Doing 'the books'

mollymunchkin

I'm a start-up sole trader and I'm unsure as to how to keep the financial records. Is it OK just to have a manual book or better to have accounts software. If so, which software do you recommend? Sage? Quickbooks?

Apologies if this has been asked many times. :rolleyes:

WHA

Depends on what you want to do.

If you just want simple book-keeping, then an analsysed cash book is the manual way of doing it. If you want it computerised, then there is a free cash book program from https://www.vtsoftware.co.uk which is quick and easy.

If you want a program to create invoices and control amounts owed by customers, then Quickbooks simple start is OK.

I wouldn't bother with Sage - expensive and complicated for a beginner.

saraharrow

Hi Mollymunchkin

We have Sage and another program called Cashbook complete which cost £60.

The Sage is a total nightmare, and to be honest if it hadnt cost so much we wouldnt use it. We use the Cashbook complete for our VAT return and the Sage for generating invoices, the Sage was supposed to combine this and make it easier but that wasnt how it worked out, I agree with WHA, use quickbooks or similar.

Only get Sage if you suffer Insomnia, its almost guarenteed to send you to sleep....

Goodluck

Sarah

longforgotten

Horses for courses.

I love Sage and find it hard to believe that for the basic needs people find it difficult. Sage has its faults but don't they all.....

mollymunchkin

Thanks everyone I'll have a look at Quickbooks.

barrymung

saraharrow wrote: »

Sage is a total nightmare

Isn't it a lovely, intuative piece of software..?

Debt_Free_Chick

I use Sage for three different businesses.

IMHO, you need a basic understanding of the principles of bookeeping and especially double-entry to get past first base. Once you do, it does exactly what it's supposed to do.

There are some free tutorials online, which will start you off with DEB - Google will find them

nickj_2

i use quick books
it's reasonably easy to use and the help section will sort you out if you have problems

mikewebs

A lot of accountants will set up sage for you to use - thus taking many of the complexities out of the equation for the small business - of course they will charge you for the privilege but if you want to have a complete package that keeps you sales ledger, purchase ledger, stock control, bank reconciliation all up to date then I woudl agree that Sage is the package to go for - there are many colleges running how to use Sage courses - usually last about 10-12 weeks (one day/evening per week) and then you would have no problems in keeping things runign smoothly. Also you can get information form sage such a your current Proft just by a few clicks of the mouse - quite a good thing to know in this age when banks are always on your case. VAT returns can also be completed quicklly.

Hope this helps

mkeeley

The alternative is to use a spreadsheet solution if you have Excel. I know the accountants on this forum tend to frown on them but they're simple to use, so don't require courses to make the best of them and usually cheap. Commercial ones should be bug free, well at least as bug free as software solutions, and for a small business usually take up less time to complete.