Not all qualifications are created equal Bookkeepers often share experiences and feedback with us about qualifications they have taken. We have discovered that some feel their qualifications have been disappointing as though essential parts of their training were missed out. This has led them to feel unprepared for the working world. Anti-money laundering (discussed further […]
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Welcome to our Winter newsletter. This quarter we have a guest blog all about getting prepared for your self-assessment from the wonderful EK Williams Accountants. Our interview this quarter is with pension expert Gary Bishop who answers your FAQ’s on pensions. We also have card machine advice, an award announcement, our Christmas hours, and a […]
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What makes a good bookkeeper?
To celebrate Global Bookkeeping Week, we’re asking the question “What makes a good bookkeeper?”. Is it a dashing suit and smile? It’s a bit more than that! Here’s what we think makes a good bookkeeper. Attention to detail As bookkeepers our role revolves around the detail. We look for patterns, changes and missing links. We […]
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BeCOS Bookkeeping Matters – Autumn 2020
Welcome to our Autumn newsletter. This quarter we interviewed a HMRC investigation expert who shared her tips with us. We also share some of our favourite software packages that can help you and your team save some time. Thanks for stopping by to read our newsletter. COS Crew News Tasnim gets her Xero Payroll certificate Congratulations […]
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Welcome to our Summer Newsletter. In this quarter we interviewed COS member Joseph about how living with Asperger’s has been during lockdown. We share our top tips for saving money and improving cashflow during the pandemic. Plus we have a few celebrations and a new business venture to share. Thanks for stopping by to read our newsletter. […]
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5 Tips to reduce your financial anxiety One of the most awful feelings is when you know you have bills to pay and you don’t know where you are going to get the money from. Our Director, Karen, has been in this position and knows just how difficult it is. So we wanted to share […]
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Welcome to our Spring newsletter. This quarter we’ll be sharing our top 5 tried and tested cloud accounting softwares. We also interviewed Rik Heap from Leonard Curtis for his advice on rescuing and recovering businesses. Plus read about our new staff achievements and meet our new apprentice. We also now have a dedicated Coronavirus support and […]
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Welcome to our Winter Newsletter. This quarter we’ll be sharing how you could improve your cash flow. Plus we interview Amanda Fearn from WPA about how to support your employees with their health. COS Crew News What have our staff been getting up to this quarter? Find out here. *** Ann gets festive on her […]
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It’s Global Bookkeeping Week so we are taking this opportunity to shout about how proud we are of our members and employees. There are far more than 5 reasons why we’re proud of our bookkeepers! But we couldn’t very well name them all on here, it would be a long read indeed. 1. They have […]
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BeCOS Bookkeeping Matters – Autumn 2019
Welcome to our Autumn newsletter! This quarter we tell you how we said goodbye to expense claims and how you can do the same. We also interviewed local pet expert Carys Middleton from Mojo Pet Companies. She shares her tips and business advice with us. Plus we have weddings, engagements, and births to announce! We’ve […]
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In this edition, we’ll be helping you decide if you’re using the right accounting software. We will also be sharing some health and safety advice from Luke at Orchard Compliance. Plus lots of exciting news from the COS crew (including an upcoming wedding). COS Crew News – Summer 2019 Find out below what staff and members […]
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Thanks for stopping by to read our newsletter. In this edition, we’ll be helping you with MTD, with our simple timeline. We also have some important payroll updates; and we have some brand new courses available If you’re an Urmston Business, read our interview to find out how the Urmston Partnership could help you. The […]
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In this edition, we’re sharing our self-assessment advice. We also interview Hannah Dempsey, from the charity FOP Friends, about an illness you may never have heard of. You can also see what the COS crew have been up to. Please note that our Christmas hours can be found at the bottom of this page. The COS Crew […]
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Welcome to our Autumn 2018 COS Newsletter – BeCOS Bookkeeping Matters! Welcome to our Autumn 2018 newsletter. In this edition we share essential things you might not know about payroll. We also get advice from Lucia and Franck at Saco Trading about staying healthy this Autumn. The COS Crew have some very special occasions to […]
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Welcome to our Summer 2018 Edition of BeCOS Bookkeeping Matters! In this edition you can find out how to save hours of data entry. You’ll also get some wonderful tips on how to survive at work from Becky and Gemma at Go Train and Develop. Do you like cats? The Society for Abandoned Animals are […]
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Welcome to our Spring 2018 Edition of BeCOS Bookkeeping Matters! In this edition we have a revised pet section which is now “Pet Adoption Corner”. We’ll be featuring a different animal in each edition that is in desperate need of a home. We also have a new section featuring news about the COS Crew! Plus […]
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Ho, ho, ho, it’s nearly Christmas and our Winter Newsletter is here! BeCOS Bookkeeping Matters Welcome our winter newsletter. We have lots to share with you: from tips to help you with your self-assessment to how to make your card payments easier. You can also find our Christmas hours at the bottom. Guess Who Can […]
