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Experience has shown that most small businesses have a profit and loss statement that is arranged in a format that was determined by their accountant. While that arrangement may work for the accountant, it is not a format that allows the small business owner to understand the information so that they can make better decisions about their business.

This calculator allows you to use our sample data, or input the information from your profit and loss statement to see how our suggested format can give you more insight to your busienss. In the traditional format you know your gross profit, gross margin, operating expenses and net profit. However, you do not get a clear image of how your operating expenses are being spent.

After you look at the data in the traditional profit and loss statement, there is a bottom of that profit and loss statement which will allow you to move your data to the new format we are suggesting.

In the new format, your operating expenses will appear in groups; advertising, occupancy, payroll, and 'other operating expenses'. Each of the groups are subtotaled as well as expressed as a percentage.

There are additional columns in the new format where you can enter the data for 'year to date', 'same month last year', 'year to date last year' and 'budget'. This new format will give you the percentages and totals for each of the groups as well as give you a comparison for the 'year to date' and 'budget'.

Again, the experience from having worked with many small business owners and having taught this in many educational sessions has shown that this 'logical profit and loss statement' allows the owner to better understand what has happened in their business as well as make decisions about the operation of their business.

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Traditional Profit and Loss Statement
1 Income Statement
2 Cash Sales
3 Cost of Goods Sold
4 Gross Profit
5 Gross Margin
6    
7 Operating Expenses:  
8 Accounting
9 Advertising
10
11
12 Automobile
13 Balancing Account
14 Cash Over/Short
15 Benefits
16 Business Insurance
17 Computer Operations
18 Depreciation
19 Dues and Subscriptions
20 E-Newsletter
21 Freight
22 Legal
23 Licenses and Taxes
24 Loss
25 Maintenance
26 Meal and Entertainment
27 Merchandising
28 Miscellaneous
29 Office Expense
30 Office Supplies
31 Owner Salary/Draw
32 Outside Services
33 Payroll Taxes
34
35
36 Postage and Shipping
37 Printing
38 Property Taxes
39 Rent
40 Repairs
41 Returned Checks
42 Software Support
43 Telephone & Utilities
44 Travel
45 Wages
46 Website
47 Workers Comp
48
49
50
51
52    
53 Total Operating Expenses
54    
55 Net Income (Loss)
56    

Logical profit and loss statement from Profits Plus
A B C D E F G H I J K L
 Month YTD This Month
Last Year
YTD
Last Year
YTD Budget YTD Variance
1 Sales 100% 100% 100% 100%
2 COGS
3 Gross profit
4  
5 OPERATING EXPENSES
6 Advertising expense:
7 Advertising
8 E-Newsletter
9 Website
10
11
12 Advertising subtotal
13
14 Occupancy expense:
15 Building repairs
16 Maintenance
17 Rent
18 Utilities and telephone
19
20
21 Occupancy subtotal
22  
23 Payroll expense:
24 Benefits
25 Owner draw
26 Payroll taxes
27 Wages and salaries
28 Workman's Comp and Health Insurance
29
30
31 Payroll subtotal
32  
33 Accounting
34 Balancing account
35 Bank and merchant service fees
36 Depreciation
37 Dues and subscriptions
38 Freight
39 Business Insurance
40 Legal
41 Loss
42 Meals and entertainment
43 Miscellaneous
44 Office expense
45 Office supplies
46 Merchandising
47 Printing
48 Postage and shipping
49 Returned checks
50 Software support
51 Business & Personal Property Taxes
52 Travel
53 Computer Operations
54 Outside Services
55 Automobile
56 Licenses and Taxes
57
58
59 Total operating expenses
60  
61 Net income
62      

MARCH 2024
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Small Business

Conversations

We are taking a break with the Small Business Conversations programs. However, we have the many years of the program cataloged by date on the website.

Small Business

AdvisorieS

The March Small Business Advisory remembers a line from many a western movie; "They went that a-way" and expressions similar to that distract from a business giving great customer service.

Small Business

News

Top Story

The big news item on November 30, 2022 was the advent of ChatGPT; Artificial Intelligence applications which many believe are used exclusively by big businesses.

This does not have to be true as there are many applications we share that have usage in a small business.


Article of the Month

"No plan B"; the subtitle to Van Morrison's Born to Sing album. The idea of no plan B also applies to a small business when you think (or is it when you don't think) about when the time, or opportunity, comes that you can sell your business. Generally speaking, a small business owner gets less money when they decide to close their business.


Book of the Month

"Escape from Cubicle Nation" is the March book of the month. While directed towards those working a corporate job and wanting to become an entrepreneur, we remind readers about utilizing their gut feeling to make decisions in their business.

After all, you did use your gut feeling when you decided to open or purchase your business.

BOOK US

With over 25 years of frontline experience Tom Shay is America's leading Small Business Management Expert. He's a "Must Have" for your next event.

Small Business

Conversations

We are taking a break with the Small Business Conversations programs. However, we have the many years of the program cataloged by date on the website.

Small Business

Advisories

The March Small Business Advisory remembers a line from many a western movie; "They went that a-way" and expressions similar to that distract from a business giving great customer service.

Small Business

News

 

Top Story

The big news item on November 30, 2022 was the advent of ChatGPT; Artificial Intelligence applications which many believe are used exclusively by big businesses.

This does not have to be true as there are many applications we share that have usage in a small business.


Article of the Month

"No plan B"; the subtitle to Van Morrison's Born to Sing album. The idea of no plan B also applies to a small business when you think (or is it when you don't think) about when the time, or opportunity, comes that you can sell your business. Generally speaking, a small business owner gets less money when they decide to close their business.


Book of the Month

"Escape from Cubicle Nation" is the March book of the month. While directed towards those working a corporate job and wanting to become an entrepreneur, we remind readers about utilizing their gut feeling to make decisions in their business.

After all, you did use your gut feeling when you decided to open or purchase your business.