Accounting software?

[Shep]

Total accounting numpty here needs help please

I run a couple of small shops/businesses and at the moment use the services of a bookkeeper to manually manage the paperwork/accountancy side of the business
this allows us to do the work needed to earn money.

However he is rapidly becoming a liability, so I am keen to change.

I've had an introduction to a nice lady who comes highly recomended by a good lifelong friend, the only trouble is she uses Sage software and would require I change to a more modern set up

Questions are-

Is Sage a good form of this type of software?

Where can I buy it cheap?

What sort of package can I buy that can be expanded when we wander into an e business project next year?

I know I can ask her these things, and I intend to, but only after I've done a little research.

Or is it beyond an old farts capabilities

Thanks

 

[Loiq]

Quick books is brilliant and cheaper than sage easy to use 100% top draw stuff...

Or just set up a cash book on XLS. you can do all the calculations in excel bit more messy but in effect free if you already have microsoft office

Quick books does stock control, common paperwork tasks, is easy, and flexible for those difficult tasks I love it...

buy quick book sonline get free support and back up bloody good value.

e-commerce is a piece a pee you can bolt paypal or click and buy on or just outsource the transaction to a 3rd party vendor who handle the dosh side and put it in yer account also insures transaction if it's fony.

 

[shugie]

Sage is pretty good and all accountants either use it or know how to use it, so they can do whatever it is you need them to do without wasting their expensive time with other programmes. Although most of them can cope with an Excel spreadsheets, and Sage can import Excel spreadsheets.

Sage Instant Accounts does all you will need I would think, and costs about £100 + VAT from Sage or £90 from Amazon.

Just resist the efforts of Sage to sell you a support package, they make much money from these, and your accountant should be able help you with most things anyway.

 

[Paul Wakefield]

What Shugie says. Sage is the market leader (not because of brilliant design but good marketing over the years). It's a solid if unexciting product. Other packages handle different aspects better but overall it is a sound all rounder. There are various flavours ranging in expense; the one to go for depends on exactly what you need. They're easily upgradeable/expandable as your requirements change.

The big advantage though is you shouldn't have any difficulty finding staff and/or accountants who know how to use it.

Price will depend. If you're confident of setting it up yourself, shop around on the web -there should be sizeable discounts from the RRP. If you're not confident, find someone who knows what they are doing (and take up references from them to check they're not bulls****ing) and be prepared to pay a bit more. A properly set up system will pay for itself time and again (whereas, if you have a bad implementation, you would be better off going back to a quill pen).

 

[Marjorie Proops]

Have used Sage since 1992 and Quickbooks since 2002.

I have used the top of the range Sage 'multi-company' version - about £700 in 1992!

Quickbooks wins hands down in my opinion.

Quickbooks will give you unlimited 'trial' companies to play with - practice to your hearts content without affecting your actual accounts.

I have a 2002 version of quickbooks which has never been used in anger (only used the trial company) before I did a dedicated spreadsheet system custom made for our business.

It is no longer supported (3 years is the support), but apart from PAYE etc. it will still work. Quickbooks is less of a rip off than Sage when it comes to updates.

Cost me about £300+ IIRC but you can have it for say £50 - full refund if it doesn't load (it will though).

Steve

 

[geek]

what everyone else says. Sage is the market leader and has been for many, many years. lots of people like accountants and banks and hmrc know and love it, so its the default option.

but you must learn how to backup, do you hear! Sage has its own way of backing up its files, at the end of every session, and you must learn how to do it and do it religiously. i know nobody ever really backs up their files, in twenty odd years of being a geek i know how many people really back things up, but if there is one place you must must do it religiously, it is Sage.

trust me

 

[Marjorie Proops]

Another way of looking at it;


Sage = Windows

Quickbooks = Mac

 

[Shep]

Have used Sage since 1992 and Quickbooks since 2002.

I have used the top of the range Sage 'multi-company' version - about £700 in 1992!

Quickbooks wins hands down in my opinion.

Quickbooks will give you unlimited 'trial' companies to play with - practice to your hearts content without affecting your actual accounts.

I have a 2002 version of quickbooks which has never been used in anger (only used the trial company) before I did a dedicated spreadsheet system custom made for our business.

It is no longer supported (3 years is the support), but apart from PAYE etc. it will still work. Quickbooks is less of a rip off than Sage when it comes to updates.

Cost me about £300+ IIRC but you can have it for say £50 - full refund if it doesn't load (it will though).

Steve

Hi Steve, thats a great offer, thanks, but the person I am interviewing for the position is an experienced Sage operator, so thats the way we will be heading if we get on OK.

Many thanks, as well, to the other Tossers that have replied

Shep

 

[Paul Wakefield]

what everyone else says. Sage is the market leader and has been for many, many years. lots of people like accountants and banks and hmrc know and love it, so its the default option.

but you must learn how to backup, do you hear! Sage has its own way of backing up its files, at the end of every session, and you must learn how to do it and do it religiously. i know nobody ever really backs up their files, in twenty odd years of being a geek i know how many people really back things up, but if there is one place you must must do it religiously, it is Sage.

trust me

Backups are vital. But it is not essential that you backup the Sage way (though this gives a compact format); as long as all of the relevant files are backed up (perhaps as part of your normal backup routine), this will be fine.

Having said that, the number of Sage specific problems I've seen needing a restoration are minimal over the years. BUT once is enough!

BTW Sage has a demo company you can play with as well.

 

[miconone]

QuickBooks

+1 for QuickBooks, used it every day for almost 11 years!