I've got a client hurray!! And now I'm full of doubt as well!!
My client is a joinery manufacturer, most clients are private and pay cash. He also has a trade counter where people come and buy plumbing bits and bobs, again most pay cash. He has maybe 5/6 clients that have an account and they are settled at 30 days eom.
He's on cash accounting for VAT and this is where my doubt is coming in. He currently has manual books, literally big red books where he writes everything down but he would like everything putting onto computer. Everything is neat and orderly its not a bag of receipts job, all invoices are numbered and neatly filed so I don't have masses to do ordering things
If there are 40 purchases a month, maybe 30 sales and the wages to enter up what package would you use? Is it too much for excel, I do have MS Accounting and am looking at Sage. I've used Sage a lot and would probably be happiest using that but I'm not sure its the best option.
I am thinking of putting all the clients that pay when the job is complete on one account and then the others that have credit, giving them their own account to make the VAT returns easier. Can anyone see a pitfall with this?
Sorry for all the questions, its my first client and although I've 15 years experience I am doubting myself now!
Hi, Well done on getting your client! Although I do use SAGE instants for a clients I use Quickbooks Pro 2008 for the rest. Sage instants although I do not have a probelm with it it only allows one client, and when I set up I couldn't afford SAGE line 50 prices. Quickbooks Pro 2008 is alot cheaper and allows you to have up to 99 clients companies on there. If you have used SAGE regulary then you shouldn't have as problem with Quickbooks they are very similar just a slightly different format. Quickbooks is produced by Intuit (american). Its the same as SAGE in that it calculates the VAT. You can add payroll to quickbooks as well. The payroll I have used and was very easy to understand. I've never delt with a manufacturer before with a trade counter so not sure the best way forward.
The views expressed in this post are my own personal (HRA protected) views, and are not representative of any organisation I have any involvement with.
