The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Rosemary on July 04, 2014, 02:34:04 pm
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Can anyone recommend a simple accounting package? It needs to do VAT returns and allow me to allocate invoices between different enterprises.
It also has to be completely idiot proof and easy to use.
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A bin !
Simple to use , scew up paper , aim and throw .
Job done . Also makes an excellent source of fire lighting material .
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I always used Quickbooks for my small business. Found it very good once I'd got to grips with it's quirks. VAT returns were a doddle. I suspect that most people now go for SageOne
https://shop.sage.co.uk/sageoneaccounts.aspx (https://shop.sage.co.uk/sageoneaccounts.aspx)
as Sage is sort of the defacto staondard like Microsoft Word.
It wouldn't be hard to set up a decent spread sheet and some people recommend this (No knowledge myself)
http://www.vtsoftware.co.uk/cashbook/index.htm (http://www.vtsoftware.co.uk/cashbook/index.htm)
Personally I'd go down the Sage route and pay a bit more in the knowledge that your VAT ruturns are hassle free.
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I use Quickbooks and I have no accounting background at all. VAT and end of year accounts are a doddle.
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I used quickbooks when I was vat registered and found it very easy and still use it for my accounts - lots of sage versions if you want more options - personally I wanted things kept simple.
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I tried Quickbooks and hated it, although it's the one my accountant recommended. I get a bit panicky out of my comfort zone - like learning new software - so maybe I didn't give it enough time. It seemed awfully complicated though.
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I tried Quickbooks and hated it, although it's the one my accountant recommended. I get a bit panicky out of my comfort zone - like learning new software - so maybe I didn't give it enough time. It seemed awfully complicated though.
I didn't find it the most intuitive that's why I called it quirky.
However, it does all fall into place especially if you set up a mock set of accounts first (i.e. a somewhere you can do no harm) before going live with your real accounts. I don't have it now (retired) but seem to recall saving my old files when I knew things were correct then if I made real errors I could just overite the current file with the 'backup one' ( a bit like a restore point in Windows) without having to do lots of corrections.
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Try Liberty Accounts - £13 a month, complete support at all stages by email, text or phone, also backed up every night so you never lose anything (perhaps not necessary with Dan readily available though) I've just gone back to work to help out a friend and fell right back into it straight away. I
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I hate sage and quick books, why accountant recommend them to non accountants I have no idea! They are both quirky and need background knowledge of book keeping and how to lay out a set of accounts to set them up.
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I hate sage and quick books, why accountant recommend them to non accountants I have no idea! They are both quirky and need background knowledge of book keeping and how to lay out a set of accounts to set them up.
I agree. My previous accountant provided a wee database that was SOOOOO simple, did VAT returns, P&L, Trading accounts and stuff. It was so simple but it was not so good for any management information - say I bought sheep, pig and poultry feed on one invoice - there was no facility to attribute these to different enterprises so I had to keep a spreadsheet as well. And I hate double work.
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Use Google they have all you need.
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I think Cashflow Manager might suit what you need, they also have excellent telephone support available on a yearly subscription which I think is about £70/year.
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I had a package called Money Manager 6. Probably been updated now but you could do VAT and allocate different codes to items and separate them. Much simpler and cheaper than Sage -£80 I paid I think. But it won't run on a Mac, so it went with our old computer. Made my income tax returns a 15 minute job every year.
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we tried sage, and helen hated it, she went back to the good old book system
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I take it you need more than Excel?
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I take it you need more than Excel?
Probably not, tbh
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Might be the best option then.
A simple Petty Cash book, with analysis columns, to tie up with a proper cash tin for small amounts
A simple Cash book (Bank book really :innocent: - cheques and direct payments out, pay ins and direct incoming transfers in) with the same headings.
Folio columns for reference points
Totals vertical and horizontal to balance.
Bank reconciliation to tie up with bank statements.
Link cash book and petty cash book column totals to a Profit & Loss Account and a Balance Sheet if you need one.
Keep ALL receipts, don't leave things to memory - you'll forget!
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I run a business on excel sheets too, have done so for over 10 years.
I have tried accounting software but it just does my head in. A spreadsheet is just like a good old cashbook, except that it adds up the sums for you automatically.
It was my accountant who actually recommended I just use excel (he does my year-end accounts off that, I do the monthly book keeping, and my own VAT returns)
My set up looks like this:
Two tabs/pages, ins and outs.
I download bank statements onto excel, and use that as the basis (the 'gross' column) on both pages (separate out credits & debits with simple sorting)
On each page I have a separate column for any cash transactions, and a separate column for VAT.
Then I run more columns off to the right with different cost (or income) categories (e.g. fuel, feed, vet fees, etc) where I repeat amounts from the main columns just so that I can get a breakdown of all the different types of expense. Those side columns are net, i.e. I take off the VAT and put that in the VAT column.
There is a totals line at the bottom, that in each column reconciles the bank statement, the cash box, the VAT received or payable, and totals for the various cost or income posts.
I have some simple formulas at the bottom (i.e. tell excel with boxes from both pages to add up) to get me the figures I need to put in the VAT return.
It really is very simple but it works.
(perhaps it doesn't sound so simple if 'narrated' as above - happy to send a template by pm if anyone is interested)
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I actually write accounting software and I would recommend using an excel spreadsheet too!.
The problem I have in writing software is it ends up being too complicated because I am trying to fit into the needs of many different businesses.
Also it needs to be fully audited so its not easy to correct those little typos without following a set procedure - I think its the same for most software.
Because the law changes from time to time it always needs to be kept up to date and therefore is never going to be cheap.
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Excel (especially Excel 2010) is a wonderful thing. And if you need a formula- google will generally tell you the answer. Accounting software or systems, are only as good as they have been built or designed, and how well they fit your business. You could actually build your own system in excel that fits what you want.
Beth
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OK. Excel it is then :-)
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Mmhh... Does anybody know whether the open office version of spreadsheets does the job as well?
(I'm currently working part time for a small business - shop - and since the owner realised that I am not afraid of paper work and can actually handle numbers, I've been helping with the book keeping. However, everything is still being done as it was when the shop started, and that was almost 100 years ago... My fingers itch with wanting to pull it into the 21st century! It could all be done so much quicker. But I don't have excel at home - don't know what it costs these days, and open office has always been good enough for my personal needs.)
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Yes, the Open Office spreadhseet is very similar to excel, it shoul certainly do the job for accounting :thumbsup:
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happy to send a template by pm if anyone is interested
Yes please.
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happy to send a template by pm if anyone is interested
Yes please.
Let me know if you need any help :wave: