Quickbooks Proadvisor - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Quickbooks Proadvisor

Amanda · Expert

Kris,
Once you get the hang of QB you will love it, it just takes abit of time. Are you a sage user at all? I do abit of both so can switch between the 2. I haven't tried VT as I haven't had the need for it.

Also I sent you an email the other day, (sorry a lenthly one), did you get it?cheers

-- Edited by Amanda on Wednesday 4th of July 2012 11:19:09 PM

Amanda · Expert

It would have been cheaper just to pay the £99 when it was on offer!

My Pro 2008, I have had since it came out 4 years ago, and I felt I didn't need to upgrade it but the staples offer was so good I had to get one. I dont' do payroll through QB as its too expensive and thats when they insist on you upgrading everytime something new comes out! So if you take the payroll out of it the QB package will last you a long time.

Just give me a call when you want some help on it.

-- Edited by Amanda on Wednesday 4th of July 2012 11:24:07 PM

kjmcculloch83 · Expert

yeah, cheers for that Amanda. The offer was just after I signed up. I was pig sick. I never received your email, give it another go when you get a chance.

Kris

-- Edited by kjmcculloch83 on Wednesday 4th of July 2012 11:24:49 PM

Sammy76 · Senior Member

Does anyone have this/subscribe to it? I know the initial software you get is pretty substantial, but what do you get after that? Do you have to return the software if you cancel or pay the difference of what the software is worth to what you have already paid? Is Quickbooks easy to use if you are Sage trained? Are the nominal codes all the same?

kjmcculloch83 · Expert

I do, but if I knew then what I know now I'd have saved my money. All I have found out is how much I dislike the software. As far as I know I've signed up for a year, after that the software is mine, before that they'll chase me to the ends of the earth for their money.

The support is the worst I've ever seen. I may be being unfair, but I just dont have the time right now to learn a new package. I know the API seems to be good, if you ever need it.

Kris

Sammy76 · Senior Member

See now I'm confused. I have to drop the LOEs off at my clients tonight and I need to tell him whether I am going to put his stuff on Sage or QBs.

kjmcculloch83 · Expert

Quickbooks is cheaper, but I've got to say, why not use VT Transaction. It's even cheaper, easier to use and a lot more versatile. I got quickbooks for a specific client, and never used it for them. If you've never tried it drop me an email and I'll send you a download link for a trial of quickbooks.

Amanda swears by it, and is on hand for any questions.

Kris

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

kjmcculloch83 wrote:
I got quickbooks for a specific client, and never used it for them.

I did the same Kris. Luckily I managed to get the client onto VT after I realised that they had been using QB but really didn't need to.

I'd not even opened the QB that I bought (QB 2010) and sold it for more than twice the price that I'd paid for it when 2012 came out. biggrin biggrin biggrin

Well, that paid a fair chunk of my VT accounts licence for the year.

Sammy76 · Senior Member

I've just downloaded a trial for VT+ but you can't do invoices on it which I need to be able to do.

kjmcculloch83 · Expert

I don't, but I'm pretty sure you can. Again if you want the quickbooks trial let me know. I don't know why they don't put it on their site.

Kris

Sammy76 · Senior Member

my email address is srbookkeeping@hotmail.co.uk. Intuit sent me a trial but I can't download it for some reason.

kjmcculloch83 · Expert

You can create an invoice in VT Transaction + by clicking SIN that is underlined.

Kris

Sammy76 · Senior Member

I downloaded the VT+ and cash book trial. I can use CB but it won't let me look at VT+ without a license key, despite it being a free trial.

kjmcculloch83 · Expert

When you open it, it will say how many days you have left of the trial, just click no and it will start.

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

As for not letting you use VT that means that you've downloaded it before more than sixty days ago onto that machine even if you didn't use it after you downloaded it.

Do you have another machine that you can use?

Sammy76 · Senior Member

I was being a numpty and clicked on yes to register it. It looks ok and very easy to use but need to compare with QB first I think. I tried importing my invoice layout from word but it wouldn't allow me to - is there a way to do this?

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

not to my knowledge but that doesn't mean that there isn't.

My understanding is that you need to set up your templates fresh within VT.

I've not been using VT for invoicing myself but as of tomorrow I'm going to start so fingers crossed I'll be more use to you for advice around this by the weekend.

Tomorrows learning period (I always set aside at least one hour every day) was going to be about using QMS for CT600's but such are the best laid plans of mice and men. That's been bumped and it's now about playing with the templates so that I don't do my invoicing external to VT.

Amanda · Expert

Hi,

Like Kris says I love QB's, its so easy to use I can do it with my eyes closed and the reports are just brilliant. The reports are far better than sage. I was Sage trained along time ago and I didn't have a problem picking up QB, infact I've been self taught.

You can customise your invoices on QB's, its abit of fiddling around, but then you can save it and use the same one everytime. Also you can import a logo as well, don't know if VT will allow that or not as I don't use it. I once had to create an invoice for a client and import their logo and it looked brilliant when I have finished, far more professional than the rubbish they had made up.

I have just bought QB Pro2012 from staples when it was on offer for £99, that was a bargain and I can have 99 companies on it for that (I wish). The support is rubbish, but you don't need to be bothering with it just come on here and someone will answer your question. There are a few of us on here that use it, Pauline, myself, Shelia, and a few more. So don't be afraid to ask.

