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Richard Owen
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« on: January 25, 2012, 03:20:57 PM » |
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Hi guys,
I suspect that there's lots of self-employed or small business people on this forum.
What do you use for accounting software?
I've been running on a self-built spreadsheet for years but since teaming up with my daughter it's starting to creak at the edges.
Rather than spend time developing the spreadsheet further I thought I'd ask about others' experiences.
It would be nice if it was simple to get the hang of, could handle multiple self-employed people and did invoices.
Anything else would be a bonus.
Thanks.
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44 Yingli 230Wp panels feeding into 2x Solar Edge SE5000 inverters .20x 58mm SE, 20x 58mm SW, Solar Thermal feeding 320l thermal store. 10kW heat pump. 300W of Hydro Power . |
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qeipl
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« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2012, 03:26:10 PM » |
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I've been using Quicken2000 for over a decade. Chose it because it was cheap.
I keep thinking that I should upgrade it, but it does the job perfectly well (multiple accounts, VAT, invoices, etc.).
It's easy to use. There's probably a modern version of Quicken for small business.
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Take 3 minutes to find out where money comes from, why that means we will all end up in debt, and what we can do to fix the problem… http://www.positivemoney.org.uk |
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dhaslam
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« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2012, 03:54:50 PM » |
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I wrote my own software thirty years ago and am still using it. There are great benefits from using something you can modify yourself so I wouldn't altogether rule out Excel for that reason. The only trouble with Excel is that it does get difficult to do things that you want rather than what the program wants to do.
Generally I recommend Quickbooks for small businesses that do their own entries. It is easy to learn and very easy to follow transactions and edit them if necessary. Some accountants don't like the way previous periods entries can be changed so they recommend things like Sage and TAS that are about ten times harder to use.
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Heinz
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« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2012, 03:55:22 PM » |
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Quickbooks Simple Start, because I'm simple......  Heinz |
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"Do, or do not. There is no 'try' " Yoda
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clivejo
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« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2012, 04:34:05 PM » |
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I wrote my own software thirty years ago and am still using it.
What is it coded in? Is it OS? |
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clockmanFR
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« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2012, 07:11:33 PM » |
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Because I am not retailing, ie buying in adding then selling on, my input number of jobs are low, and material stuff is not an issue. Invoices and receipts that are claimable are less than a 1000 entries. So my Brov did some software in 1987, so its simpler than simple.
Slight problem as its DOS running in a window in windows. But still got the floppy drive on my latest PC.
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Everything is possible, just give me TIME.
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Lurk
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« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2012, 08:48:59 PM » |
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My requirements are basic but I use the 'Brightbook' software on line - I only have a limited number of orders and invoices to raise though - but its been pretty reliable since I moved from spreadsheets 2 years back. The accountant likes it as they can log in on line and check details anytime. The developers are adding features every few months - being able to down load my bank account then upload into BB is handy as it matches up transactions leaving me only a few to allocate...
Lurk
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desperate
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« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2012, 09:32:07 PM » |
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Self built spreadsheet as well, keeps both my little firms going, 1 partnership a LTD co, and 1 as sole trader with 2 blokes semi permanently employed. I probably miss out on a few quid here and there, but then I dont pay an accountant either, deal direct with "The Revenooers"
Works for me.
Desp
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Crazy old duffer
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camillitech
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« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2012, 10:00:53 PM » |
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I use the 'single malt' for the VAT return,  everything else goes in the bin liner to the accountant  Good luck, Paul |
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http://lifeattheendoftheroad.wordpress.com/12kw Lister 11m turbine tower 10 hundred ah 48v battery bank 900' pennstock 8kw woodburner 7kw Lister 6 bladed Rutland 50w of solar 4 and a half Kw inverter 3kw Lister 2 hydro turbines and a Proven in a pear tree :-) Raasay, 57 27 537 N 06
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Richard Owen
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« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2012, 10:33:46 PM » |
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My requirements are basic but I use the 'Brightbook' software on line - I only have a limited number of orders and invoices to raise though - but its been pretty reliable since I moved from spreadsheets 2 years back. The accountant likes it as they can log in on line and check details anytime. The developers are adding features every few months - being able to down load my bank account then upload into BB is handy as it matches up transactions leaving me only a few to allocate...
Lurk
I had a look at Brightbook but I couldn't see how I could mark and allocate items bought on behalf of customers to those customers. Can it do that? |
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44 Yingli 230Wp panels feeding into 2x Solar Edge SE5000 inverters .20x 58mm SE, 20x 58mm SW, Solar Thermal feeding 320l thermal store. 10kW heat pump. 300W of Hydro Power . |
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Lurk
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« Reply #10 on: February 06, 2012, 10:57:46 AM » |
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You can allocate bills / receipts to order/invoices - its not something I do as a rule but there is the facility on order invoices to allocate costs. the online email help is very good - generally a reply same day - they have a Facebook page which is a good place to get customer feedback as well as on line help
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Richard Owen
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« Reply #11 on: February 06, 2012, 12:41:45 PM » |
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In which case I'll give it another go.
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44 Yingli 230Wp panels feeding into 2x Solar Edge SE5000 inverters .20x 58mm SE, 20x 58mm SW, Solar Thermal feeding 320l thermal store. 10kW heat pump. 300W of Hydro Power . |
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clockmanFR
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« Reply #12 on: February 06, 2012, 09:38:27 PM » |
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Just had this back from my brother.
"your 2010/11 Tax return was accepted by HMRC 3 weeks before the deadline, and there haven’t been any rejection emails from them. So no fine for a late return."
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Everything is possible, just give me TIME.
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Richard Owen
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« Reply #13 on: February 08, 2012, 05:00:03 AM » |
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Just had a good session on Brightbook.
And a dabble with a trial of Quick Books.
Brightbook wins.
I buy a lot of equipment for my customers. To allocate purchases directly to invoices in Quick Books means I have to buy the £29.99/month version.
I get it free in Brightbook.
Also, Brightbook allows me to easily add types of purchase and expense so I can categorise my purchases in as much detail as I need.
And it's free.
I also had a quick look at KMyMoney, which is a desktop accounting system for Linux. I'm sure it could do what I want but I've already worked out how to do what I want with Brightbook, so I'm not bothering to look any further.
Thanks to everyone for their help.
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44 Yingli 230Wp panels feeding into 2x Solar Edge SE5000 inverters .20x 58mm SE, 20x 58mm SW, Solar Thermal feeding 320l thermal store. 10kW heat pump. 300W of Hydro Power . |
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Stuart
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« Reply #14 on: February 08, 2012, 07:32:18 AM » |
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My accountant friend recommend Quickbooks free version too, its limited to number of clients. I'm still using Excel though. simpler for me
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8kw woodburner, Big piles of wood, 20 tube solar panel, custom tanks, back up gas boiler, North walls internally insulated
1968 landy that runs on anything and a currently wild meadow garden.
Nr. Tow Law
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