Tracking small business expenses and calculating profit

You don't need to be an accountant to know whether your business makes money. Record what goes out carefully and compare it with what comes in. Here's how, step by step.

Updated Oct 17, 2026

Keep business and personal money apart

This is the most important step. Use a bank account, or at least an e-wallet, just for the business. When you take business money for personal use, record it as an owner's drawing, not a business expense. Without this, your profit is hard to work out.

Record every expense

For every payment that goes out, write down:

The date.
What it was for, such as “Kiosk rent for November”.
The amount paid.
Who you paid.
How you paid: cash, transfer, card or e-wallet.
A category.
Proof: a photo of the receipt, the bill or the transfer.

Record it straight away. Paper receipts get lost and fade quickly.

Keep the categories few and consistent. What matters is seeing where most of your money goes.

How to calculate profit

Profit is income minus costs. For a business that sells goods, work it out in two steps:

Formula and example

Gross profit = sales − cost of goods sold (COGS)
Net profit   = gross profit − operating expenses

Sales this month                     Rp30,000,000
Cost of the goods sold               Rp18,000,000
Gross profit                         Rp12,000,000
Operating expenses
(rent, electricity, wages, delivery)  Rp7,000,000
Net profit                            Rp5,000,000

The numbers above are only an example. For a service business with no cost of goods, net profit is income minus all costs.

Cash basis or accrual basis?

Cash basis: count the money actually received and paid in the period. Simple, and it shows your cash flow directly.
Accrual basis: count sales when you issue the invoice and costs when they arise, even if unpaid. More accurate for financial statements.

Many small businesses start on a cash basis. For formal financial statements, ask your accountant.

Business income tax in Indonesia has its own rules, including a special rate for small businesses below a certain turnover, and bookkeeping records generally must be kept for 10 years. Good records make all of it easier, but for your tax obligations, ask your accountant or tax adviser.

A monthly habit

Match your expense records against your bank statement.
Look at this month's three biggest cost categories.
Compare with last month: what went up, and why?
Work out this month's profit, and keep the proof.

Tracking expenses in Shura

1Install the Expenses app from the Apps screen.
2Record each expense with its date, amount, category, supplier and payment method, and add a photo of the receipt straight from your phone.
3See totals by month or year, filter by category, and see this month's biggest costs.
4If you also use the Invoicing app, Shura shows this month's profit: money received on invoices minus expenses, on a cash basis.

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