Any comments on Absolute Accounting's software, especially compared with Iris?

Any comments on Absolute Accounting's software,...

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Absolute (effectively re-branded Forbes), did a big marketing campaign a few months ago.  The offer seemed appealing, very competitively priced compared with other integrated accounts, tax and company secretarial software, support hours are actually longer than some others, etc.

I have Iris and at the time I decided to stick with Iris because I wasn't convinced that Absolute would be able to offer the same functionality and support levels.  It is a big hassle changing software, re-training staff, etc., so the product has to be pretty convincing if I am to change from Iris, which I am fairly happy with apart from being over priced and still substantially increasing license fees above inflation annually, to another product.  I would need to know that the main features are the same as Iris and any areas where Absolute falls down compared with Iris. Also how support response times compare in terms of the length of time to get a problem resolved - not just length of time to answer the phone - I tried Digita for a short period but their support at the time was poor, either phone and leave a message or e-mail them, whereas Iris support normally resolves issues immediately and phone call are answered in a few minutes).

Has anyone changed to Absolute and if so how has Absolute compared with their previous product?  Apparently there have been a number of changes since the product was 'launched' and  I'm particularly interested to hear from users who switched from Iris to see how they are getting on and whether they are glad they switched.  However, any feedback on Absolute would be appreciated. I have Iris Accounts Production, Business Tax, Personal Tax, Company Secretarial and Company Formations, so comparison between Absolute's products for each area would be useful.

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PAH Accounting Devizes Wiltshire
By Phil Hendy
12th Jan 2011 16:12

Same position

I am in exactly the same position and would like to hear from some users of Absolute also.

I am just about to jump from the 40 to the 50 client licence pack and the cost seems almost extortianate. They are giving three extra modules but two I don't really need and one I can do without for now. 

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By daveforbes
27th Jan 2011 21:14

redirect

there are some recent (beginning of december) comments here https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/anyanswers/absolute-software-0

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By majatse
01st Apr 2011 00:04

Absolute - Absolute nightmare

I bought Absolute a few months ago. The first time I prepared my accounts, I had lots of errors in the tax computation. I spent more time with the helpline (very nice and professional people) than preparing the return and the accounts.

Therefore, I continue using excel to prepare my accounts as I used to do before and think I have just wasted my money. I dont use Absolute anymore.

Same thing with the payroll, it came up with errros.

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By BryanS1958
01st Apr 2011 10:13

What sort of errors

Thanks for the update - what sort of errors did you come across in the tax computation and payroll programs?

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PAH Accounting Devizes Wiltshire
By Phil Hendy
01st Apr 2011 14:33

Has issues

I can understand some of the frustrations being mentioned. I think it needs to be clear that you get what you pay for. 

I have just had a chat with one of their support guys as I had what I felt was a basic requirement i.e.

I wanted to included a loan the other creditors note under 'Other Loans' rather than in the bank loans or other creditors section. I asked whether this could be done and I got a blanket 'no'. It complies with minimal disclosure so that is that. 

I now have a client that wants a tailored note (although I think this should be a standard) and I cannot do it.

 

Not noticed errors in the tax computations but I do note that you have to be a bit more intuitive than when using other software i.e. ensuring you add pages yourself - a good example being a client I had with an overdrawn directors loan. I would have expected an automatic flag for s419 disclosure but this did not happen.

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By majatse
02nd Apr 2011 15:25

Absolute

In the notes, I had "comas" after the page number, which does not look very professional. I do not undestand why they cannot get rid of it. Not sure if it's still there as I dont use this software anymore. I only wasted my money with Absolute!!!

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PAH Accounting Devizes Wiltshire
By Phil Hendy
14th Apr 2011 17:21

Similar issue

 Hi Majatse 

I have had a similar issue with a set of accounts produced where there are oddities in the way it looks. However, the response I have had so far is that these are 'cosmetic' and do not prevent filing of the accounts.

That is fine but I have to prepare a professionally looking set of accounts for the client in order that they can potentially pass them on to third parties etc.

 

iXBRL functionality is great but the client doesn't want or need that presentation view. 

Hopefully the developers will consider this too!

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By BryanS1958
14th Apr 2011 23:53

Presentation & other issues

I recall from the days of using Forbes (which is effectively what Absolute is) that the presentation was quite poor, so it will be interesting to see the current version.  For me, presentation is important because often this is the only tangible output my clients see from my practice. 

Also, the old Forbes system (and I am referring to 10 years+ ago!) did not have many error checks compared with Iris.  On the other hand ease of input on Forbes/Absolute was quite good compared with Iris.  I also find that Iris runs quite slowly on my network, whereas I believe that Absolute is far less resource hungry.

So far I haven't been that impressed with Absolute service, I've been waiting to trial it since early February with live data installed, but this hasn't happened yet.  Also, on the occasions I have phoned support it has gone to answerphone.  To be fair, the delay in setting up Absolute was partly my fault because when they tried to phone to do it they couldn't get though, but it has taken a further two weeks to re-arrange.  In the case of support, they did phone back quickly, within 20 minutes, which is approximately how long I have to wait on the line for Iris support to answer.

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By DMGbus
15th Apr 2011 08:49

Presentation is important

I recall, some 30 years ago, the phrase "The accounts that we prepare are our shop window", the message being page numbers in the wrong place, spelling errors and untidy presentation are just not the image that any accountancy practice wants to present.

It seems that some software providors' software writers take short cuts / get away with providing a substandard product.   This is NOT unique to any particular software house.    I recall one software house, when we complained about the page numbers being top right corner (rather than bottom of the page) saying something like "that's what most accountants want" I read this to mean they, the software writers, couldn't be bothered we should accept the shoddy product that they provided.

Hence, my continued opinion that Excel shall reign supreme in accounts preparation.

Now, in the context of iXBRL accounts, as these only go to HMRC, I couldn't careless what shoddy layout a software house provides in terms of layout, however when the IXBRL "tail" starts to "wag" the main accounts "dog" there have to be issues to be sorted - a colleague has now spent about 4 days trying to get SAGE iXBRL in Sage Accounts Production to work to his/her satisfaction (plus another 2 colleagues involved for a day or so, too).  I think that two iXBRL filings have actually been made for all this effort.   Problem they've encountered is that accounts tailored to give what clients require seem to be "no longer allowed" and a bland standard has to be obediently complied with.    

Here's some of the "fun" (NOT) to be had with Sage Accounts Production:

" First of all I called Sage this morning and confirmed that the

accountants report for non-audit limited companiesnot tagged. Their reason was that "it is there in case it needs to be in the"!no tagging of Trading & P&L accounts so this will be an issue in Corporation tax so that HMRCA about this.no way of printing out how the tagging is populated but it only sends figures in the iXBRL "pack" so weB as he likesments at the moment. It is far harder

N

we will have filed our first set by the end of the week.

I will release the master for general use on Thursday (I'm out at

about nominal codes. I'm loathe to do it tonight when I'm not in for two days and

tab on the Pages screen

Have you had any luck fixing up a webinar for this week?  "

has a client that she needs to file by the end of the month so I will spend time with her on Thursday and hopefullya clients tomorrow) and just make a general commentI seem to have lost the "iXBRL"!

has an iXBRL version but that it is

future

Also, there is

get all the analysis they require. I have spoken to

There is

can trace the values back to groups of figures. Looks like we will need to keep SAP client datasets in case of HMRC

queries.

I have customised the master as far as I am able and printed off various combinations of reports for

them to refer to. He has not had chance to look through them to make any com

to get the right schedules when you need to rely on existing database items only.

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