Is there a good 'stand alone' Company Secretarial software solution?

Is there a good 'stand alone' Company...

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We use Digita software and like it generally and have no plans to change. However we didn't like their Company Secretarial module and stopped using it last June.

We also use Xero for our own accounts, invoicing etc.

Can anyone suggest very good company secretarial (bureau) software?

To keep track of all the normal stuff, produce dividend minutes and so forth.

Either cloud or server based is fine.

Thanks 

Replies (25)

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By Jo Nokes
11th Apr 2016 18:03

company secretarial solution

Have a look at Inform Direct

Thanks (2)
By ireallyshouldknowthisbut
11th Apr 2016 18:07

.

Have you looked at using Companies House directly lately?

If you normally use software you might be surprised what you can just log on and do.

 

Thanks (1)
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By marks
11th Apr 2016 22:56

Inform Direct

We have a similar set up to you but use IRIS for accounts/tax and Xero for our own accounts/invoicing.

We could use IRIS Co Sec module but prefer Inform Direct.

You can do all your co sec work in Inform Direct, set up new companies, prepare div minutes and vouchers etc.

The layout of clients is in an easy to follow format showing whats due and when and gives traffic light colour coding for things that you either overdue (red), due in the next month (amber) and due after a month (green).  You can keep a track of all account and annual return due dates using it.

Although we use IRIS PM to keep a track of jobs we use Inform Direct to keep on top of what is due over the next few months.

Thanks (1)
Universe
By SteveOH
11th Apr 2016 23:19

Another vote for Inform Direct

I use it for all my limited company clients. It is so easy to use, produces all the required documents and quite simply does what it says on the tin.

Thanks (1)
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By free-rider
12th Apr 2016 09:00

Inform Direct.
Started to use it few weeks ago and regret only one thing – that haven`t started to use it earlier.
Very user friendly and great software in any respect.

Thanks (1)
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By newmoon
12th Apr 2016 09:39

Inform Direct it is then!

OK thanks everyone, that's a pretty clear result! I'll get in touch with Inform Direct.

I'm going to post two other questions here:

What's the best time recording software for accountants using Xero (we haven't found one yet and have tried a few).What's the best Sage to Xero data transfer solution?

So if you have any suggestions please let me know, or have a look at my other (separate) posts asking these questions.

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By Gary@ART
14th Apr 2016 10:50

First Order

FirstOrder Company Secretarial is very good.

It's a comprehensive cloud solution for managing all your company secretarial tasks. It includes an integrated companies formation service, online filing to Companies House and the ability to extract data from the Companies House database to auto populate and verify your records. 

www.fcls.co.uk

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Replying to Wilson Philips:
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By BJNATHAN
17th Apr 2016 16:10

Use First Order

<a href="mailto:Gary@ART">Gary@ART</a> wrote:

FirstOrder Company Secretarial is very good.

It's a comprehensive cloud solution for managing all your company secretarial tasks. It includes an integrated companies formation service, online filing to Companies House and the ability to extract data from the Companies House database to auto populate and verify your records. 

www.fcls.co.uk

We have used it for a year.  Reconmended to us buy an other accountant who also loves it.

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By vdeepan3
14th Apr 2016 11:11

Informdirect

Strongly recommend.. great product and great service.. Speak to Tom and he will help you set up the system. 

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Stewie
By Stewie Griffin
14th Apr 2016 11:31

Inform Direct

Started using Inform Direct around 6 months ago and I love it!

Support is brill (not that you need it).

Wish I'd known about it earlier!

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Paul Layte
By Paul Layte FCA
14th Apr 2016 11:35

Use Inform Direct

Strongly recommend Inform Direct. Henry and the team over there are super helpful as well. A rare cross of a great product and also great support. 

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By Cloudcounter
14th Apr 2016 11:44

First Order

We've been using First Order, and I don't much like it.  The user interface is clunky and not good to use.  I also think that the minutes and resolutions that the system produces are way too wordy and long winded.  Sure, they cover everything, but there's pages of it.  - 7 pages for declaration of a final dividend.

Trying Inform now and it looks very good

Thanks (1)
Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
14th Apr 2016 11:52

Inform Direct

Does Inform direct submit the abbrieviated accounts for you if so how does it link to your accounts software,or do you submit them direct accounts software to Co house.

Thanks (0)
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By AdShawBPR
14th Apr 2016 12:10

First Order

Same thing - use Digita for everything but hate their co sec software.  I've just switched to using First Order and I do really like it.  Dividend voucher docs are quite wordy (2 pages) but it's all very easy to use and I like the list of upcoming deadlines.  It can file the html accounts produced by other systems.  Support has been excellent and I like the fact that they came to my office to go through it - yes, a real person!  I am very happy with the software.

