Bookkeeping is the act of listing, sorting and storing finance transactions of a company or an individual. It means monitoring by recording incoming, outgoing, assets, and debts in an orderly manner, typically by use of ledgers or accounting programs. Bookkeeping keeps an organization financially intact, assists with budgeting and decision-making. It also gives key information in regard to preparation of financial statements and tax returns. Effective bookkeeping is important in providing transparency to the finance of the company, compliance with the law and health of the company.