Safety – See ‘Occupational health and safety'.

Sales – the total value of goods sold or revenue from services rendered.

Scanner (IT) – a machine fitted with a photoelectric cell that “reads” a picture, bar code or text in order to convert it into an image (or text file) that can be digitally displayed and manipulated on a computer screen.

Scope/scoping – the defined set of activities that will be undertaken in a project.

Search engine (IT) – a computer software program that enables a user to find items on a database or websites using key words as the search criteria.

Secured – protected or guaranteed as in the case of a loan where the lender holds the title of some asset until the borrower has repaid the loan in full.

Self-destructing email – an email message that automatically disappears from the computer’s memory after it has been opened and/or its attachment has been printed out once.

Self-publishing – the preparation and publication in-house of a magazine, book or other printed text by its author.

Service business – a business that deals in service activities such as a retailer, tourism business, banking, education provider and the like.

Shareholder – an individual or organisation which owns a share or shares in a company.

Shareware – computer software that is made available free on trial, with an optional fee payable after the trial period.

Site design (IT) – the division and linkage of information between web pages on a web site. Also, the art direction of a web site.

Six Sigma – seeks to improve the quality of process outputs by indentifying and removing the causes of defects (errors) and variability in manufacturing and business processes. 

Social media – uses social influences, social media platforms and on-line communities for marketing purposes. 

Skill set – the range and level of skills that a person possesses, or the set of skills required to perform a particular task or role.

Smart card – a small, plastic card of a similar size to a credit card which stores information on an embedded microcomputer chip. Used to store cash, values, identification details or other information.

Sole trader – a person who trades by himself/herself without the use of a company structure or partners, and bears alone full responsibility for the actions of the business.

Solicitor – a qualified professional who specialises in providing legal advice to clients.

Solvent – the condition of a business when all debts can be paid as they come due.

Stakeholders (AS/NZS 4360) (Risk Management) – those people and organisations who may affect, be affected by, or perceive themselves to be affected by, a decision, activity or risk.

Stock – physical items (inventory) that a business uses in its production process or has for sale in the ordinary course of business.

Stock control – the method of determining how much stock should be held and how much needs to be reordered and when, with the aim of controlling stock holding costs while maintaining efficient operation of the business.

Stock turn rate – ratio that compares average inventory to sales. . This indicates how many times, on average, the entire inventory (stock) was sold and replaced over a specified period of time.

Stock At Valuation– (SAV) stock valued at wholesale or cost price.

(Business) strategy – a document designed to set the direction of the business. It may include statements of the vision, values, mission and objectives of the business, as well as the key tasks that need to be carried out to deliver the strategy

Sub-domain (IT) – subsidiary website linked to and dependent upon the primary domain website.

Succession – the process of transitioning management and/or ownership of a business on to a successor.

Supplies – in relation to the GST, supplies include the goods and services you sell through your enterprise and many other transactions such as providing advice or information, leasing out commercial premises or providing hire equipment.

Supply – A supply for GST purposes is very broadly defined and includes the sale of goods (for example, trading stock and capital equipment), the supply of services (for example, repair services), the hiring out of equipment, the giving of advice (for example, legal advice), and the supply of other things such as rights (for example, an option).

Sustaining asset – an asset intended to replace or maintain the existing capacity and capability of a business to allow it to continue with ongoing operations.

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