Running a small business requires you to wear several hats at once. Even when you come into the game well-prepared, you might be surprised by how many responsibilities are involved with the "business" side of things.

For example, you have to handle a lot of different accounting practices in order to stay legally and financially sound. And part of your accounting responsibilities will be to track and manage your current assets, such as your inventory of products. Asset management can be a tedious process and it requires you to establish a system that works efficiently for your operations. Below, we've assembled a few practical tips and resources for how you can start planning your asset management if you've yet to do so.

Need the finest desk accessories, desk set, or desk pad for your office? Visit The Elegant Office for high-quality office products!

Stay organized.

The first step of tracking and managing your inventory is to separate your items into groups. The categories you choose will depend on what type of products you sell. For instance, if you sell arts and crafts supplies, make a category each for painting, sewing, and bookbinding items. If you run a coffee shop, separate your retail coffee beans from your bakery items.

As you categorize your inventory, keep in mind the asset management software you will be using. That way, you can ensure that you group items together in a way that makes your inventory tracking and management easy. Once you've categorized your inventory, mark the tag of each item accordingly.

Use tech.

As previously mentioned, you'll want to use software for your asset management in order to keep up with your inventory efficiently. The old way of manually tracking assets via pen and paper is simply outdated and inefficient. Plus, it leaves too much room for human error.

There is no shortage of software on the market that can help your company manage its accounting practices. For example, an online platform like QuickBooks Time will help you keep your employee shifts organized, whether the shifts are rotating or fixed. You can save a significant amount of time with easy repeated scheduling and update shifts as needed, ultimately ensuring you comply with labor laws.

When it comes to software that is specifically developed for asset management, there are some considerations to make before choosing a particular product. For instance, you want a platform that will help you manage a variety of assets (e.g., current, fixed, IT, etc.), rather than just one type. Also, depending on your business, you may want to perform a thorough asset audit every six to 12 months, so look for software that will make the process easy. And be sure the software you invest in is both configurable and customizable.

Protect your data.

Finally, nothing is more important to running a business than protecting company and customer data, and cybersecurity stretches to asset management. Hackers and other types of cybercriminals are just as likely to target small businesses as they are larger corporations. Why? Because they assume smaller companies don't have the same resources and protection.

Make sure you're using top-notch cybersecurity software to work in conjunction with your asset management system. Moreover, limit access to sensitive information to only a handful of employees, and ensure your team is trained and knowledgeable of your security protocols.

If you run a goods-based business, few things are more important than managing your current assets. Follow the tips above on implementing effective asset management techniques and choosing the right software, and make sure you are doing everything you can to protect the data of your business and customers. Being able to account for your inventory will go a long way in helping you keep up with your customers' needs.