Sole trader, accounts spreadsheet?

maidincornwall

Hi, Has anyone got a link to a simple but decent free spreadsheet to use for my accounts? Ive always done them on paper before but since using a personal budget spreadsheet from this website I'd like to use one for my business. Thanks MIC

property.advert

If not already, I'd get familiar with Excel. If you don't have it, look for the MS Office deal from Software4students for around £35.

If you can grasp the basics, you will be able to put together what you need. If you simply get one delivered to you, you will probably not spend the time to understand how it works (that is not a criticism just a fact) and when it goes wrong, because it will, or when you need to change it, because you will, you won't know how to get from where you are to where you want to be.

And that day will be just before you have to hand in your accounts !

maidincornwall

I do have Excel just havnt managed to work out how to make my own yet tho Im Ok with using one which aready exists!

property.advert

maidincornwall wrote: »

I do have Excel just havnt managed to work out how to make my own yet tho Im Ok with using one which aready exists!

How is your maths ? Are you ok with formulae and syntax ?

=if(a1>2500,"profit","loss")
=sum($a1,$c27,$ab14)
=sum(a1:a25)
=vlookup(a56,b1:e50,3,0)

do you understand any of these ?

I think it is like a foreign language. You need to know "enough" to get started and then you are forever learning more as you push your knowledge forward.

Eliza_2

That's all foreign language to me. I went on one of the HMRCs short courses (free) for the newly self employed and they gave us a spreadsheet to use which I found really helpful. I use Open Office by the way, works really well. It's among the handouts here: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/bst/advice-team-events/newly-self-employed-handout.pdf, they call it a record-keeping grid and I found it easy just to put the same or similar headings to my own version and adapt a bit. Works well.

Another alternative is to post this question on a forum where lots of accountants live (eg ukbusinessforums) and they will all send you simple freebie spreadsheets.

By the way, I found the whole HMRC course really useful, not just about the tax aspect, but they're very knowledgeable about lots of things to do with small businesses, and it was helpful to meet others in the same situation.

HTH

Liz

maidincornwall

property.advert wrote: »

How is your maths ? Are you ok with formulae and syntax ?

=if(a1>2500,"profit","loss")
=sum($a1,$c27,$ab14)
=sum(a1:a25)
=vlookup(a56,b1:e50,3,0)

do you understand any of these ?

I think it is like a foreign language. You need to know "enough" to get started and then you are forever learning more as you push your knowledge forward.

My maths is reasonably good hence I can do my accounts Ok on paper! That looks like a very difficult foreign language, maybe an evening class is in order here!

Mistral001

maidincornwall wrote: »

My maths is reasonably good hence I can do my accounts Ok on paper! That looks like a very difficult foreign language, maybe an evening class is in order here!

If you are good at maths then give excel a go.

However, excel is basically a fancy calculator. In the same way as learning to use a calculator will not teach you much about business accounts, learning to use excel will not teach you much about business accounts either.

I would suggest an evening class in "essential book keeping" or "accounts for small businesses" would be more helpful for someone just starting out on business than a class in excel.

I came form an academic background rather than a business one and had no formal training in accounts. My evening class in accounts for small businesses that I did several years ago was perhaps one of the best things I ever did and has stood me in good stead in my business career.

brightonman123

whats the vlookup line about?

andyh2003

brightonman123 wrote: »

whats the vlookup line about?

have a look here techonthenet.com/excel/formulas/vlookup.php

nostalgicsam

good info Eliza, thanks however I can't locate that PDF (the record keeping grid) from your link?

wymondham

You can get Sage Instant Accounts 2013 for £89... job done! ;-)