Best accounting package for small business

Best accounting package for small business

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Hi all

I'm fairly new in practice and don't have too much experience of accounting packages for small companies.  My client currently just records cash ins and outs on Excel, but wants to start using an accounting package.  It would need to be simple, easy to use and not take too much time to record the transactions (it will be an office manager using it mainly, not an accountant).  He wants to be able to use it for sales, purchases, debtors and creditors ledger and if it can produce invoices as well, I think that would be useful.  There aren't many transactions each month - maybe 5-10 invoices sent out and 30 expense items.  Can anyone give me any suggestions as to which packages to look at?  I don't think money is too much of an issue but he probably wouldn't want one that is over the top expensive.

Thank you very much in advance.

Donna Meneses

Replies (70)

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By Martin Telfer
22nd Apr 2012 11:46

Anything but Sage

I'm still a Quickbooks fan, but rather less so that previously.  We are still running the 2006 version on all our clients, even though we had to stop using QB for payroll last year (we switched to using Moneysoft for payroll last year and don't regret the change).  

We dabbled with Sage for a while but hated it.  I am always suspicious of any package that needs special training and support packages.  In all my years with Quickbooks I have never needed to use their support; with Sage it was frequent.

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By Consultants4VAT
22nd Apr 2012 14:02

Adminsoft Accounts

Hi Jeh

As far as I know it can. It helps with PayPal as well. But if you have or others have a specific need and a question new users, you can go their website and ask a question, and also on their user blogs. By the way, they do not bombard you afterwards for sales promotions and marketing. Almost all programs have limitations regarding the type of cash flow and budgeting reports. They do it their own way. The only downside is the look of the reports. They don't look graphically great as it doesn't write anything in the Windows, and because, in spite of amazing range of features, the program size is ridiculously small, so - I maybe wrong - but it may not have graphic engine of Sage or TAS or QuickBooks. Though far better than Excel based VT and GnuCash. By the way open source GnuCash fails in one fundamental aspect. It doesn't allow a credit note entry. Now you may ask how an accounting system even can be acceptable if it doesn't handle such fundamental task! Free TurboCash also needs to be very user friendly from the entry point. Adminsoft Accounts has a similar flow chart as Sage, QuickBooks, TAS or any good accounting software which makes it very user friendly. Help files are not great, but it is intuitive and still gives a wealth of information.

 

 

 

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By rebtay
23rd Apr 2012 17:45

Xero

I would also recommend Xero. It's very good and easy to use for non accountants and has a great help centre for the times when they do get stuck. As it's online they don't have to worry about backups and updates. They can give you access so you can also keep an eye on what they are entering and you are always working on the same data. There are some great reports too.

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By susanna russell-smith
30th Apr 2012 17:33

Which package for stock control?

I am helping a start-up company producing items selling for approx £300 each and anticipating an optimistic £1m turnover in year 1. Each of 8 products uses 30 different components from 20 different suppliers in all different quantities, so we need a really good "Bill of Materials" Stock control system rather than the increasingly complex spreadsheets currently in use. I can't see that Xero or VT or Adminsoft offer this and Sage offer it as a £1400 add on - is there a cheaper/better option out there please? (Don't like QB, but would use if lots cheaper or better than Sage).

Thanks for any help!

 

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Replying to hirshad:
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By BigBadWolf
02nd May 2012 18:02

Xero + unleashed

susanna russell-smith wrote:

I am helping a start-up company producing items selling for approx £300 each and anticipating an optimistic £1m turnover in year 1. Each of 8 products uses 30 different components from 20 different suppliers in all different quantities, so we need a really good "Bill of Materials" Stock control system rather than the increasingly complex spreadsheets currently in use. I can't see that Xero or VT or Adminsoft offer this and Sage offer it as a £1400 add on - is there a cheaper/better option out there please? (Don't like QB, but would use if lots cheaper or better than Sage).

Thanks for any help!

 

Try using unleashed as a bolt-on to Xero, they work well together - but it does increase the price you pay monthly considerably.

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By fionab24
30th Apr 2012 19:02

Sage help

I lead Sage's Education project - where we offer funded qualfications which of course include training as well.  The reason for telling you this is that part of that deal is using Sage 50 Accounts Professional 2012 for 6 months - which would give you ample time to decide if this is worth the investment for you.  Sage Accounts Professional certainly does cope with BOM and the 30 different components isnt a problem - its the 20 different suppliers that could be as its normally one supplier code per product code, albiet you can change it.

Happy to investigate more within Sage if that would help - you can email me the problem and I can take a look?

