If you’re a small business owner, you probably wear a dozen hats — CEO, HR, marketing, operations, and more. In the middle of all that, it’s easy to miss one critical area that can quietly cost you thousands: internal controls.
Fraud and financial mistakes aren’t just problems for big companies. In fact, small businesses are often more vulnerable because they don’t have large teams, fancy systems, or dedicated audit departments. But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. With the right tools and awareness, even a two-person business can build strong protections.
Here are six common internal control issues we see in small businesses — and simple ways to fix them.
1. Not Revoking Access When Employees Leave
Why it matters:
An ex-employee still has access to your financial accounts or vendor systems. Months later, a vendor gets paid twice — and no one realizes an old login was used.
Solution:
Use a password manager like 1Password or LastPass Teams, where no one ever sees the actual passwords — just shared access. When someone leaves, you can revoke their access in seconds across all systems, without changing passwords manually.
2. The Same Person Approves and Pays the Bills
Why it matters:
If one person has full control over approvals and payments, there’s no oversight. We’ve seen cases where employees slowly increased payment amounts or paid fake vendors over time — and no one caught it until it was too late.
Solution:
Even in a small team, tools like Bill.com let you create simple workflows:
– One person enters the bill
– Another (you, the owner) approves it
– Then it’s paid securely through the platform by the person who entered it or a third person.
3. No One Is Reviewing Bank Activity Regularly
Why it matters:
A monthly subscription charge goes up. A duplicate charge hits the card. A former vendor charges your account again — and no one notices.
Solution:
As the owner, you should do a monthly review of bank and credit card activity — even just a quick skim.
4. Relying on “Gut Feeling” Instead of Clear Access Policies
Why it matters:
Sometimes you “trust” someone, so they get access to everything. Later, they move roles — but still have full control over systems they no longer need. Trust is important — but access should match responsibilities, not relationships.
Solution:
Create a basic access list:
– Who has access to what?
– Why do they need it?
– When should it be reviewed?
Do a quarterly check-in to update access based on roles. Even a simple Google Sheet or checklist works.
5. No Oversight of Expense Reimbursements
Why it matters:
An employee submits an Uber ride — but it’s for a personal trip. Or they “accidentally” book a luxury hotel instead of the approved one. These small upgrades add up, especially when no one is watching.
Solution:
If you use Gusto, their expense reimbursement tool integrates approvals and direct payments into payroll. You can also use Bill.com to process reimbursements with receipt uploads and manager sign-off.
Best practice: Create clear travel and expense policies with limits by category (flights, hotels, meals) and require digital receipts for all claims.
6. Not Auditing Overtime or Unusual Hours
Why it matters:
Hourly employees may clock in early, stay late, or even “buddy punch” for a coworker. If you’re not tracking OT patterns, you could be paying for hours never worked.
Solution:
Use time-tracking tools like Gusto or TSheets/QuickBooks Time to flag:
– Excessive overtime
– Late-night or weekend shifts
– Gaps between scheduled and actual hours
Some systems will even allow you to set limits on overtime.
Run a monthly summary report and look for trends or outliers — it only takes 5–10 minutes.
Final Thoughts: You Don’t Need a Full Audit Team to Protect Your Business
Final Thoughts: You Don’t Need a Full Audit Team to Protect Your Business
Internal controls don’t have to be complicated. With smart systems and a few intentional steps, even the smallest businesses can reduce the risk of fraud, errors, and financial waste.
Need help reviewing your processes or want a second set of eyes? We offer Internal Control Checkups and Forensic Accounting Analysis for small businesses — tailored to your size, tools, and budget. Whether you suspect something is off or just want peace of mind, let’s talk.
Contact us to schedule a consultation.