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It’s time for the Autumn Edition of our Quarterly Newsletter: BeCOS Bookkeeping Matters! Thanks for stopping by to read our newsletter. In this addition we tell you how to stop bookkeeping becoming a “monster”! Stuart Sinclair from CVSL has essential advice on car leasing in our interview section. You’ll find out how much we raised […]
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It’s Global Bookkeeping Week and we’d like to say a huge thank you to every one of our hard-working members. From those who have been with us for 15 years to those who have been with us a matter of days. You are a part of the COS family and we thank you for that. […]
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The last thing any business owner needs is to stress about their accounts. The more time you give yourself and the more tools you invest in, the less stressful it will be. We’ve put together a list of reasons why bookkeeping shouldn’t be at the bottom of your list. There could be huge fines via […]
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Welcome to the Summer Edition of our Quarterly Newsletter: BeCOS Bookkeeping Matters! Thanks for being a part of our newsletter. We have another great interview lined up for you, this time from Mark at Ralli Solicitors about how to deal with employee disputes. You can read all about it below. We also delve into the history and […]
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BeCOS Bookkeeping Matters -Spring 2017 Newletter
Welcome to the Spring Edition of our newsletter – BeCOS Bookkeeping Matters. Firstly, welcome to our new website! We’re really excited about it but please bare with us, we’re still working on it in places.In this edition we have hints and tips about household renovations from Chris at Technique. We’ll be telling you “Things you […]
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5 reasons why frequent bookkeeping can save your business money – Celebrating IWD 2017 It’s International Women’s Day and we are proud to say that our company is managed by two successful women: Karen Garrattley and Diane Middleton We believe that women around the world should be able to start their own business and thrive. […]
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April Payroll – Changes you need to know about Change is on its way…are you ready? From April 2017 HMRC will be implementing a variety of changes and it’s important that Bookkeepers and Accountants are prepared. The changes will affect: The National Living Wage The National Minimum Wage Statutory Payments National Insurance Expenses and Benefits and […]
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BeCOS Bookkeeping Matters – Winter Newsletter
Welcome to our Winter 2016, BeCOS Bookkeeping Matters, Newsletter! In this edition we have an insightful interview with Accountant Peter Brassington on how to avoid fines and how to make your financial life easier. We also celebrate our new FSB award and have some exciting news about our upcoming charity pantomime! We won an FSB Award! Several […]
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Welcome to the first edition of our newsletter – BeCOS Bookkeeping Matters! Autumn Edition In our first edition we’ll be talking to website designer Suzi Brown and we’ll also be sharing our favourite Xero add-ons. We’ll be delving into our latest fundraising activities and we’ve also thrown a few fun sections into the mix. Five Handy Xero Add-ons […]
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The tables glittered with diamantes whilst awaiting the guests to arrive. The trumpets and drums shined as the band prepared for a night of musical marvel. The DJ was ready to compare in his best suit. The stage was set ready for a night we wouldn’t soon forget. On the 16th July we celebrated our 25th anniversary with a charity […]
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Many companies begin with excel when starting to record their financial activity but unfortunately this method can be risky, inaccurate and time-consuming. Here’s our top reasons why cloud accounting is essential for business. You can access it from anywhere with an internet connection If your accounts are on The Cloud then all you will […]
Read moreWhen Karen Garrattley started COS in early 1991 with just herself and a notebook she didn’t think it would grow into such a unique and exciting business. After running the business for several years, and working alongside several other self-employed Bookkeepers and Accountants, she realised there was a gap in the market in her field. […]
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HMRC have created a series of free webinars to help and support the self-employed. From Capital Allowances to Income Tax they have a wide range of resources ready to help. Join the other thousands of business owners who have benefited from their training by signing up today. Capital Allowances for the Self-employed Tuesday 10th May 09:00 […]
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We understand that keeping on top of your books can be hard to do when you’re trying to run a business. We have compiled a list of tips to try and make life a little easier for business owners when it comes to managing accounts. 1. Find a software that works for you There is […]
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Why we love FreeAgent
FreeAgent is an effective and efficient cloud accounting software that we have recently added to our portfolio. We discovered the package back in the summer and since then we’ve tried and tested its features and realised just how useful it is. Many people have asked “Isn’t it just the same as Xero?” and the answer […]
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The End Of The Tax Return
The government are putting in place a system to replace the outdated tax return. This system enables individuals and businesses to create “Digital Tax Accounts”. This has been created as a way of modernising the tax system. Much like an online bank account you will have all your details in one place and you will be […]
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5 Misconceptions About Bookkeepers
1). We’re boring Just because we enjoy crunching numbers and love accounting software doesn’t mean we’re a bit on the dull side. We can assure you that underneath that cool exterior we are bags of fun and full of personality. From actors and archers to guitarists and fun-runners, our bookkeepers have a range of exciting […]
