Optimize Cash Management With a Business Credit Card

Updated Oct 7, 2024
Carte de crédit entreprise gestion de trésorerie
To the point Find out how to optimize cash management with a business credit card. In this article, we also look at separating expenses and analyzing financial reports, to improve your company's financial health.

Effective cash management is essential to the long-term stability and success of your business. Firstly, by carefully monitoring your working capital, including cash coming in and going out. But also, to better manage business risks. This article explains, among other things, how using a business credit card can revolutionize your company’s cash flow management.

Cash Management: Definition

Before explaining how to optimize cash management with a business credit card, let’s start by explaining what cash management is.

Firstly, cash represents the money available in your company’s account.
This liquidity is essential to finance your business activities. The balance varies according to the cash coming in and going out of your business account. However, the balance does not reflect your company’s complete financial situation, as charges, expenses and accrued income are not included.

Secondly, cash management enables you to monitor and control your company’s financial flows. This enables you to optimize liquidity, reduce business risks and maximize returns on surplus cash (reinvestment, interest on savings, etc.). Cash management includes management of working capital (WC) and working capital requirements (WCR).

Cash management is critical because it ensures:

  • Financial stability
  • Forecasting and planning your company’s financial needs
  • Reduced financial costs (e.g. interest on short-term and long-term loans)
  • Business risk management
  • Etc.

The Contribution of Business Credit Cards to Cash Flow Management

Business credit cards can be one of the best ways to organize your finances. They enable you to separate your personal and business expenses. They also give you an overview of your operations, enable you to analyze your expenses and pay your suppliers more quickly. This in turn enables you to maintain a better business relationship with your suppliers.

Separating Business and Personal Expenses

Do you use your personal credit card to pay business expenses? If so, you’re more likely to lose control of your account. Why? Because personal expenses and business obligations are all in one place.

This can easily become a problem if you want to manage your finances prudently. That’s why a business credit card is such an beneficial option. It gives you greater control over purchases made in your company’s name.

The business credit card will also help you compile and improve your company’s credit history. You’ll also see your company’s working capital (WC) management greatly improved and simplified. Plus, you’ll have a better understanding of your working capital requirements (WCR).

Not to mention the ability to obtain detailed reports on your payments and spending habits. For example, all expenses related to business travel, material purchases or representation fees are recorded in a separate account, making it easy to track and justify these costs.

An Overview of Your Operations

With your business credit card statement, you’ll get an overview of an important part of your business expenses. This will also help you manage your employees’ expenses. However, pre-authorized payments, cheques or transfers do not appear on these statements. So it’s important to keep your documents organized!

You can better evaluate your spending and identify potential savings with greater control over your operations. It’s a strategy that allows companies like yours to keep more money in their organization.

Save Time Paying Your Suppliers

Business credit cards generally come with a 21-day grace period. The cardholder doesn’t have to wait to be paid, since there’s a certain amount of time between the date of purchase and the date of payment. This payment period means you can spend money without paying interest. Paying your suppliers’ bills promptly can be helpful for maintaining a good business relationship. This will enable you to negotiate better rates or obtain fast service in emergencies.

Analysis of Your Financial Reports

By centralizing data on all your expenses, you’ll be able to better analyze your expense reports.

Business credit cards often offer analysis tools and detailed reports to help understand spending habits. These reports can reveal trends, such as seasonal cost increases or areas where spending is higher than expected.

This analysis will help you make informed decisions to reduce your costs, optimize your cash budget and improve overall cash management (“FR” and “BFR”). As a result, you’ll have an overall picture of your expenses. It will also be easier to improve negotiations with your suppliers.

It’s important to take the time you need to improve the management of your business. And, in so doing, improve your financial health.

Small Business Credit Cards

Choosing a business credit card to improve your company’s cash management depends on a number of factors. In particular, the size of your business, your spending habits and your specific financial management needs. American Express cards are often the best choice here. In fact, the following business credit cards are often recommended:

In addition, you can use our credit card comparator or our best business credit cards page to see other possible choices.

