Whether you’re in the first few months of running your small business or toying with the idea of how to start one, this post is about the most important part of the small business process. Accounting. I know, I know. If you’re like me, that single word just made you flinch. Finances have never been my strong suit, but as a small business owner, I know the value of tracking income and expenses to ensure my business runs smoothly, outsourcers get paid on time, and I can relax during tax season.

Luckily, you don’t have to dive into small business accounting alone. Enter Quickbooks, the incredible accounting tool designed with entrepreneurs and side hustlers in mind. Let’s unpack some of Quickbook’s most essential features:

1. Income & Expense Tracking

The most essential feature: looking at the money coming in and the money coming out. Once you connect Quickbooks to your bank or PayPal accounts, it automatically tracks and itemizes all income and expenses.

2. Maximizing Tax Deductions

For freelancers and small business owners, tax season can be a harrowing and stressful mess. Not with Quickbooks. In addition to the automatic itemization, Quickbooks keeps you updated on when taxes are due, lets you know what you owe, and allows you to easily share information with your personal accountant.

3. Multiple Users

Running a big operation? Unable to keep an eye on your accounting all of the time? With certain features, you can grant 5 or more users access to your Quickbooks account – specifying their access according to their role in your company.

4. Seamless Invoicing

Not only can you track your income and expenses with Quickbooks, but you can make it the source of invoicing and getting paid by clients! With professional, consistent invoice designs and payment options that sync to your accounts, build up the efficiency of your company with automatic invoicing and payments.

5. Multimedia Integration

Every Quickbooks account comes with an app you can download on your phone, expert support, as well as integration with a number of the other small business applications you’re already using, from Square to Shopify and more. Create a steady, centralized hub for your business with Quickbooks’ services.

6. Pay Your Employees

A special add-on option with Quickbooks is payroll. Streamline your payroll process with same-day direct deposit and utilize Quickbooks’ own team of experts to help file your payroll taxes.

7. Incredible Resources

Quickbooks has a number of amazing resources for first time business owners or any of us who get a little squeamish about accounting. With guides, articles, videos, and other tools, you’ll have everything you need to understand and optimize your small business’ accounting efforts.

Having a handle on your small business’s accounts is the most essential step to ensuring a healthy future for your work.

Try out Quickbooks to get started and tell us what you think in the comments below.