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Keeping your business cash liquid – the difference between cashflow and profit

The foundational goal of any business is to make a profit. As a business owner, that’s one of your key financial aims – to make enough sales, at a big enough margin, to generate profit from your enterprise. But how does profit differ from cashflow? And why is cash king?How do profit and cashflow differ?To really understand the difference between generating profit and managing cashflow, we need to look at what both these terms mean. You might think that delving into the accounts is a job for ...

In the Office

April marked an incredible milestone, 15 years of Chris Stevenson as our amazing Business Manager here at Accounted4!Chris has played a huge role in shaping the Accounted4 you see today. From streamlining our internal systems to championing key projects and operational improvements, her impact reaches across every part of the business. She’s been a driving force behind innovation and efficiency, often working quietly behind the scenes, but always with our people and clients front of mind.Her c...

Featured Partner - iPayroll

iPayroll was established in 2001 and is New Zealand’s leading provider of cloud-based payroll solutions. iPayroll’s solution is suitable for a small business with a few employees, a group of businesses, a franchise, or an enterprise business with several hundred employees, in any industry.They provide an easy-to-use, feature-rich solution so you can focus on your business. iPayroll make it simple for you to run each pay and manage leave, tax, and employee records. They also make it easy for ...

In the Community

We were so proud to be named finalists in both the ‘Customer Choice’ and ‘People and Culture’ categories at the recent Waipā Business Awards, which featured a fabulous 1920s theme and an incredible atmosphere. As proud partners of the awards, it was extra special to be part of such a well-run and inspiring evening celebrating local business excellence. Congratulations to all the other finalists, and a special well done to the winners, it was a fantastic showcase of the talent and innova...

Featured Client - Grinter's and Rosetown Funeral Homes

For over 35 years, Grinter’s Funeral Home and Rosetown Funerals have been a comforting presence for families across Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Hamilton, and the wider Waipā and Waikato regions.Proudly locally owned, they are among the few funeral homes in the region that bring not only professional services but a genuine sense of connection to the communities they serve.Jim Goodin and the wider Grinter’s and Rosetown team works with families to plan respectful and meaningful farewells, ensuring...

Payroll Update

As we approach the start of a new season, it’s a great time to check that your payroll documents and processes are up-to-date and in good shape. Take a moment to review the key points below, with handy links to the latest IRD forms and industry resources.Upcoming Public Holidays:King’s Birthday: Monday, 2nd JuneMatariki: Friday, 20th June...

Get to Know Shelley

Shelley has been working remotely as our Trust and Company Administrator for the past five years and has now returned from Auckland!During her time working from home, she has strengthened her relationships with local law firms, collaborating closely on mutual clients. She’s excited to finally be back in the office and reconnect face-to-face with colleagues and clients.When Shelley and her family left Cambridge in 2020, her children were just 4 and 6 years old. Now, at 10 and 12, they’ve cert...

Team Vacancy

Are you ready to take the next step in your accounting career? Do you thrive in a collaborative, forward-thinking environment where your work is genuinely valued? If so, we’d love to talk to you.We’re on the hunt for a talented Intermediate Accountant to join our award-winning, high-performing team. This is more than just a job — it's a chance to grow, thrive, and make an impact with a firm that truly supports your career goals.🔍 Who We're Looking ForYou’re a skilled accounting profes...

Business confidence is on the rise: what this means for your business

How are New Zealand businesses feeling about their economic future? According to the latest [Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion] (https://www.nzier.org.nz/publications/nziers-qsbo-shows-continued-lift-in-business-confidence) (QSBO) from the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER), confidence is on the rise in 2025.A net 23% of companies expect general economic conditions to improve over the coming months on a seasonally adjusted basis. That’s up from the net 9% in the previous qua...

Liberating you and your business with AI: the business benefits

Looking around at the business landscape, it’s evident that [Artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is starting to make meaningful changes to the way the average small business works.Over a third (38%) of small businesses have used, or are considering using, AI according to new research from Small Business Britain and the global hiring platform Indeed.AI may be the new kid on the block, but what are the actual, tangible benefits?Let’s dive deeper into the advantages of u...

Understanding Your Balance Sheet

To understand the financial position of a business at a specific point of time, look at the balance sheet. The balance sheet may also be called the statement of financial position. Together with the Profit and Loss Statement, and possibly other reports such as the Statement of Cash-flow, these reports provide a complete understanding of the financial position and business performance.So what’s involved? - The balance sheet has three sections: assets, liabilities and equity.What are Assets?Ass...

In the Office

What do you get when you mix four competitive teams, a pit stop in Tirau, a round of golf at Okoroire, and a quiz showdown in Matamata? Accounted4’s Annual Big Day Out, of course!We hit the road early, with our four teams dressed to impress (and in some cases, confuse). There’s nothing like a bit of dress-up rivalry to set the tone for the day. First stop: Tirau. Coffee was essential, we stretched the legs, and surprisingly, didn’t get a single photo in front of the famous corrugated iron ...

In the Community

Last week a team of four from Accounted4 traded in their office chairs for golf carts to attend the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce networking event and fundraising day for St John’s. The event brought together local professionals for some friendly competition, good conversation, and, most importantly, a chance to raise money for a great cause.The day was packed with action as we played two exciting formats: Ambrose and the infamous Yellow Ball. Ambrose, which mixes strategy and skill, kept thin...