Cash Management Software and Tools

Cash management software is an indispensable tool for companies seeking to optimize their financial management. These digital solutions offer a complete financial overview, facilitating:

  • Cash flow monitoring
  • Cash flow budget planning
  • Financial forecasting

With features such as automatic integration of bank transactions, real-time tracking of payments and collections, this software enables precise analysis and rapid decision-making.

They play a key role in identifying savings opportunities, managing financial risks and ensuring sufficient liquidity to keep your business running smoothly. Adopting cash management software enables proactive and informed financial management.

Here are the 5 most popular software applications in Canada:

  • QuickBooks QuickBooks: a popular software package offering comprehensive accounting and financial management functions, including cash management. This is the tool we use for Milesopedia.
  • Sage 50: software for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), offering detailed cash management and accounting.
  • Xero: cloud-based software that’s affordable and appreciated for its intuitive interface, real-time cash flow updates and numerous integrations, facilitating management and decision-making.
  • FreshBooks: ideal for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), simplifies cash management with a focus on administrative simplicity and time management efficiency.
  • Wave Wave: a free solution offering basic cash management functions for small businesses.

Cash Flow Risk Management

Effective management of cash inflows and outflows in your bank account helps to ensure financial stability and prevent liquidity crises. Treasury risk management for a company involves identifying, analyzing and mitigating financial risks. These cash flow difficulties may be linked to:

  • Fluctuations in exchange rates: for example, if a Canadian company has suppliers in Europe, fluctuations in the euro may affect its costs.
  • Interest rate fluctuations: for example, securing a future exchange rate for important international transactions can protect against unforeseen losses.
  • Customer or supplier insolvency: closely monitor accounts receivable to avoid late payment, and implement a clear credit policy for your customers.

Tips and Techniques to Improve Cash Management

It will be important to apply these key techniques to better manage your cash flow:

  • Draw up periodic forecasts to anticipate cash inflows and outflows, taking into account bill collections and other possible cash inflows.
  • Negotiate favourable payment terms with suppliers and speed up collection of customer payments.
  • Control your expenses and maintain a rigorous budget that takes into account your cash balance, i.e. the difference between your liquid assets and liabilities.
  • Identify and eliminate unnecessary expenses. Reassess them every year, and look for new sources of financing to bring in new capital. Especially in the event of a cash shortage.
  • Build up a cash reserve to create an emergency fund, in addition to your working capital, to cover the unexpected. It can be used in the event of late payment by a major customer or an unexpected expense.
  • Take out insurance to protect your business against unforeseeable events. Specific insurance policies, such as credit insurance, can cover payment defaults.

Adopting these strategies can reduce your company’s vulnerability to financial fluctuations and maintain a stable cash flow.

Bottom Line

In short, cash management is an essential aspect of your company’s financial health. Good cash management not only helps maintain the right level of working capital, but also contributes to sustainable growth and increased profitability. The judicious use of business credit cards, combined with the adoption of treasury software, can transform the way your company manages its finances. Ultimately, effective and strategic cash management is a key indicator of your company’s long-term stability and success.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is corporate cash management? What are its functions?

Good cash flow means that a company has sufficient liquidity to: cover current expenses and short-term obligations, and seize opportunities for investment and growth. It is a key indicator of a company’s financial health.

How do you manage your cash flow?

Good cash management involves cash flow analysis, forecasting, sound management of accounts receivable and payable, and better control of expenses.

How can a business credit card help optimize cash management?

It facilitates separating business and personal expenses, offers detailed reports for tracking expenses, and can improve cash flow through extended payment terms.

What are the tax advantages of using a business credit card?

It simplifies accounting and can help maximize tax deductions by clearly separating business expenses from personal expenses.

How do you choose the right business credit card?

Compare options, taking into account annual fees, interest rates, rewards and expense management features. Search for the best card for your business using our credit card comparator or our best credit cards for business page.

Do business credit cards offer security measures?

Yes, they often include fraud protection, alerts for abnormal spending and options for customizing spending limits.

How important is cash flow risk management?

Risk management helps to identify and mitigate financial factors likely to affect cash flow, thus ensuring the company’s financial stability.

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