Help with accounts software - please!

Mrs_T_13

All,

Hope this is the right place to place this. (It's my first day, so apologies if I"ve got it wrong!).

I'm after some simple accounting software for my small business, that isn't expensive and that can be built upon as we continue to expand. I've had Sage recommended - anyone any thoughts?

Any tips on where to buy such software at a reasonable price also gratefully received.

Mrs T.
(I realise this moniker makes me sound old and grey - I'm neither, jusr rubbish at choosing names for boards like this!)

JayneH_3

Welcome Mrs T!

If you look on the small business and charity board, there has been quite a few posts about accounts software. Before you decide to purchase Sage, I would recommend you take a look at Quikbooks. They look slightly different to each other, and you may prefer one style over the other.

Caz2_2

hi we had quikbooks and accountant was really condeming of it ( think it might be american) we actually never used it because we coundn't understand it, he recommended sage so we bought it off amazon and will try in April. PS something i learnt on here since buying it is that you often need an accountant to show you how to do it, therefore inncurring more cost. Sorry you are probably more confused now, anyway join the club and welcome

RufusA

The best software to buy is probably that which your accountant recommends (assuming you've got an accountant).

The reason being is that it will be the one (s)he is most familiar with, and will understand the reports, be able to talk you through how to correct discrepancies etc. If you have a modern accountant they may even be able to take an export of your data to prepare the accounts from, rather than wasting the time of an employee to re-key all the financial figures in for the final accounts.

We currently use Sage Instant Accounts (£85 from Amazon), which isn't the most intuitive of accounts packages, but is more of a pure business package than a personal finance package with a bit of business/tax tacked on. Very good upgrade path as the business expands, and you can purchase additional modules to calculate salaries, invoicing/stock control etc. for you. A lot of accountants use (and recommend) Sage products, BUT it has been designed as a bookkeeping package so uses that terminology rather than the simpler terms employed by some other packages.

The key with any accounts package is the pain of setting it all up right, and getting the last x months worth of transactions on there. However once the pain has been gone through, it's quite an easy process to manage and keep up to date.

Good luck with the business.

HTH - Rufus.

Mrs_T_13

Thanks for the help there guys - all good information.

Jayne - I'll take a look at the small business and charities board (must have missed it before!) as suggested.

Now all I need to do is make my first million and we'll be on our way!

Best,

Mrs T