Go Cardless for Xero Business Edition Subscriptions

In March 2024 we moved to GoCardless Direct Debit for all Xero Business Edition subscriptions. With the recent Xero price increase we thought it was timely to remind you of the benefits of not having to manually update you payments to us, for your Xero subscriptions. Why the move to Direct DebitMoving to GoCardless Direct Debit takes the pain away from our clients having to change Automatic Payments each time Xero adjust their fees, which is normally annually. By switching to Dire...

Featured Client - Titoki Landcare

Aotearoa New Zealand is recognised as one of Earth’s 25 biodiversity hotspots. We have over 18,000 recognised species native to our country and most of these species are found nowhere else.Unfortunately, since the arrival of humans, our unique biodiversity has become threatened. In many areas, more than 97% of indigenous habitats have been cleared and, across the country, more than 90% of wetlands have been drained. As a result, we face a national biodiversity crisis with nearly half of our na...

Featured Partner - The Little Acre

Liora Pine is the founder and creative director of The Little Acre, a strategic design studio based in Cambridge, New Zealand. Originally from Palo Alto, California, she made New Zealand her home in 2007, bringing with her a love for clean, thoughtful design and a knack for helping businesses visually showcase their stories.The Little Acre specialises in branding and website design, with a particular focus on the Rocketspark platform. Liora's work has been recognised with multiple Rocketspark aw...

Get to know Liam

I joined Accounted 4 in June 2024 and work under Martyn in the accounting team. Since starting, I’ve enjoyed getting to know the team and diving into the world of accounting. Every day brings new challenges and opportunities to learn, which keeps things super exciting!I grew up on a farm in Matamata before moving to Hamilton to study, completing a Bachelor of Business majoring in Finance and Economics and graduating in 2023. I currently still live in Hamilton with my wife, Bella, and to be fai...

From the PAYROLL desk - Important Employer Tips for the 1st of April Changes

Minimum Wage IncreaseThe Adult minimum wage will increase from $23.15 to $23.50 per hour. This rate applies to all employees 16 years and over.The Starting-out and Training minimum wage will Increase from $18.52 to $18.80 per hour, remaining at 80% of the adult minimum wage.Refer to website: Read MoreSalaried employees – check for Minimum Wage RequirementsIf you have salaried employees, you need to ensure that their Gross Earnings meet minimum wage requirements for each individual pay period.A...

Financial Year-End: are you ready?

With 31 March fast approaching, now’s the time to get organised for year end. Acting early saves time, reduces stress, and ensures your business is set up for success in 2025. If you’d like a checklist, ask us where to start.Don’t forget provisional tax! If you’re a provisional taxpayer,  typically anyone who earns income where no tax is deducted at source, like sole traders or contractors, your final payment for the 2024 tax year is due on 7 May 2025 (if we prepare your tax returns...

Team Vacancy - Senior Accountant

If you are an experienced professional ready for a new challenge in an authentic and supportive team environment, we’d love to hear from you! We’re looking for a skilled Senior Accountant with either a CA qualification or long-term experience, to join our vibrant team in Cambridge. In this new key role, you will help care for a diverse range of clients and assist in a wide range of high-level accounting, tax, advisory, and review work—all while maintaining the highest professional sta...

Are You Suffering from Business Burnout?

Recent years have been demanding and exhausting for many business owners. Are you one of them?The challenges have been relentless, and we know many small business owners have had to navigate unprecedented challenges first because of the pandemic and then from inflation and other market impacts.Burnout results from long-term stress and can manifest in emotional and physical exhaustion, which may affect your enthusiasm for running the business you once loved.So, What Can You Do About it?We underst...

IRD Changing third-party card payment processor to Worldline

From 12 February 2025, IRD has changed the third-party card payment processor from Windcave to Worldline.There will be minor look and feel changes for customers making payments in myIR, including being redirected to a new Worldline hosted payment page to complete their payment.Customers that have previously saved their card information will need to re-enter their full card details the first time they make a payment after the change to Worldline. They will have the option to save their card detai...

Costs are rising: what can you do?

The ANZ Business Outlook survey for December 2024 shows that some Kiwi companies are reporting a [significant increase in activity] (https://www.interest.co.nz/business/131325/latest-anz-business-outlook-survey-shows-companies-reporting-significant-increase). But there was also a rise in expected costs, with 70% of surveyed businesses expecting their running costs to rise as we start the new year. Costs are one of those external factors that can have a major impact on your cashflow. But what can...

Minimum wage is increasing on 1 April 2025. Are you ready?

The details of the increase are:Adult minimum wage will go up from $23.15 to $23.50 per hour.Starting-out and training minimum wage will go up from $18.52 to $18.80 per hour.All rates are before tax and any lawful deductions, for example, PAYE tax, student loan repayment, child support.If you have not yet talked to your accountant, payroll provider or your finance/HR teams now is the time. It is also an opportunity to check your employment records, processes and systems are current.How to prepar...

Happy Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas and very well deserved end-of-year break.We are grateful for the opportunity to work with you and be a part of your business journey.It has been another year of hard work and challenges, we hope you will be able to take some time at Christmas to connect with family and friends, to recharge and relax.Our office will be closing 4pm on Friday 20th December and reopening at 8.30am on Monday 13th January 2025.From the Directors at Accounted4....