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[stphnstevey]

I have heard that some councils run free basic book keeping courses but can't seem to find any info - anybody got any ideas?

[EfficientEnergySaving]

I don't know of any free bookkeeping courses, or whether they will give you the enough detail that you require.

I used to run a bookkeeping business providing bookkeeping for small business. When I started years ago I did a course at my local college. It may be worth speaking to your local college.

If you are after Bookkeeping for a small business and are using software, it might be worth your time trying to find a professional adviser for the software you are using, who may be able to help with simple training. In the long run this may save you both time and money. Paying an accountant to correct any mistakes can be costly.

[theculverhouses]

Just a small thing to remember too...if you are setting up as a book keeper, it's worth remembering that HMRC are changing the rules. I'm not fully up to speed on them but I know they now require you to register and complete a 'fit and proper' test. I've put the link below if you wish to read more.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/mlr/forms.htm

There is an annual cost which should be tax deductible.

Cheers
Tim

[stphnstevey]

Just to clarify - just setting up my own business and NOT looking to take bookeeping up as a profession.

[morgani]

Business link often do bookkeeping courses. But do be aware that bookkeeping is not a substitute for an accountant.

Bookkeeping is the process of how to deal with the 'double entry' system and not the advantages and disadvantages of different expenses for tax purposes. You may well still find you need an accountant.

It may be more worth your while to run a cashbook system which is less complicated (jst a record of income received and expenses you have paid). This can be effectively done in excel and can save you money on accountants fees if you can ensure it accurately reflects the ctivity on your bank account.

[ioscorpio]

On the Becoming Self Employed course run by HMRC, there is an example of a cash book system you could use on Excel.

[stphnstevey]

Just been going through a CD that someone on here sent me on bookeeping - why an earth would you want to do double entry bookeeping!!!!!!! Surely one entry is enough!!

[Pennywise]

Most book-keeping courses will go into all the excrutiatingly dull processes of double entry book-keeping, ledger keeping, etc. You could get well over half way through the course before you get onto anything usual like balance sheets and profit and loss accounts. A book-keeping course is not really all that useful for someone running their own business - it won't go into enough detail about tax reliefs etc for example nor the in's and out's of the Companies Acts requirements for company law aspects such as minutes, resolutions, statutory accounts, etc. - they are really just very dry courses about the basics. If you want to know more about tax and want to do it yourself, then go to the HMRC courses. An hour or two with your accountant would probably be time better spent as they can show you how to do the level of book-keeping required according to your own circumstances, in the format they can work with to make their annual accounts preparation simpler and cheaper.