The 7 Numbers Your Accountant Should Be Showing You Every Month

Most owners receive annual accounts designed for HMRC. The numbers that actually matter are sitting unseen in your accounting software. This guide covers seven of them, in plain English, with a practical action for each.

• Gross margin by segment — because your overall margin hides the truth
• True net profit — and why the figure in your accounts probably isn’t real
• Cash conversion cycle — the hidden reason you’re profitable but have no cash
• Working capital requirement — how much your business structurally needs
• Net operating cash flow — the only number based entirely on fact
• Customer acquisition cost — whether your growth is strengthening or weakening you
• Marketing ROI — turning marketing from a cost into an investment decision

For each number: what it is, why it matters, and what to do if you don’t know it. Plus a checklist so you can see which numbers you’re missing.