5 Financial Metrics Every Business Owner Should Check Every Week

Let’s be honest. Most business owners don’t go into business due to a love of spreadsheets or accounting software. But understanding your numbers is what turns your business from just surviving to truly thriving.

Tracking key financial metrics each week might not sound exciting, but it’s one of the smartest habits you can build. Think of them as your business dashboard. They tell you what’s working, what’s not, and where you might need to make adjustments before a small issue becomes a major problem. And the good news? You don’t need a finance degree or complicated software to get started. With just a few simple metrics, you can build clarity, confidence, and control.

In this article, we’ll walk through the five most important financial metrics every business owner should be looking at weekly, and why they matter.

1. Gross Profit

Gross profit is the difference between your sales revenue and the cost of producing your goods or delivering your services. It tells you how efficiently you're delivering what you sell.

• Why it matters: If your gross profit is too low, you’re either undercharging or your costs are too high.

• Watch for: Declining gross profit can signal rising supplier costs or issues with productivity.

  
  

Formula:

Gross Profit = Revenue - Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)

2. Net Profit

This is your bottom line - what’s left after all expenses have been paid. It includes overheads, wages, rent, marketing, and everything else.

• Why it matters: It shows whether your business is actually making money.

• Watch for: Decreasing net profit can mean costs are creeping up, or revenue isn’t growing fast enough to keep pace with expenses.

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Formula:

Net Profit = Total Revenue - Total Expenses

3. Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)

This is the direct cost of producing your product or service — materials, labour, and manufacturing expenses.

• Why it matters: Monitoring COGS helps you identify rising input costs early.

• Watch for: Increases in COGS without a corresponding increase in price will harm your gross profit.

4. Cash In vs Cash Out

It’s not enough to know how much money you’re making on paper — you need to understand what’s actually coming into and going out of your bank account each week.

• Why it matters: Even profitable businesses can run into trouble if cash flow is tight.

• Watch for: A consistent negative cash flow is a red flag — it might mean you're over-investing, under-collecting, or overspending.

5. Accounts Receivable (Aged Debtors)

How long are your customers taking to pay you? Unpaid invoices affect your ability to pay your own bills and invest in growth.

• Why it matters: Healthy cash flow depends on timely payments.

• Watch for: A growing aged debtors list can strain your finances and indicate a need for better collection processes

Why Weekly?

Tracking these metrics weekly gives you the chance to respond quickly before issues turn into full-blown problems. Think of it as getting a regular pulse check on your business health. Small changes over time become trends, and trends tell a story.

Start small. Pick two or three of these metrics to begin tracking consistently. Over time, you’ll build a much clearer picture of your financial landscape and make decisions with confidence, not guesswork.

Want Help Making Sense of Your Numbers?

If you’re feeling unsure about where to start or want help making sense of your business finances, don’t go it alone. Book a free 20-minute strategy session with Kerry. It’s a no-pressure conversation designed to give you clarity and practical next steps, tailored to your business. Sometimes all it takes is a fresh perspective to get back on track.