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Accounting software


musht

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Things are a bit more steady than they were this time last year, hope its a common sentiment :-)

 

VAT retuns are becoming more of a chore and looking to move from the ad hoc sytem currently use to something that makes life easier.

 

This seems to be catch with accounting software , things that make life easy if you are actually an accountant make it hard to understand for us `umble technicians.

 

Looking for something as low cost as possible, or free, with small item count amount of inventory coming and going, time billing and contact management seems to go in the mix.No payroll or massive inventory controls needed.

 

Looked at Sage`s free offering and my brain hurt, Quickbooks seems to be keen on selling its subscription packages. Turbocash seems to have mixed reviews, having an unstable accounts sytem dosent appeal, Nolapro is looking attractive

 

http://www.nolapro.com

 

Anyone any experience or other suggestions?

 

Thanks!

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I've been using Instant Admin for 5 years. My accountant hates it, but it works really well for me - and I can just burn the entire folder in lives in to a CD and it runs from this on my accountants office computer. They love Sage, but it was far too complicated for me and my wife. VAT is easy to do, and all the things I do on a day to day basis are just so easy. The end of year reconciliation works well - I just produce a list of all purchases, and then each receipt has a number on it, and it's a case of just ticking each one off as you find it. It doesn't use accountants language, just invoices, quotes and clients on the charging side and receipts and suppliers on the buying side. It keeps track of the ways you pay and get paid, generates reports on outstanding money owed (both in and out).

 

My accountant accepts it's data - but just bangs on about Sage.

 

Instant admin is £59 - for the full version, produces one database file that changes - nothing else does, so you only have to backup one file for security. It generates a backup file each time you shut down, so if you have computer problems it's easy to go back one and restore - then just add back a few files you wrecked!

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We use Quickbooks, 2003 version I think, you only need to keep updating it or be subscribed if you use it for payroll.

It's very easy to use for the non-accountant and there is plenty of support from other users on the web. The official support was patchy last time I tried to use it.

 

Our accountant also hates it and would prefer us to use Sage, but it's too complicated (and expensive) for what we need.

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www.crunch.co.uk

 

It's definitely worth a very good look into and they're really helpful guys to talk to. Also, they look after the accountant bit of it as well, doing all your returns for you, deqling with HMRC etc so while it is a monthly fee it does usually represent a saving on having to pay out for accounting software, the time you spend on doing the work, the time you pay an accountant for, etc. It's a system setup for freelancer accounts, but not too sure how it handles the inventory side of things you're after, but they do listen to requests for features and include them as part of the development for the system.

 

Matt

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I use Sage instant accounts. I am not an accountant but find it really easy to use, with automated VAT returns, direct electronic submission and payment. Took about an hour to set up and you're good to go. The best thing is I can get support from my accountant who is very familiar with Sage products and they can easily read the datafile on their software. There are lots of training courses available if you want a bit of a kick start.

 

I looked at several different packages when I set up, but I am very glad I went Sage.

 

Dom

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  • 3 weeks later...
If you are interested in a cloud based accounting solution for small businesses, we have just decided to go down the ClearBooks route. Our accountant uses it and can interact with our books in real time and we can update our books on the go. It is really easy to use and as long as you have an internet connection, you have got it on any computer anywhere. Free trial period of 60 days at the moment as well which is great for getting yourself set up on it. We are in the early stages but friends have assured me that it is working well for them.
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  • 5 weeks later...

Right then. I have been self employed for 30 years and now run three limited companies and do all the accounts so I have been through every accounting package there is and here is what I reckon.

 

Recent and current programs used, in order.

 

1. Started with Do$h because it came free with our Lloyds business account at the time. Very limited. Dropped it.

2. Tried TAS - found it clunky and hard to use.

3. Quickbooks simple start - for some reason we stuck with this for a couple of years. Slow, cumbersome, awful code, badly adapated from US software. Couldnt wait to leave, and did as soon as I found....

4. Solar Accounts. Made in the UK, simple enough for self employed sole trader, capable enough for VAT limited company. Its just a breeze to use. The developer will aanswer your questions direct and they have a good forum. I really like it, and so does our accountant.

 

linkage

 

BTW every accountant hates Quickbooks - don't go there. I tried Sage too and thought it was very unfriendly for those who do not do accounting for a living. I am sure its perfectly good but seems expensive and cumbersome.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been freelance in the UK and tried various bits of software, just to keep a basic record of my income/expenditure so that it's all in one place come tax-time... I'm not VAT registered, so didn't have to worry about that side of things, but I finally settled on Solar Accounts aswell...

 

Great product, easy interface, it generates a basic business profile (income expenditure etc) and then you can add/remove accounts to tailor to how you run your business... has one file for your company record, and prompts you to create a backup if it's been more than a certain number of days since it's been done!

 

Even though I don't use the VAT part, it's got provisions to do all of that, and work it out for you...

 

Highly recommend giving it a go!

 

 

 

 

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Try Kashflow.

 

It's cloud based but is really good. You can submit vat returns online with the click of a button and it has apps for various phones which allows you to photograph receipts and add them directly to the software so no more paper.

 

Also exports data in sage format for accountants.

 

It's free for 60 days and then is pretty cheap and has always been really stable for us and they are always updating it and integrating with other software (such as payment gateways so you can easily take credit cards).

 

We are not linkedto them. It's just a good product.

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  • 5 years later...
Sage, quickbooks, xero..... nothing is free. Some have some free features and the rest is paid. Like ZipBooks, Guncash etc. I am using the free version of online bookkeeping services software ZipBooks. Most of its feature is free to use. You can do most of the basic accounting math, invoice template building with that. So far its the best option.
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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...
Just to add my two penn'eth, QuickFile is free, easy and customisable. Unfortunately, my accountant's system can't integrate with it so I had to move onto Quickbooks, which IMO, is more complicated and not as user-friendly or self-explanatory for a cr@p accounts keeper like me!
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