8 Accounting Automations for Amazon Sellers

Abir Syed

6/11/2024

Table Of Content:

If you’re an Amazon seller, then you know that accounting can be a pain. Keeping track of your sales, expenses, and inventory can be difficult – especially if you’re doing it all manually.

That’s why we’ve put together this list of 8 accounting automations for Amazon sellers! These processes will make keeping track of your finances a breeze, so you can focus on what you do best – selling products on Amazon!

What is Amazon seller accounting?

Amazon seller accounting is the process of tracking your sales, expenses, and inventory levels. This can be done manually or through accounting software. It can be a complex and time-consuming process, especially if you are selling a large volume of products.

Automating processes can help make Amazon accounting easier, faster, and more accurate.  There are numerous accounting automations available, and they can be quite useful for a business owner.

What are the benefits of accounting automation?

There are many benefits to using automations, including:

  • Reduced bookkeeping errors
  • Increased transparency
  • Faster accounting and bookkeeping processes

Reduced bookkeeping errors

Using automated accounting processes can help reduce bookkeeping errors in a number of ways. For example, by automatically transferring data from banks and credit card providers into the accounting system, small businesses can avoid manually entered errors.  You should also consider automating reconciling procedures such as matching invoices to accounts payable, which can help you avoid mistakes.

Increased transparency

By automating tasks, you can help to ensure that all financial transactions are properly documented. This can make it easier to track where money is going and spot any potential areas of concern. When reviewing your books, having thorough documentation will also come in handy.

Secondly, automated accounting processes can help to streamline your financial reporting. This makes it easier for everyone involved in your business to understand your financial situation and to track progress towards your goals.

Faster accounting processes

There are many benefits of accounting automation. One of the biggest benefits is that it can save you a lot of time.  According to a 2017 McKinsey study, nearly half of all work activities may be automated using existing technology. Automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks – such as data entry, invoicing, and payments – can free up your time so that you can focus on other aspects of your business.

Can accounting software help?

Accounting software is a great way to automate your Amazon accounting and online bookkeeping processes. There are many different Amazon accounting software programs available, so it’s important to choose one that’s right for your business. Some accounting programs will even integrate with Amazon, so you can automatically track your sales and expenses.

8 Accounting Automations for Amazon Sellers

Receipt & Invoice Scanning

Receipt & invoice scanning accounting automation is the process of using optical character recognition (OCR) to automatically capture data from scanned documents and convert it into a usable format. It’s a useful tool for keeping track of your finances that can save you a lot of time and effort.

This can potentially save your Amazon business a lot of time and money by eliminating the need for manual data entry. In addition, OCR-based accounting automation can help improve accuracy and reduce errors.

Solutions: Some of the most popular options include Neat Receipts, Expensify, and Dext (previously Receipt Bank). Neat Receipts is a great option if you need to scan and organize receipts quickly and efficiently. This software can automatically sort your receipts by date, merchant, and currency type. Expensify is another popular choice, especially for business users who need to track expenses closely. Expensify can export data to cloud based accounting software. Finally, Dext is ideal if you need to extract data from receipts in order to create expense reports or reconcile accounts.

Bank Reconciliations

Implementing an automated bank reconciliation process can save you a lot of time and hassle. A bank reconciliation is a process of matching the balances in your company’s records with the balances in your bank account. This helps to ensure that all transactions are accounted for and that there are no discrepancies between your records and your bank statements. This process can be done manually, but it is often more efficient to use software to automate the task.

This is a vital process for any business, but it can be especially helpful for Amazon businesses. That’s because Amazon sellers often have to deal with a lot of different transactions, from sales to refunds to fees. Automatically reconciling your bank accounts can help you keep track of all of these transactions and ensure that your Amazon accounting records are accurate.

Solutions: If you’re looking for a simple, straightforward solution, then consider using accounting software like QuickBooks or Wave. These programs offer an easy way to track your business transactions and reconcile your accounts.

Financial Reporting

Financial reporting is the process of creating reports that show the financial health of a company. This can include balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, and more. Financial reports can be created manually, but many businesses hire an Amazon accountant or use accounting software.

This is a valuable tool for Amazon businesses because it allows you to quickly and easily generate reports that show your sales, expenses, and profits. This information can be used to make important business decisions, such as where to invest money or how to cut costs.

