I live in rural Missouri, although I’m sure my neighbors in the Bluff Creek Estates in Columbia would say we live in a small city. If needing 25 minutes to get from one side of town to the other during the morning and evening rush hours counts, I suppose they are right.

As an executive financial advisor to small businesses in rural areas, I see many messy financial reports, not to mention many bizarre company practices that would give The Office a run for its money. The financial statements I’m referring to are the ones the owners don’t read. As long as there is cash in the bank and enough money to keep Uncle Sam happy each April 15th, then all is well.

Still, I can’t help but try to professionalize management practices for these small rural organizations. My starting point is always the daily, weekly, and monthly reporting (and in many instances, I have to create these from the ground up). In doing so, this gives me context and a marker as a launch point toward improvement.

In this article, I will focus on the month-end reporting for a small rural grocery store. Let’s call it a case study. I’ll show you what I’m typically provided, but I want you to redesign the reporting, assuming you are the consultant to the small grocer owner. Don’t worry, I’ll show you my redesign.

You don’t need to be in the grocery industry to appreciate this small case study. CEOs, CFOs, marketing managers, whatever. Regardless of your role, your financial acumen will expand. So let’s get started.