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Replying to alan.rolfe:
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By susanna russell-smith
04th May 2012 11:01

Sage Batch Controller

Thanks Fiona - I have had a chat with Sage and because of the complexities of the manufacturing processes, we would apparently need to go as far as the "Batch Controller" module which, together with Pro accts & training would cost £8,000. I was hoping for a great deal less than that, given that this is a start-up and we don't yet know how far it will fly...

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By Consultants4VAT
02nd May 2012 10:18

Stock control and Adminsoft Accounts

Hi Sussana

I took up your question to the developer Mike Towle of Adminsoft Accounts. Here is what he has to say:

It will handle the basic requirement, in that it supports kits. Each kit is a stock item that is
made up of a range of other stock items (of varying quantities from varying suppliers). 30
components from 20 different suppliers would be no problem.

Beyond the basic stock item requirements, he doesn't say how sophisticated his
requirements are. So I don't know whether Adminsoft Accounts will offer the range of
reports and other functions he may require that are associated with Bill of Materials
operation. But as the software's free, he may as well try it out!

As someone in accountancy, stock module is not my field of interest. But by all counts, what I have looked at in the software and what Mike clarifies here, with so many users worldwide using the module, I am sure the program will handle it. The module looks offering much more than what I have seen in other commercial programs too. Well it is free so with a trial run it won't cost a penny. If you have clients in cafe or auto business they are in luck. They get a setup dedicated program!

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By susanna russell-smith
04th May 2012 11:46

Thanks BBW.  I have had a

Thanks BBW.  I have had a look at Unleashed & started a Free Trial - at first sight, it looks as though it won't have the full manufacturing function we would like, but I've emailed them for a bit more info.  Cost is again likely to be a bit of an issue and I'm wondering whether we might have to settle for a non-integrated stock control system to start with.  I checked out Cin7 as an add-on to Xero as well - that does actually seem to be the one we would really like, but cost as bad as Sage!

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By susanna russell-smith
04th May 2012 11:52

Thanks, Consultants4Vat.  I

Thanks, Consultants4Vat.  I am very interested in all you have said about AdminsoSoft & will check it out now.  In fact, I realise we have more like 120 components and 30 Suppliers, but maybe the kits you talk about can cope with that fine!

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By susanna russell-smith
11th Jun 2012 15:13

Thanks to Big Bad Wolf

Just a postscript to thank Big Bad Wolf very much for the suggestion of Unleashed with Xero; my client is thrilled with it and we think it is able to produce exactly what we're looking for in an excellent user-friendly way. Loving Xero's bank feed too! Many thanks.

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Replying to jamiea4f:
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By BigBadWolf
12th Jun 2012 12:41

Glad

susanna russell-smith wrote:

Just a postscript to thank Big Bad Wolf very much for the suggestion of Unleashed with Xero; my client is thrilled with it and we think it is able to produce exactly what we're looking for in an excellent user-friendly way. Loving Xero's bank feed too! Many thanks.

 

Glad to have been of help - they do work well together :-)

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By jackcorr
11th Jun 2012 16:10

Solar

Definitely Solar

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By tinab
16th Oct 2012 16:56

Quickbooks

Have been with Quickbooks for a number of years with support and automatic updates now costing £53 per month! Just upgraded to 2013 version and huge problem with reports. No memo info appears on reports and we use this to itemise costs for billing.No joy with support and came to this site looking for recommendations for new accounting package. Think this is just too expensive considering all the problems they have.

 

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By APJAccountancy
03rd Jul 2013 11:35

Pay Roll Wiht VT?

Have read lot about VT so it's definately worth a try. Does anyone know if you can do payroll with VT as well?

Thanks

www.apjaccountancy.com

 

 

 

 

 

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By stjamesaccounts
14th Aug 2013 14:57

Acounts package

Solar Accounts is well worth a look and the money. It is easy to use, can be used purely as a cashbook or with ledgers for sales and purchases. Incorporate your logo. Can run more than one business on the software without extra cost and free updates.

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By samlo
16th Sep 2013 10:37

Best accounting package for small business

 

 Hi Donna,

I have used Solar Accounting and in my opinion it suits small businesses. You can download a trial version and use it for a month, you will have a better idea.

Regards

Samlo

 

 

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By coolmangos
02nd Jul 2014 18:11

Xero? Timesheets

I'm starting a business.

We will be charging contrctors on a daily basis. I want them to complete a timesheet online, save it and then have the client to authorise the timesheet so I can then invoice.

I've read a lot about Xero and it looks good on their site. Any recommendations on timesheet software that would do as described? BTW At $49 per month for the Timesheet approval version of Harbest (the recommended one on Xero) this seems expensive for me whilst starting up.

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By coolmangos
02nd Jul 2014 18:11

x

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By qadri23
25th Jan 2016 12:53

Get VT , you cant go wrong!!

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