Cloud accounting software - construction industry

Cloud accounting software - construction industry

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Until now, we've not had a need to use cloud accounting software.........

After much searching on AW last year we moved all our server based software to those wonderful Hosted Desktop UK people.  We do everything for our clients here in our deckchairs at our beachfront location.

However, we have a construction industry client who's needs are changing.  They've been chatting to their local government funded fast track business growth consultant.  He's suggested they use Sage online accounts software (we're not big fans of Sage.......).  They can use it to raise their sales invoices (which is all they would do).  And we would send one of our team there each week to do the rest of the bookkeeping.  They could also smile at the pretty dashboards showing their growth.

We've looked briefly at Xero in the past, but not yet dipped our toe in the water.  Having spent quite a while running various searches on AW for the current thinking, I'm not very much wiser.  Although the topic has been well covered, cloud software is a fast moving arena, so I'd be grateful for any help.

Here's what we need

  • Cash accounting VAT
  • Easy for our non-accounting client to raise invoices & credit notes that look great and can be emailed or printed
  • Password / rights control to limit client's access
  • Project costing so that all costs & revenues can be associated with a specific building site
  • Good, clear reporting with easy drill down (the kind of comparative and variance reports that banks and investors like to see)
  • Blistering fast data entry for our bookkeeper who has a low level of tolerance for anything slower than VT or TAS (S....ge is regarded as slow)
  • Auto bank feed would be great - HSBC
  • No reliance (or minimal reliance) on other 3rd part add ons
  • Reliabilty - not prone to downtime because of vendor issues
  • Strong vendor background - not likely to go out of business ore be acquired by a bigger fish and later hung out to dry

If you're ready this far.....  thanks!

If you have some good pearls of wisdom....  bigger thanks!

Replies (5)

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By Cloudcounter
14th Mar 2014 12:47

As you've looked

at Xero, does that not meet all of your requirements, with the possible exception of a tetchy bookkeeper?

It ticks the boxes on the objectvie parts of your list  (Things like "good clear reporting" are subjective!)

No online software is going to give you "blisteringly fast" data entry but if that's important you can enter invoices into spreadsheets and upload to Xero.  More faff that it's worth in my view,  Given the bank feeds, and Xero works brilliantly with HSBC the total amount of keyed data entry will be much lower that it is in sage

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Man of Kent
By Kent accountant
14th Mar 2014 12:52

Bank rules + Cash coding = Blisteringly fast data entry

Well - if you've got lots of similar transactions from the same suppliers then setting up bank rules in Xero really does speed up the process.

That and the cash coding.

The you'll have fast coding and no blisters ;)

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By carnmores
14th Mar 2014 13:15

look at QB s online

yes yes

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Teignmouth
By Paul Scholes
15th Mar 2014 22:50

Will need some leg work

Most of the 20 odd cloud systems offer much of what you want but they each have their own ways and so you will need to get your hands dirty testing some out.

Xero is a good basic system but I'm not sure it's "tracking" facility is OK for project accounting, as it's more for departmental or cost centre analysis. Other systems do have built in project accounting where you can link projects not just to costs & revenue but also specific customers &/or suppliers.  ClearBooks, that I'm doing some work for, offers this, as well as the other facilities you are looking for, and, although you don't mention it, has full CIS compliance.

As far as speed of entry is concerned, this will probably be the area you'll need to test out the most and, as mentioned, the ability to import via CSV can help and both Xero & CBs enables bill & invoice copying as well as setting up recurring entries. ClearBooks also has a "batch" entry screen where you can enter Invoice & bill data via a grid using the keyboard more than mouse clicks.

When looking at systems make sure they provide customer & supplier defaults which means that when you create an invoice or bill most of the fields are automatically filled with account & VAT settings, cutting down on field filling.

I too feel that bank feeds are essential and most systems offer them but, depending on how you or the client works, their benefits are variable, for example, if most transactions rely on invoice & bill entry, then it's likely bank entries will be manually entered as & when invoices/bills are paid off and so dragging in a bank feed, or importing a CSV bank statement, is only needed effectively to tick entries off, as in a traditional bank rec, and so the matching facility can be a bit cumbersome for this task and so some people do this manually and just import the other bank entries.

In other cases, where the books use the bank as the prime entry then bank feeds & imports come into their own and, as mentioned, bank rules make this task so much easier.

Finally, keep an eye on costs, there can be significant differences.

As I use both of them I'd suggest you trial Xero & ClearBooks.

 

Thanks (2)
Replying to Portia Nina Levin:
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By peter.wood100
18th Mar 2014 11:59

Thanks Paul, great reply

Thanks for the very informative reply, Paul.  I've been tracking your comments in other postings on this topic.  Looks like the signpost is pointing strongly to ClearBooks as a strong candidate to evaluate

 

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