Solutions: The best financial reporting software for Amazon sellers is one that integrates seamlessly with your accounting software and provides you with real-time data tracking and analysis. QuickBooks Online is a great option for Amazon sellers, as it offers a comprehensive suite of features to manage your finances.  For more comprehensive data analysis, consider using a tool like Tableau or Looker.

Tracking Sales Tax

If you sell products on Amazon, then you may be required to collect and remit sales taxes. This can be a complex and time-consuming task, but there are a number of software solutions that can help.

Tax automation software can help with your sales tax calculation and ensure that you are remitting the correct amount of tax to the appropriate authorities. This can save you a lot of time and hassle, and it can also help you avoid penalties for underpayment or late payment.

Solutions: There are a number of sales tax tracking solutions on the market, but one of the best is TaxJar. This software offers a comprehensive suite of features to help you manage your sales tax obligations, including real-time reporting and automatic filing.

Another great option is Avalara, which offers similar features and also integrates with popular accounting software like QuickBooks and Xero.

Cash Flow Management

Cash flow is the lifeblood of any business, and it’s especially important for Amazon businesses. That’s because Amazon merchants frequently have to handle significant sums of money coming in and going out.

It’s important to track your cash so that you can ensure that you have enough money on hand to cover your expenses. This can be a challenging task, but there are a number of software solutions that can help.

Solutions: Cash flow management software can help you track your cash and make sure that you have enough money to cover your expenses. One of the best options is Float, which offers real-time cash flow tracking and forecasting.

Inventory Tracking

If you sell physical products on Amazon, then you need to track inventory levels. It’s difficult and time-consuming, but there are several software solutions that can help.

Inventory tracking software can help you track your inventory levels and monitor your stock levels in real-time. This information can be used to make important business decisions, such as when to order more products or how to adjust your pricing based on cost of goods sold (COGS).

Solutions: There are a number of great inventory management solutions on the market, but one of the best is inFlow Inventory. This software offers a comprehensive suite of features to help you manage your inventory, including real-time tracking and automatic reordering.

Another great option is Fishbowl Inventory, which offers similar features and also integrates with popular accounting software like QuickBooks Online.

Multi-Currency Management

There’s also a good chance that you’ll need to deal with multiple currencies. For example, you might sell in US dollars but also accept payments in other currencies.

Multi-currency management software can help you track exchange rates and convert currencies on the fly. This can save you a lot of time and hassle, and it can also help you avoid potential losses due to currency fluctuations.

Solutions: There are a number of great multi-currency management solutions on the market, but one of the best is Currency Cloud. This software offers a comprehensive suite of features to help you manage your foreign exchange risk, including real-time rate tracking and automatic currency conversion.

Another great option is Wise, which offers similar features and also integrates with some of the best accounting software in the industry.

Payroll Processing

If you have employees, then you’ll need to process payroll on a regular basis. Processes like calculating payroll taxes and issuing paychecks can be completely automated. Employee benefits and deductions can also be handled automatically.

This ensures accuracy in the calculation and payment of employee wages and eliminates costly mistakes to keep your ecommerce business running smoothly.

Solutions: There are a few great tools out there for automating payroll processing, and Gusto and ADP Payroll are two of the best. They both offer a wide range of features and benefits, and they both make it easy to get started.

Gusto is a great choice for small businesses, because it’s easy to use and it’s affordable. ADP Payroll is a good option for larger businesses, because it offers more features and customization options. But either tool can help you streamline your payroll processing process and save you time and money.

How do I start?

If you’re new to Amazon bookkeeping, the best place to start is with a simple accounting software. They typically offer all of the features you need to get started, and they’re relatively easy to use. Once you’ve got a handle on the basics, you can start exploring some of the more advanced features and automations that we’ve listed here.  Even if you only use a few of these automations, you will still be able to save a lot of time on your Amazon bookkeeping.

If you’re looking for a more comprehensive and automated solution to Amazon accounting, then hiring an accountant that has experience in this area is the best solution. They’ll be able to set up all the automations we’ve listed here, and more. Plus, you won’t have to waste your time keeping up with the latest changes in Amazon accounting.  Learn more about Why You Should Hire a Professional Accountant for Your Amazon Business.

The Bottom Line

Automating your Amazon bookkeeping can save you a lot of time and hassle. In this article, we’ve listed some of the best accounting automations for Amazon sellers. These tools will help you to streamline your processes and keep your business on track. So if you’re looking for ways to make life easier, be sure to check out these accounting automations