Hi can anyone help! I have just completed my bookkeeping studies and a friend who is starting a plumbling business has asked me to do her accounts. (This will be my first client).
I don't have a computer software package as yet, expect for excell. Would this be sufficient to input her accounts? As I am thinking about the double entry side of each entry.
Sorry if I sound dim; I am new to this profession.
Excel is not bad, depends on how much time you need to spend on the books I guess. Are you an experienced Excel user?
Why don't you look at some of the cheap(er) online bookkeeping software packages. Most of them give you a free trial for the first couple of months to help keep the costs down.
Why don't you look at some of the cheap(er) online bookkeeping software packages. Most of them give you a free trial for the first couple of months to help keep the costs down.
Hi
As James says, why not look at some free software.
If you are used to Sage Line 50, do not be put off of VT, as it is completely different in the way it does things, and what it can and can't do.
It took me ages to get use to it (well VT Transactions - but it's similar). Now I know my way round it, I will only use other software, where I have to
There is another thread where Shamus said he does custom Excel spreadsheets for fellow bookkeepers at £35 an hour. Not sure if he still does or if it's overkill for your needs anyway.
I use it, but prefer Google Docs to be honest. Then again, I only deal with sole traders and outsource my CIC books to the accountant.
The £35 per hour is for Macro programming to automate processes using Excel.
For example, last one that I did was a one key automation for reading in data downloaded from a SAP system and producing a full set of aged debtor reports and associated statistical analysis in Excel. Took me three full days (and nights!) to fully automate and test bringing the process down to less than five minutes that was previously taking two people a week plus to prepare and meant that the credit control department could have daily credit report updates rather than monthly resulting in a 60% decrease in aged debt in the first month of use (so had a very happy credit control manager whose bonus was more than my fee's!).
Just knocking up spreadsheets I charge my bookkeeping rate of £20 per hour (VAT inclusive) but for people in this profession I think that considering the expected inherent knowledge of Excel it makes bringing in my services to sort out spreadsheets pretty much overkill. (mostly the companies who bring me in to sort out spreadsheets are the banks and management consultancies).
If people are really stuck with an Excel function always willing to offer a helping hand for free on here (provided that I have the time which sometimes unfortunately (or fortunately for my bank balance!) I don't).
kind regards,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
That's good info to know, I tried to learn macros at uni and got completely lost. That was back in the days of 3.1 so probably not much use now anyway.
