Business A to Z

Every trade has words it uses without explaining. In business the cost of not knowing one is real: some of them are ordinary jargon and some of them are a decision that can take a house.

Please note: This page explains what a term means. It is general information, not legal, financial, tax or investment advice, and it does not know anything about your business. Before you sign, file or commit to anything, check it with an accountant, a solicitor, or the official guidance we link to.

Studying business? We write GCSE revision songs, and there is one for business studies. Listen to the revision playlist.

500 terms, showing 451–460 (page 46 of 50).

T

Terms and conditions

Also called T&Cs, Terms of business, Terms of sale

The contract you are actually trading on, whether or not you wrote one.

Time management for owners

Where the owner's hours go. The scarcest resource in a small business.

Time to Pay

An arrangement with HMRC to pay tax in instalments. Available, and better used early.

Trade credit insurance

Insurance against a customer not paying.

Trade mark

A registered sign distinguishing your goods or services. Cheap, and most businesses do not have one.

Trade secrets

Commercially valuable information kept secret. Protected only while it stays secret.

Trade shows and events

Meeting a lot of prospects in two days. Expensive, and measurable.

Trading name

Trading under a name that is not your registered one. Legal, with disclosure rules.

Trading while a company is being formed

Contracts made before the company exists. The person who signs is personally liable.

Training and development

Building capability. Cheaper than recruiting it, and it is a retention lever.

Something missing?

If there is a word you have been nodding along to, tell us and we will write it up. This library exists because of the questions people were too polite to ask.

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