BizInsights Guide
Manual Entry Reference and Instructions
Introduction
BizInsights turns a handful of annual figures you already have into full financial statements, 23 ratios, trends, a forecast, Goal Center, and plain-language AI insights. You type your numbers by hand. There is nothing to connect and no accounting software required.
This guide walks through every part of BizInsights, from entering your figures to reading the statements and asking the AI a question.
What You Need
BizInsights works from the headline numbers most owners already have. Before you start, gather your annual figures for the years you want to analyze:
- Profit and loss: total income (revenue), cost of goods sold, operating expenses, and a few smaller lines.
- Balance sheet: cash, receivables, inventory, fixed assets, payables, credit cards, loans, and equity.
You do not need every line item. Enter what you have. BizInsights calculates the totals, the full cash flow statement, and the ratios for you.
Getting Started
Trying BizInsights today
BizInsights is being rebuilt for its full launch, so it is not open for new subscriptions right now. You can still explore everything it does:
- Open the live BizInsights demo. It is preloaded with sample figures, needs no login, and lets you edit the numbers to see how the statements, ratios, trends, forecast, and AI insights respond.
- Want the QuickBooks-connected version now? BizAnalyzer Standard is available today at $29.99 per month and does everything BizInsights does plus a direct accounting connection.
When BizInsights reopens for signup, this guide will be updated with the steps.
Opening the Analyzer
Because BizInsights is a manual-entry tier, the app opens on the Data Entry screen rather than an accounting connection prompt. In the demo you land there directly; once BizInsights is a live subscription again, you will open BizAnalyzer from your dashboard.
Entering Your Figures
Data Entry is where the work happens in BizInsights. It is a simple sheet: one column per year, with your numbers on the left and the calculated results filled in for you.
How the Sheet Works
- Enter one column per year. Type your figures for a year, then add another year column when you want trends and a forecast.
- Two kinds of rows. Rows you type into are your inputs. Rows shown in gray are calculated for you and update live as you type. You never enter a calculated row.
- Live totals. As you enter figures, BizInsights recalculates gross profit, operating income, net income, the balance sheet totals, and the full cash flow statement in real time.
- A running balance check. The bottom of the balance sheet shows a Balance Check so you can confirm your numbers add up before you save.
Profit and Loss
Enter these lines for each year. The calculated rows appear in gray.
| Line | You enter or calculated |
|---|---|
| Total Income (Revenue) | You enter |
| Total Cost of Goods Sold | You enter |
| Gross Profit | Calculated |
| Total Operating Expenses | You enter |
| Operating Income (EBIT) | Calculated |
| Other Income | You enter |
| Other Expenses | You enter |
| Interest Expense | You enter |
| Earnings Before Tax (EBT) | Calculated |
| Income Tax Expense | You enter |
| Net Income | Calculated |
Balance Sheet
The balance sheet is grouped into Assets, Liabilities, and Equity.
Assets
| Line | You enter or calculated |
|---|---|
| Bank Accounts (Cash) | You enter |
| Accounts Receivable | You enter |
| Inventory | You enter |
| Other Current Assets | You enter |
| Total Current Assets | Calculated |
| Fixed Assets (Gross) | You enter |
| Accumulated Depreciation | You enter |
| Net Fixed Assets | Calculated |
| Total Assets | Calculated |
Liabilities
| Line | You enter or calculated |
|---|---|
| Accounts Payable | You enter |
| Credit Cards | You enter |
| Other Current Liabilities | You enter |
| Total Current Liabilities | Calculated |
| Long Term Liabilities | You enter |
| Total Liabilities | Calculated |
Equity
| Line | You enter or calculated |
|---|---|
| Common Stock / Paid-in Capital | You enter |
| Retained Earnings | You enter |
| Total Equity | Calculated |
| Balance Check (Assets minus Liabilities minus Equity) | Calculated |
Cash Flow
You do not enter cash flow figures. BizInsights builds the full cash flow statement for you using the indirect method, from your net income and the year-over-year changes in your balance sheet.
Because cash flow measures change over time, it needs at least two years to compute. The cash flow rows show a placeholder until you have entered a prior year. Once a prior year exists, Operating, Investing, and Financing cash flow, the net change in cash, and beginning and ending cash all fill in.
The Balance Check
The Balance Check confirms the accounting equation: total assets should equal total liabilities plus total equity. When your figures are consistent, the Balance Check reads zero.
If it does not read zero, one of your entered figures is off. Common causes:
- A missing or mistyped asset, liability, or equity line.
- Retained Earnings that does not reflect prior accumulated profit.
- A fixed asset entered net instead of as gross cost plus accumulated depreciation.
Adjust the entered lines until the Balance Check reads zero, then save.
Adding More Years
A single year gives you statements and ratios. To see trends and a forecast, add more years:
- Type the year you want in the Year box.
- Select Add Year.
- Enter that year's figures in the new column.
