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A trial balance makes it easy to scan your books for mistakes before you close the month. Here’s how to prepare one and fix any errors it finds.

What Is a Trial Balance? Definition, Examples, and How to Prepare One

Learn how journal entries work, including examples you can follow to accurately run your books.

Intro to Journal Entries

If you file taxes as a sole proprietor, Schedule C is the IRS form you’ll use to report business profit or loss. Here’s who needs to file it and how to fill out every line.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Filing Schedule C (Form 1040)

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When prices fluctuate, the weighted average cost method can smooth out volatility and simplify recordkeeping.

Weighted Average Cost (WAC): Definitions, Examples and Best Practices

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Calculating COGS helps you price with clarity, understand profitability and make changes based on numbers, not instinct. 

Cost of Goods Sold (COGS): Definition, Formulas and Examples

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If you paid a freelancer, contractor, or other non-employee $2,000 or more for the year, you might have to file a 1099-NEC. Here’s how to know for sure and prepare ahead of tax season.

Form 1099-NEC: A Simple Guide to Reporting Non-Employee Compensation

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The more accurate the data, the more likely AI is to give accurate responses. Here’s how you can prepare your books for AI use.

Using AI for Financial Analysis? Start With Clean Books

If you hire contractors, pay landlords, or trade with other businesses in the form of barter, you’ll need to request a Form W-9 from them before you can file 1099s. Here’s how that works for your 2026 taxes.

What Is a W-9 Form, and When Do You Need One?

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Land lease agreements or ‘grazing leases’ can be a valuable tool, giving new farmers access to land they might not be able to buy outright. Here’s what you can expect to find in a typical agreement.

A Simple Guide to Grazing Leases

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Definitions of AI terminology you might be hearing, and how they apply to the ways you’re already using AI for your business.

An AI Glossary for Owner-Operators

Hannah Chu

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Double-check your records before sharing them with your accountant for year-end prep.

End-of-Year Bookkeeping: A Task List for Small Businesses

Regularly reconciling your books with your bank statements can help you catch bookkeeping errors, prevent fraud and ensure your records match reality.

What Is a Bank Reconciliation, and How Does It Work?

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Start setting up your bookkeeping system to help you track subcontractor payments and 1099 expenses all year round.

Track Subcontractor Payments for 1099s: A Record-Keeping Checklist

Aryn Young

Haley Potter

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Ambrook account managers share five bookkeeping tasks they’re using AI to simplify.

5 Ways to Use AI for Bookkeeping

Develop an efficient bill pay process to make your payments on time, control cash flow, and rely less on manual work.

How to Make Bill Pay More Efficient

Jim Eitel

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Two ranchers from the Ambrook team share how they use AI to think through financial scenarios for their operations. From understanding break-even to doing early research on loans, they show how AI tools can help lay out your options for day-to-day business decisions.

Farm Financial Planning With AI: Examples from Two Working Ranchers

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From agreeing on the terms to sending invoice reminders, build a workflow that gets you and your clients on the same page about payments.

How to Set Up and Manage a Construction Payment Schedule

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Make it easy for your entire crew to track expenses and stay on top of receipts.

5 Steps to Track Construction Expenses from the Job Site

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Jim Eitel, Ambrook team member and owner of Eitel Valley Farms, built a custom command center for his ranch with ChatGPT. He shares three practical tips for other operators to do the same.

Build a Business Dashboard with AI: 3 Tips from an Owner-Operator

Learn which accounting method will work best for your business

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