeeping = save time + save money + make smarter decisions.

That might mean:

Training your team to use cloud platforms like Xero or QuickBooks properly
Outsourcing to a professional bookkeeper
Working more closely (and more regularly) with your accountant
Switching from reactive to proactive financial management

Whichever route you choose, the message is the same: treat your books like the lifeblood of your business, because that’s exactly what they are.

You wouldn’t run your business blindfolded – so why make decisions based on half-accurate numbers?

If your books are sloppy, your strategy is shaky and frankly, you’re not giving your business the respect it deserves.

I’ve worked with too many brilliant entrepreneurs who’ve burnt out or missed opportunities – not because they weren’t talented or hardworking, but because they didn’t have the right financial visibility.

So here’s my advice: if you’re still in the ‘good enough’ mindset, challenge it.

Ask yourself – are my books giving me confidence?

Do I really understand my numbers?

Am I making informed decisions or just reacting to problems?

We help small business owners get their financial house in order – properly.

Whether that’s through hands-on support or helping you rethink your systems, we’re here to help you treat your finances like the asset they are.