Read moreXero is amongst our favourite software packages and we always encourage our members to become Xero Accredited. The package is affordable, easy to use and a fantastic tool for many businesses to have. By becoming accredited you can open new doors in your career and even broaden your client base, see how below. Affordability Being very […]
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Why Bookkeepers Are Amazing
As it’s Global Bookkeeping Week we’ve put together a list of reasons why bookkeepers are wonderful! They have the patience of a Saint As well as doing hours of careful data entry they also have the patience to spend time troubleshooting problems. This is a job for someone with serious patience! 2. They have a […]
Read moreCloud Access With Xero you can access your accounts from anywhere with an internet connection. If you have not yet used cloud accounting software, now is the perfect time. Our training courses enable you to confidently convert to Xero. Our training includes showing you how to open an account and how to use the mobile […]
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Do you offer apprenticeships to young people in the UK? From April 2016, employers of apprentices under the age of 25 will no longer need to pay secondary (employer) Class 1 NICs on earnings below the Upper Earnings Limit (UEL). The consultation exercise to define the meaning of “relevant apprentice” for the purpose of the […]
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Guest Blog – Tax Tips and News from our Accountant Friends at Leavitt Walmsley & Associates
Thank you to Leavitt Walmsley & Associates for sharing their latest tax tips and news with us. Tax Reconciliation HMRC has started the tax reconciliation process for the majority of taxpayers who are taxed under PAYE. This may include you or your relatives, as this reconciliation also covers those in receipt of the State Retirement […]
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Our guest blogger this week is Chris from Query Management. She has put together an insightful piece on avoiding bad debt. Thank you for the helpful tips Chris! Here’s a list of eight warning signs we’ve learnt to watch out for. No single sign is evidence of anything – but each one is a little […]
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Growing, Growing Gone – Our new premises
25 Years Of Fun For almost 25 years we have been passionate about bookkeeping and have created a community of self-employed bookkeepers. Within this community, we help and support one another with everything from software innovations to tax changes. We always aim to stay ahead of the game. Training Generations As well as our membership […]
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Why Excel Isn’t A Long Term Solution
Do you use excel for your bookkeeping? In this guest article Xero will explain why excel isn’t a long term solution. Small businesses often start out using Excel – but that’s only doable up until a point. Like every teenager eventually becomes an adult, your business needs to evolve and grow. Find out why the […]
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Setting Up A Business: Employment Law
Setting up a business? How an employment law solicitor can help you Thinking of, or in the process of setting up your own business? Consulting an employment law solicitor could be one of the best initial decisions you make. Employment law is a complicated area and is constantly changing. Most employment disagreements are caused by […]
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The Nominal Ledger Explained
What are debits and credits? What is the nominal ledger? Let us answer your questions and help to make your bookkeeping easier. On the 13th August we will be hosting a course presented by Karen Garrattley all about the nominal ledger. What’s included Prior knowledge is not required for this course but general bookkeeping experience […]
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The Emergency budget – A Guide
Sage have complied a compressive list of facts and figures to guide you through the emergency budget. From personal allowances to pension relief, it covers a wide range of useful subjects. If you have any questions about the budget please do not hesitate to contact us. For the latest information on the emergency budget click […]
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Free Pasties At The Business Growth Show 2015
On Thursday we will be exhibiting at the fantastic AJ Bell Stadium in Salford at The Business Growth Show. Home of the Salford City Reds and Sale Sharks, the stadium is truly is an exciting venue to be exhibiting at! Fresh, Tasty and Free On Thursday we will have a mixture of hot pasties available. […]
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What bookkeeping is and why it’s so important
Legally you have to keep track of the money that comes in and out of your business, this is called bookkeeping. This way you stay organised, you comply with HMRC and it can help you with financial forecasting. Without up to date, accurate information, a business can make bad decisions which can damage its own […]
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Free HMRC Webinars
HMRC are running a series of webinars on a range of subjects from online tax returns to capital allowances. Feel free to take a look at their e-learning Working for yourself for help and support. It includes a section on paying HMRC and the payment deadlines of 31 July and 31 January. Here is a […]
Read moreDo you want to release the potential in your company, nurture your staff and strengthen bonds? One of our trusted associates, Alongside, will host their Strengths Event at Café on the Park in Stockport. This event is a chance to meet People Guru Amanda Duggan whilst she helps you to unlock your strengths and drive organisational […]
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Would you like the opportunity to visit a prestigious venue, be treated to lunch and have the chance to speak to an array of leading North West Business? On the 30th June we will be exhibiting at the The Trafford Business Expo which will take place at the magnificent Lancashire County Cricket Club. Proud to […]
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