Simple Accounting Packages

Simple Accounting Packages

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Many years ago I put a few of my small clients onto Twinlock Triform for there ledgers. There are many new products on the market but I find most of them rely on a bookkeepers knowledge to operate basic sales and purchase ledgers. Are there any simple idiot proof systems out there?
Brian Cook

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By AnonymousUser
27th Jun 2003 17:30

Analysis / review / investigation
Georgina

Finding the right accounting package is not easy to start with. What you really need to do is sit down with a blank piece of paper and write down what you would really want the software to do in relation to your business and your understanding of your business.

For example if timesheets billing is required then you should look at software which has a good timesheet module.

Analyse your business and its needs
Review carefully and investigate the numerous packages.

Word of warning - never ever buy bespoke programming as you are then beholden to the software company. This is effectively giving the software company a license to print money at your expense.

Off the shelf is best and making the best use of the modules.

Regards

Ken

[email protected]


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By dclark
27th Jun 2003 13:40

Clear requests !
Georgina

The genuine problem with a comparison list is it ends up being a long line of ticks, that are in the end meaningless. David Carter has produced a more detailed summary of a number of products here on Accoutingweb, but not at the Quickbooks level

For example, suppose you were looking for a solution that needed multiple bins. Most solutions could have a tick there. But can any change the bin name (ie from A001 to H17) without creating a new bin, will the solution allow you to delete a bin with history this year, how many characters is it and can it be alpha-numeric, can you force bins on a product, can a product have multiple bins, can a product have multiple bins and a suggested bin, can it be used on any document or merely picking lists, etc, etc, etc.

I've previously written about having a clear view of what you want...the devil is always in the detail....don't be fooled by a tick list (and software companies intepretation of it)


Kind Regards

Daniel Clark
Ryba Macaulay Ltd
[email protected]

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By AnonymousUser
19th Jun 2003 16:35

TAS Books 1/2/3
We've installed this internally and for our clients.
It is very user friendly and easy to use.

The software has the following modules

Customers/Sales Ledger

Centrally maintains all your customers’ details and gives help to collect what’s due with aged invoice reports and statements.

Powerful account enquiry with full ‘drilldown’ means that you can simply doubleclick on any financial figure to reveal the underlying transaction details (invoice details, payments, VAT, analysis codes etc.)

3-Year monthly sales summaries for each individual customer with customisable 2D and 3D graphs.

Powerful reports include sales-by-day, customer sales analysis and statements (with remittance advices) that fit standard window envelopes.

Suppliers/Purchase Ledger

Here you record your supplier account details and credit limits etc. and control all financial business transactions related to your suppliers.

The system automatically tracks what you owe, to whom and when it’s due. It then makes payments easy with remittance advices that fit standard window envelopes.

Nominal Ledger

Getting started is easy. Wizards help you to setup your own income and expense analysis accounts.

Then, by simply recording your sales, purchases and cash transactions, the analysis accounts are automatically updated.

You can then produce detailed management accounts such as Analysis Reports, your Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss Statement, Trial Balance and more.

Unlimited history details and 3-year monthly summaries.

Cash & Bank

All payments and receipts are handled in one single and logical place. All you have to do is indicate if it’s Money-in or Money-out.

Powerful recurring transaction manager deals with all your standing orders and direct debits.

Slickest-ever bank reconciliation allows entries to be corrected, added and then re-sorted to exactly match your bank.

Bank enquiries, with full drill-down, will instantly show what a payment or receipt was for and which invoices it paid.

VAT100

VAT 100 forms are automatically printed together with a full audit trail. Subsequent ledger adjustments are automatically reported in the next VAT submission.

Goods & Services invoices

Supplier remittances

Bank reconciliation

On line help

Self Teach Tutorial

To Do Notes

Any other queries just email and I'll try to help.

[email protected]

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By cbales
19th Jun 2003 14:20

QuickBooks
Brian
All versions of QuickBooks include both purchase and sales ledger systems.

QuickBooks was designed from the ground up to be used by people who don't know anything about bookkeeping, and, what's more, don't want to learn the technical stuff either.

Users just fill in forms onscreen and the software does the technical debit and credit bit in the background.

Sales invoices can be printed straight onto either plain or preprinted stationery. The invoice style and content can easily be customised to individual requirements and can include logo graphics if desired.

Remittance advice notes for expenditure is optional and are designed for standard window 220 x 110 mm envelopes.

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By AnonymousUser
20th Jun 2003 10:53

Not plugging any particular software
Daniel

Having used/installed TAS, Sage, Quickbooks, Sunaccounts and numerous other packages, if a user is not able to utilise software such as Sage Instant, Quickbooks or even TAS 1.

Then sadly, I can only suggest that they receive training of some kind and help on the installation.

These software packages are incredibly easy to install/run as your own personal experience would bear witness to this and a person with some kind of common sense/practical ability would normally have no problem dealing with it.

Kind regards

Ken

[email protected]

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By dclark
19th Jun 2003 18:27

Eye of the user
Brian,

What to one user seems simple to another is a black art........

I'd guess the question from the client is "can I get something for as little as possible that does what I want", because fans of The Big Red Book, Quickbooks, Moneysoft, Sage Instant, MYOB, TAS, etc ,etc will all say there's is easiest.

I think it is fair to say that if your client cannot use one of the above, then nothing will be 'simple' enough. Start with those that offer 30day licences or even demo licences to see which hit the spot, but to be fair the investment in most of them is very little, so even a 'mistake' will teach the client everything they need to know

Kind Regards

Daniel Clark
Ryba Macaulay Ltd
[email protected]

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By AnonymousUser
27th Jun 2003 11:24

comparison
I have been trying to find a comparison table for SME bookkeeping software.

Didn't know it would be so elusive!

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

It needs to compare sage, tas, quickbooks, MYOB etc.....

Any help would be muchly appreciated.

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