Two or more years unlock the Trends view and the Forecast. More years give a clearer trend and a more grounded forecast.
Saving
Select Save and Analyze to store your figures and load the analysis. Your figures are saved to your account, so they are there the next time you sign in. You can come back and edit any year at any time.
Reading Your Analysis
Once you save, BizInsights generates the same analysis surfaces the connected tiers use. Because your data is annual, everything below is shown one year at a time or year over year.
Dashboard
The Dashboard is your at-a-glance view: key metrics (revenue, net income, and margins) and a set of charts drawn from the years you entered. Use it as the starting point before you dig into individual statements.
Financial Statements
The Statements views present your profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow exactly as BizInsights calculated them from your entries. You can switch between a Summary view and a Detailed view, and view any single year or the Combined statement across all your years.
Common-Size Analysis
Common-Size Analysis restates your profit and loss as a percentage of revenue and your balance sheet as a percentage of total assets. This makes it easy to compare years even as the business grows, and to see where each dollar goes.
Ratio Analysis
BizInsights calculates 23 financial ratios across liquidity, profitability, efficiency, and leverage, along with plain-language notes on what each one means for your business. See the Ratio Analysis section of the Complete Guide for a walk-through of each ratio.
Trend Analysis
With two or more years entered, the Trends view charts how revenue, expenses, profit, and key balance-sheet lines move over time. Trends in BizInsights are annual (one point per year). For month-by-month or quarter-by-quarter trends, connect your books with BizAnalyzer Standard.
Forecast
The Forecast projects your figures forward. Turn it on with the Forecast toggle, then choose a method:
- Level holds the most recent year flat.
- Growth applies a growth rate you set.
- Goals projects toward the targets you set in Goal Center.
Forecasts in BizInsights are annual. See the Forecast section of the Complete Guide for full detail on the settings.
Goal Center
Goal Center is included with BizInsights. Set targets for the metrics that matter to you and track your actual figures against them. You can set goals across profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow, and ratio metrics, and use the Goals method in the Forecast to project toward them.
See the Goal Center section of the Complete Guide for how goals and progress are calculated.
AI Insights
Ask a plain-language question and get an answer based on the figures you entered, not generic advice. AI Insights reads your statements, ratios, and trends so you can ask things like “how is my profitability trending” or “which ratios should I worry about.” Responses are analysis and observations, not recommendations. Verify anything important against your own records.
The AI Insights section of the Complete Guide covers the controls, the model options, and how to get the most from your questions.
What BizAnalyzer Standard Adds
BizInsights and BizAnalyzer Standard run the same analysis. The difference is how your numbers get in, plus a few connected-only features. Consider Standard ($29.99 per month) if you want:
- Automatic data from QuickBooks® Online. Connect once and your figures load and refresh on their own. No manual entry.
- Monthly and quarterly detail. Standard reads period-by-period data, so trends and forecasts can be monthly or quarterly, not just annual.
- Persistent caching. Your connected data is stored for faster loads.
You can move from BizInsights to BizAnalyzer Standard at any time from your account settings.
Settings
Open Settings to manage your account:
- Account information: your email and account details.
- Data management: review or clear your saved figures.
- Forecast defaults: set the default forecast method and growth rate.
- AI settings: choose your default AI model.
Because BizInsights is a manual-entry tier, there is no accounting connection to manage here.
Troubleshooting
The Balance Check is not zero
Your entered assets do not equal liabilities plus equity. Re-check each entered line. The usual culprits are a missing balance-sheet line, a Retained Earnings figure that does not match accumulated prior profit, or a fixed asset entered net instead of as gross cost plus accumulated depreciation. See The Balance Check above.
Cash flow shows a placeholder
Cash flow is calculated from the change between two years, so it needs a prior year. Add an earlier year and the cash flow rows will fill in.
Trends or Forecast look empty
Both need at least two years of figures. Add another year column and re-save.
A figure looks wrong in the analysis
Open Data Entry, check the figure you entered for that line and year, correct it, and select Save and Analyze again. Everything recalculates from your entries.
Getting Help
Reach us at info@2diff.io with any question about your account or the analysis.
- BizAnalyzer Complete Guide covers the connected (Standard) experience and the shared features in full detail.
- Quick Start Guide is a short overview of the app.
- BizInsights overview explains who BizInsights is for.
Disclaimers
Your Figures
BizInsights builds your statements and analysis from the figures you enter. The accuracy of the results depends on the accuracy of what you type. BizInsights calculates totals and derived statements from your inputs; it does not verify them against source records.
Financial Analysis
BizAnalyzer provides financial analysis tools for educational purposes only. The information presented is not professional financial, tax, or legal advice, should not be the sole basis for business decisions, and does not replace consultation with qualified professionals. Always consult with your accountant, bookkeeper, or financial advisor for important business decisions.
AI-Generated Content
AI Insights use artificial intelligence to analyze your figures. They may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information and should be verified against your source data for critical decisions.
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