Home Learning Accountancy Course Question

MrsE_2

mountainofdebt wrote: »

As others have said Sage seems to be the software of choice for employers - I used to work with a different package and I couldn't even get a look in. I then decided to do a course with Learning Direct at home and tbh it was awful - the quality of the course and backup was terrible (perhaps it was just that I was used to the quality of the OU?)

Personally I would go along to your local FE college and do a course with a real live tutor - I would have followed this route only courses were done through the day and I was working at the time.

If you have no experience it may help if you act as a treasurer for a voluntary group first - it will enabel you to put some relevant expereince on your CV which would probably enhance your chances of getting a job

I've been in finance for over 10 years now, never used Sage apart from when doing the AAT.

Newbiesw

MrsE wrote: »

I've been in finance for over 10 years now, never used Sage apart from when doing the AAT.

Can I ask how many different employers within that time MrsE ?

Newbiesw

MrsE_2

Newbiesw wrote: »

Can I ask how many different employers within that time MrsE ?

Newbiesw

a few - temped a couple of times.

Plus the civil service, the NHS & now local gov (so these don't use sage).

Newbiesw

MrsE wrote: »

a few - temped a couple of times.

Plus the civil service, the NHS & now local gov (so these don't use sage).

Thanks, I think you know where I was coming from ???
Interesting to see they are mostly the Public Sector !
Wannaberich: It might be useful to know why you think Home Learning are so bad ?

Newbiesw

MrsE_2

Newbiesw wrote: »

Thanks, I think you know where I was coming from ???
Interesting to see they are mostly the Public Sector !
Wannaberich: It might be useful to know why you think Home Learning are so bad ?

Newbiesw

I temped in the private sector too.

I've had 3 public sector & (I think) 4 private sector temp jobs.

pelirocco

Does the sage course teach you book keeping or just how to use the sage accountancy package? In my experience being able to use sage isnt the same as being a competent bookkeeper . It depends on what sort of job you are after? purchase and sales ledger clerks would only need experience it certain accountancy packages

Newbiesw

pelirocco wrote: »

In my experience being able to use sage isnt the same as being a competent bookkeeper .

I think you're absolutely right pelirocco, but I think we have a bit of a hybrid thread here, those being AAT courses or Sage courses.
Most of the courses I have seen for computerised Bookkeeping just happen to use Sage, it could be any software but its the Course content which is important (Bookkeeping) not the software they happen to use to demostrate it.
If your aim is to become a bookkeeper then your priority is to get on the best bookkeeping course regardless of the software, but I believe it would be an extra string to your bow if after you've passed your AAT, you can also say you have experience with the software that most of the employers seem to be using.

(:( Although MrsE wouldn't agree with me ! )

Newbiesw

honeypop

Newbiesw wrote: »

Hello honeypop,

Yes I totally agree but that was my point of stating I'd skip Level 1 "DEPENDING on your current knowledge and ability to learn."...<snip>

...The other side of the coin Honeypop is that you can take as many AAT courses as you like, you can pass with an armful of diplomas, get qualified up to your eyeballs but when you turn up for your interview for that highly-paid job you've always wanted, your Interviewer is highly impressed, the job is practically yours, then the final question "Are you Sage experienced ?"
To maximise your chances of employment, kill two birds with one stone and take your courses and try to take them with software that most employers seem to be using.
No, I wasn't suggesting all should skip Level 1 in every case, but see what topics it covers, compare that with your own knowledge and only you can make the decision as to whether you really need to take it or not, in some cases it will be a waste of time and money (except for the College!)

Not sure why you were aiming that at me, it didn't really relate to what I was saying. My point was to people in general taking a computerised bookkeeping course (usually Sage), to ensure they also have actual manual bookkeping knowledge as well as the computerised course, as the computerised course doesn't teach you the 'behind the scenes' stuff of bookkepeping, eg why you are doing a particular thing. What you are saying is nothing to do with that, so maybe you are aiming it at the wrong poster and got names confused.

Newbiesw wrote: »

Most of the courses I have seen for computerised Bookkeeping just happen to use Sage, it could be any software but its the Course content which is important (Bookkeeping) not the software they happen to use to demostrate it.

Computerised bookeeping courses tend to literally just teach you how to use the software, as I said above, you will not learn the background knowledge for a good standard of bookkeeping, you do need more than the common sense and basics approach to be able to use the course contents in a real life situation.

Also, I'm sure there are threads on here explaining why not to use HLC. I used the following site to buy the 'course' from:
http://www.training-link.org.uk/section/16/1/sage_50_accounts/0dfe19b83710dd49d8438f43eee2411c
I had already been using Sage for years in my job, but wanted 'certification' for when I changed jobs, so I could show it on my CV. You can also take tests with Sage themselves to gain their certification (or you could a year or so ago). You can do sage Payroll for £195.

Newbiesw

honeypop wrote: »

Not sure why you were aiming that at me, it didn't really relate to what I was saying. What you are saying is nothing to do with that, so maybe you are aiming it at the wrong poster and got names confused.

I prefer to think I "replied to" or "responded to" you (rather than "aimed at" you), and No, I was not replying to the wrong person, nor did I get the names confused !
Although it gets quite a mention here, as far as I can see, Sage is not the main point of this thread.
The main point of this thread being the benefits of courses in bookkeeping (whatever the software), the types of courses available (AAT etc) and the merits of attending College or distance learning.
No-one who wants to be a bookkeeper, and is interested in taking up a bookkeeping course, to become a bookkeeper, then enrolls in a bookkeeping course...... to learn Sage ???,
They primarily enrol in a bookkeeping course to learn bookkeeping so I couldn't understand why you mentioned :

honeypop wrote: »

Please, if anyone is learning Sage, make sure you know at least the basics of bookkeeping aswell.

Rather than my reply not relating to what you were saying, it's this comment that did not relate to what we were talking about, hence the confusion.
You were talking about anyone learning Sage, we were talking about learning bookkeeping.......(using Sage), then to continue and suggest the blatantly obvious, that some-one who wants to learn bookkeeping should start with the basics.....???
I could only assume from this that you read my earlier reply, suggesting that some-one who wants to become a bookkeeper may not need to waste time & money on a Level 1 course, and interpreted this as I was saying no-one need take the Level 1 course...... EVER!
I would have hated to be responsible for millions of students tearing up their Level 1 applications and trying to start a course way above their level, so felt I had to clarify my view in case they were as confused:
If you wake up one morning and suddenly decide you want to become a bookkeeper but know zilch about it, of course you must start at the beginning.
But if you've always wanted to be a bookkeeper, then you've probably already studied it and know a lot of the basics so you may already be at Level 1 and may be able to skip that Level.....(and Sage would be a good application to train with because a lot of Employers use it)

Newbiesw

pammyj74

I thought there would be a thread on here of some sort about bookkeeping and computerised accounts.

I have done level 1 manual with ideal schools last year and am now doing a 'teach-yourself' sage computerised accounts using a foundation book purchased on amazon for just £23. I am then going to do a few mock exams and when I feel confident enough will go for the exam. This was recommended by another accountant on a bookkeeping forum.

I have also heard of a self study sage payroll course which I might look into if only to have it on my CV.

I do use sage briefly at work but mostly for data entry purchases and invoices and not for reconciliations, another colleague does all that.

I would say though that you can have all the qualifications in the world on paper but its having the experience of actually doing it in practice that is more beneficial.