Budgets - These are road maps for a business. They provide direction and a plan for getting where you're going. The budget should be part of a broader business plan that will allow an examination of, and test the validity of, financial assumptions.
Cash Flow Projections - Should you invest in that new piece of equipment now or will you need those funds 6 months down the road? Nobody can predict the future with any certainty but the future of the business should be laid out in financial terms based on the budget. The anticipated sources and uses of funds along a timeline is critical to making wise investment decisions and avoiding cash shortages which leads to the demise of many businesses. Such projections should cover at least 12 months into the future at all times.
Cost Analysis - Increasing sales is a good thing, right? Not so fast - not if you're selling at less than cost! The cost of purchased goods is simple enough. The cost of products produced by you or of services provided by you are not so straight forward. Have you factored in the cost of labor (including payroll taxes and benefits), utilities, maintenance on equipment and other variable costs? Make certain that you have a handle on the complete cost of your processes, goods and services so that your efforts are directed at those activities which will contribute the most to your bottom line.