I am working for a small Company who currently employ a company to do their bookkeeping but the aim is for me to bring it in house.
I am busy looking at the different software packages and feedback seems to suggest that Quickbooks is favoured over Sage (this is from several accountants feedback) but there seems to be a distinct move towards web based products such as Kashflow.
The Company is in it's early days we we trade overseas so alot of receipts in foreighn currencies. VAT registered and employinng 8 people.
Any advice on preferred software would be appreciated
I am a fan of QB but I don't know if the Pro 2010 version is multi currency or not, I think you maybe able to upgrade to Multi currency?
Their payroll package is expensive and when a new version of QB comes out you have to upgrade, so for Payroll I would use 12Pay, its cheap to purchase the annual license and support is good and complies with HMRC etc.
Sage instants is cheaper than the Sage 50 (think its called something else now), but Sage instants only does 1 company and I don't know if the latest version os multi currency, maybe someone will be on here later who knows more about sage than me. QB is similar to Sage, I only have Sage instants for 1 client, but the reports on QB Pro are brilliant. Ask what there accountant would like you to use?
I haven't used any online software so can't comment on it.
Sage over Quickbooks all the time from me Im afraid. Most queries with sage come back to user knowledge and ease of reports rather than sage capability. Have used quickbooks and as previous mentioned I would hesitate in using any software that does not produce an audit trail, especially if multi users of the accounts system. Knowing anyone can delete a transaction and it is not easily traceable - found this a bit scary. Kashflow - used a little and found ok - there are a few articles on the fact it doesn't give a full bank reconcile. Always a bit concerned on how you would stand if one of these web based providers cease to trade.
Sage do an online system sageone - if you are interested in this let me know and I can go through pricing. - not sure if could cope with foreign currency - unless you require this facility I usually just enter once the payment has been made/received therefore you have the £ equivalent. Foreign Currency can be slightly complicated as you can only pay/receive in currency invoiced (ie if you have a euro customer - you need a euro bank). Becomes complicated when the sterling bank is used to pay Euros etc.
Same with purchase of sage - you would need Sage 50 professional for foreign trade - otherwise can purchase lower.
Payroll - only 1 company so could buy a sage - would need yearly updates however this would be with any software, I would personally never recommend trying to do own updates. Also, will only be a matter of time before it is required to declare monthly rather than yearly.
12 pay seems popular but never used it. could always use an outsourced payroll bureau ! Happy to quote.
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Donna Curling - Complete Book-Keeping Ltd (CBKLtd) - 07939 101900
I'm with Donna and would choose SAGE every time. When I first started out I used both SAGE and QuickBooks. I also work for an accountant part-time who used to suggest QBs to his clients until we saw the mess that they got themselves into - it is very much easier to delete or alter something in QBs than it is in SAGE, but very often they lived to regret it later!
I have been looking at cloud accounting packages and have come down to two possibilities - Xero and KashFlow. I was very keen to try SageOne but on investigation found that it's was very limiting in its functionality and is impossible to add any additional categories to the Balance Sheet section. It's possibly best for a very small company but very has little scope for growing, at the moment. I was told it was continually evolving!
A couple of weeks ago I was asked by an existing client to consider using Xero for his company. I contacted Xero via Twitter over the last bank holiday weekend and by Tuesday pm was being shown round the package by the Sales Development Manager remotely. I am very impressed by the capabilities of the package and there are many reports available to be able to do the number crunching. Certainly worth a look at if you are thinking of going this way. (I can let you have contact details for him if you need them.)
As for payroll I use Moneysoft Payroll Manager which I find to be excellent and not so expensive as SAGE. Incidently, 12Pay interacts with Xero apparently so there's another option.
Just a thought - it would be worth asking your company's accountant as to which package they will support as you don't want to use something that they can't work with, although I should think you've already done this!
Just a minor correction; 12Pay interacts with KashFlow, not Xero (and 12Pay can produce a Sage Audit Trail import file, with a QB NL import file on the horizon). But I've heard good things about both Xero and Arithmo too. As a low cost desktop rival to Sage and QB several of our users have said that they get on very well with Solar Accounts.
I wouldn't worry about a software package that has specially facilities for foreign currencies. I have come across too many companies who use Sage and they don't know how to use the currency facilities correctly so make a total mess of it. (I know a bookkeeper who changed the currency settings as a parting gesture to the company she left as they would not give her a pay rise - to say that it made a mess of the VAT returns was a major understatement!)
I'm a great believer in keeping it simple - that way if someone makes an error (which is surprisingly easy to do when dealing with currencies) - it is easy to find and correct!
I do have one client that insists in invoicing and banking in different currencies using his accounting package and he uses VT transaction+. Once I figured out the settings he needed (as I had never used them before myself - so it made me realise how easy it was to use) and went through it with him, he found it very easy to understand and use.
-- Edited by YLB-HO on Saturday 7th of May 2011 03:15:30 PM
Have you looked at online packages? Xero.com is fantastic! Much quicker than Sage & QB. Don't like either of these but am forced to use them because seems Accountants love them. I get my clients bookkeeping done in half the time using Xero. There is a final accounts package with it also so not an issue. Check it out www.xero.com. Many more Accountants using Xero and is growing daily. Sage will be considered "Old School" in a few years!!
Take a look at H A Bookkeeping Online. If yiur client is a new business and has no credit status with suppliers, why would you want a purchase ledger? Just run the transactions through on an extended trail balance, using the cashbook. Pdf invoices can be sent from the software. There is full support by way of support screens and videos. You can also email me directly. Yes, you guessed it. Its marketed by my Practice, HAB Acciuntancy Ltd.. just google H A Bookkeeping.
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Janem wrote:
I am working for a small Company who currently employ a company to do their bookkeeping but the aim is for me to bring it in house.
I am busy looking at the different software packages and feedback seems to suggest that Quickbooks is favoured over Sage (this is from several accountants feedback) but there seems to be a distinct move towards web based products such as Kashflow.
The Company is in it's early days we we trade overseas so alot of receipts in foreighn currencies. VAT registered and employinng 8 people.
Any advice on preferred software would be appreciated