Thanks (1)
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By Richteab
14th Apr 2016 12:28

Jordans PC Sec

Used it for years with no problems

Thanks (1)
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By Cruncher42
14th Apr 2016 16:52

Inform Direct

We have just started using Inform Direct and have been highly impressed.

It has been really well thought through and put together plus they have pretty impressive customer service.

 

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Jamie Playford - Director and Licensed Insolvency Practitioner at www.leading.uk.com
By Jamie Playford
17th Apr 2016 19:14

Inform Direct

Been using for several months now and more features being added. Highly recommended and not overly priced. Very user friendly.

Thanks (0)
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By newmoon
27th Apr 2016 14:58

Can Inform direct do Minutes?

We're trying Inform direct and have been told that as yet it can't produce dividend minutes, but it will be able to, probably from June.

Is this correct? I'm really surprised that you can't do board minutes for interim dividends, or any other minutes (issue of shares etc.). 

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Replying to Paul D Utherone:
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By free-rider
27th Apr 2016 15:39

I`ve done it

newmoon wrote:
We're trying Inform direct and have been told that as yet it can't produce dividend minutes, but it will be able to, probably from June. Is this correct?

 

I`ve done minutes for the dividends and interim dividends few weeks ago using the Inform Direct. No problems at all.

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Replying to Duggimon:
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By newmoon
27th Apr 2016 16:24

Thanks and how please?

free-rider wrote:

newmoon wrote:
We're trying Inform direct and have been told that as yet it can't produce dividend minutes, but it will be able to, probably from June. Is this correct?

I`ve done minutes for the dividends and interim dividends few weeks ago using the Inform Direct. No problems at all.

Thanks. Would you be able to PM me how it's done please?

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Caroline
By accountantccole
27th Apr 2016 15:26

First Order

It is very user friendly.  They have refined some parts recently which has speeded up production of minutes etc.

My favourite part is the daily email reminding me of deadlines- you can set it for cos house and tax deadlines.  Very helpful

 

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By HUGH W DUNLOP
27th Apr 2016 19:12

Co Sec software.

Contact the ICSA at Waterman House, 41 Kingsway, London, WC2B 6TP PHONE 020 7497 5511.

Thanks (0)
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By Cloudcounter
28th Apr 2016 08:33

First Order v Iinform Direct update

We've used First Order for a year or so, and the two main problems are the user interface, which is very old fashioned and not intuitive, and the documentation which is comprehensive but far too wordy for my liking

We've trialled Inform Direct which has a much cleaner interface, and you can also control which team members can access which company.  However, it lags behind on documents.  For example you cannot print off a filled in share transfer form, which can easily be done in First Order.  The range of minutes and documents in First Order is much bigger.  To me, that's where the real time savings come in.  There is talk above about some documents being introduced in June, but I don't buy vapourware - we were told that they'd probably be ready for our trial this month, but that didn't happen, and it's clear from their response that share transfer forms are not on the horizon

We also had a minor annoyance with Inform in that it filed changes at Companies House automatically and without asking.  We made some trivial changes to the addresses of a director on import - the country of residence field wasn't completed, so we filled it in.  A change of details form was then filed without asking us.  It might be strictly correct, but I would have left notification until we did the annual return.  In the case in point, we changed the service address a couple of minutes later, and again the change was filed without asking.  I'd prefer a manual confirmation as the two matters could have been dealt with on one filing

So for the time being it's likely that we'll stick where we are.  Inform is prettier but offers less functionality and costs more.

 

Thanks (1)
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By chatman
24th Jan 2017 11:17

I paid for a confirmation statement in Inform Direct because we couldn't submit it electronically with the Companies House software, we were close to the deadline and the client was in Sweden. After taking my money, Inform Direct told me it couldn't send the confirmation statement electronically and I had to print it out and get it signed manually.

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Adrian Smart
By Adrian Smart
10th Jul 2017 18:26

First Order

OK first of all I'm biased as I work for them, but following the June 2017 changes we have introduced a filing centre which basically calculates who the PSC's are, and tells you what you need to file and by ticking the boxes and clicking submit it's done...couldn't be easier. The Filing Centre also lists what needs to be filed in addition to PSC's.
Also revamped interfaced brings it up-to-date visually.
Feel free to contact me for a chat - 07827 666142 or by email [email protected]

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