How Accounting Software can Help Farmers Make More Informed Business Decisions
Building a resilient Farm business is derived from the tools and services that can help Farmers increase sales and save time. Farmers do not have the luxury to only focus on revenue-generating tasks. Streamlining operations with a one-click purchasing system (Barn2Door), sending automated emails to engage Customers regularly (Mailchimp), and leveraging accounting software to ensure your books are in order (QuickBooks Online) are essential to growing and managing a thriving Farm operation.
We recently sat down with Jacint Tumacder of Intuit QuickBooks on the Direct Farm Podcast to discuss how Farmers can use the Barn2Door + QuickBooks Online integration to better manage their business and gain valuable insights to make informed business decisions. In the episode, Jacint highlights 3 main facets to how accounting software can make Farmers’ lives easier, saving you at least a few hours a week. Here’s a recap of what he shared:
Have Access to Your Finances Anytime, Anywhere
As a powerful business solution, Farmers can access their QuickBooks account if they’re in the barn, tending to the field, or sitting on their tractor. Having an app that caters to any device, QuickBooks offers Farmers the flexibility to organize expenses, manage payroll, or even see if employees clocked in (no matter where they are).
This kind of flexibility can empower Farmers to better manage their business and make more informed decisions at a time convenient for them. Mobile devices do offer quick and easy access to the information you need at any given moment. However, to maximize efficiencies with a business solution like QuickBooks, it’s recommended that Farmers use a computer to do the heavy lifting that financial accounting requires.
Gain Peace of Mind Knowing Your Data is Safe
Knowing how important it is to keep your information secure and available to you at all times, QuickBooks Online is securely maintained and hosted in the cloud (versus sitting on a computer in your office). This ensures that your information will not be lost no matter what happens (e.g., your computer crashes or there’s a flood). Cloud-based apps offer redundant back-up of all your data, and believe it or not, is more secure than keeping receipts in a shoebox under your bed (don’t worry, we’ve all been there!).
With the various dashboards offered by QuickBooks, Farmers can easily see how much revenue was generated in a given month, which items are taxable, and how much available cash flow you have on hand. These insights will allow you to make more informed decisions, like understanding which fulfillment types drive the most revenue or which expenses are eating into your net profit.
Collaborate with Everyone Involved, Seamlessly
At Barn2Door, we know that many of the Farms we work with are family-owned and operated. So whether your brother manages the books or your daughter handles payroll, QuickBooks allows for seamless collaboration, with the ability to assign roles to anyone involved.
Another side of collaboration comes the integration between Barn2Door + QuickBooks Online. All your data is aggregated each month and securely transmitted from your Barn2Door account to QuickBooks, Farmers don’t have to manually track sales or expenses as the integration is built to sync the data for you.
At Barn2Door, we know that Farmers are capable of handling many tasks outside the realm of Farming. However, when it comes to financial accounting obligations (where rules can change often), it’s essential to use a solution that can guarantee accuracy, offer flexibility, and give you peace of mind ensuring the books are in order.
QuickBooks Online is an official partner of the Direct 2021 Farm Conference, where Jacint Tumacder will be a keynote speaker on August 3rd. Join us at Direct 2021 to hear from Jacint and other notable industry speakers who will share insights and best practices on how to grow and manage direct sales.
Barn2Door powers Farmers with the software and services to grow and manage direct sales. If you’re curious how we can help your Farm build a thriving direct-to-market business, watch this 5-minute video.