How Do I Keep Books as a Beginner?

As a beginner, keeping books is about recording what comes in, what goes out, and making sure nothing is missed for tax and GST purposes. It does not require accounting knowledge, complex reports or formal bookkeeping qualifications.

For micro and one-person businesses, bookkeeping is simply a record-keeping exercise. The goal is clarity and compliance, not producing accountant-level financial statements.

At a basic level, beginner bookkeeping involves:

• recording income when invoices are issued or paid

• recording expenses when they occur

• keeping digital copies of receipts

• tracking GST collected and GST paid

• reviewing simple summaries regularly

If those tasks are done consistently, the books are effectively “kept”.

What Beginners Often Get Wrong

The most common mistake beginners make is assuming bookkeeping needs to be done perfectly from day one. This often leads to overcomplication or avoidance.

Many new business owners try to:

• use spreadsheets with too many columns

• adopt accounting software meant for larger businesses

• learn accounting rules they don’t actually need

This creates confusion and makes bookkeeping feel harder than it is.

Beginner bookkeeping works best when the system matches the simplicity of the business itself.

A Simple Beginner Bookkeeping Routine

A practical beginner routine looks like this:

• enter income and expenses weekly or fortnightly

• attach receipts as you go

• review totals monthly

• check GST figures before BAS periods

This approach keeps records accurate without taking over your time.

When Beginner Bookkeeping Is Enough

For most beginners running a micro business, this level of bookkeeping is sufficient for:

• tax returns

• BAS preparation

• cashflow awareness

• knowing whether the business is viable

As the business grows, bookkeeping can evolve — but it doesn’t need to start complicated.

Learn more at www.ecashbooks.com — simple bookkeeping for micro and one-person businesses.