HTH

kjmcculloch83 · Expert

I may need to get you to give me training Amanda. I can see it could be good, but just don't know where to start. I guess now I'm paying £40 per month I should get my arse in gear.

Kris

Sammy76 · Senior Member

Thanks. I saw my client and he wanted Sage because his accountant mentioned it and its the only one he's heard of. But I have told him about QB & VT and he is going to check with his accountant as to whether they use them at all. I'm still undecided between the two at the moment until I can get a trial of QB that I can use.

Amanda · Expert

I will type it out again in the morning, I wanted to pick your brains about phones etc. The office is a goer I have the keys!
Your turn next for an office. I'm not moving in there just yet though, I'm helping the other person set theres up first. (sharing it)

I deleted the email as I was cleaning up my emails today, I get so many of them.

kjmcculloch83 · Expert

Well done. It looks like I have just taken on my first actual employee, finalising things this week. The on again, off again office saga is now up in the air. With a meeting I had earlier I am now actively expanding my services into another area, and going to use my office deposit money on a big advertising campaign. Looks like the good old 'shed' will need to do a bit longer.

I'll check my junk mail tomorrow just in case.

Kris

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Amanda wrote:
Also you can import a logo as well, don't know if VT will allow that or not

Hi Amanda,

yes it will although not tried it myself yet.

Also as with QB you can reformat your invoices and save the templates for later use.

Going to be having a play with the invoicing function in the morning.

talk soon,

Shaun.

kjmcculloch83 · Expert

I had a look today Shaun, and it's really easy. Just add the logo in setup > Company Properties and click the logo tab. There didn't look to be much customisation of the invoices, but this isn't something I've used as my CRM does this for me.

Kris

Jane Kelly · Veteran Member

Hi Sam,

It's been interesting reading this thread.
Just to throw something else into the mix - Sam have you looked at Sage One? This is Sage's online accounting software and whilst it started out as being very basic, it is improving all the time. There is 24/7 support included in the monthly price.
They have a great invoicing function, which is really easy to add your own logos and provides a professional look for your client.
You can access their accounts via the Accountant Edition and make adjustments and run VAT returns etc...

You can get a free 30 days trial if you want to have a look at it. It might just keep your client happy, if he/she insists on using Sage.

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi all,

just to confirm that I deleted some of my bank receipts from VT and replaced them with sales invoices (which automatically recreates the bank receipt when you clear the receipt).

all very, very easy, goes through very smoothly and makes the bank rec a doddle leaving me thinking why didn't I do it this way in the first place!

As I say, still learning about VT which is one of those products where there are often several ways to achieve the same goal.

I'm sure that this won't be the last time that I find an easier way of doing things than I currently employ.

kind regards,

Shaun.

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Jane,

sure that Sage one is a great product but the issue is that I for one don't trust Sage not to sucker you in with a low price product and then change to pay per client as per Sage 50.

My belief is that if you purchase a product it is yours to use as you see fit, not be taxed by Sage on the basis of how you use it.

I appreciate that Sage One doesn't fall into this category at the moment but Sage's past behaviour has shot themselves in the foot for trusting them in the future.

Its only through independant sites such as this one where people can be shown that Sage is a good option but it's not the essential that Sage would have one believe.

My practice is commited to being Sage free until they change their pricing policy for accountancy professionals.

I don't mind paying a lot of money for their product per user but don't then put limitations on how I can use it.

If everyone adopted the same approach then they would have no choice but to change company policy... Of course, if others decided to dump Sage they might realise that there aree actually other very good products out there (of which VT is just one) and not go back.

the above isn't anything against yourself, it's purely an anti Sage tax stance.

kind regards,

Shaun.

kjmcculloch83 · Expert

I'm with Shaun on this one Jane. Sage will hook you, skin you and throw you away. Trust them not.

Shaun, go back a post. Explain it again will you?

Cheers

Kris

Sammy76 · Senior Member

That's actually my problem with Sage at the moment. I have an old Sage Line 50 copy and an old Instant Accounts (I have a newer one too but thats for the AAT course and not for clients) but rather than allowing me to upgrade as such they want me to pay outright again, and want additional money for each company I add. If I was a new customer it actually would work out cheaper - much like if I wanted to upgrade my sky box lol.

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Kris,

normally I use VT by entering everything using the P+R option or a journal.

I had one set of VT books that had only a few Fee receipts so I deleted those and then went to the Sales Invoice option (this was after I hived away a backup of the data of course!).

I created the customer which hadn't been necessary under my previous approach and then entered the seven invoices for the receipts that I had just deleted.

The VAT on the receipts had already been locked as I had done the VAT return for that quarter so I also deleted that.

For each Sales Invoice I then went to the Customer Screen and clicking on each entry (not in the blue area) you get an additional receipt button which I hit for each one filling in the receipt date.

The software took care of all of the receipts and VAT movements perfectly and then I redid the quarters VAT return.

Each of the invoices has a little page icon next to in and you can easily click on that and print the invoice.

I ran the whole lot through VT Accounts before and after coming out with identical P&L, B/S, Notes, etc.

The seven lots of fee's including learning time, setting up the customer, playing with the VAT and doing the comparitive testing took me just under 50 minutes. If I repeated the excercise I could see it taking less than ten mins and if it wasn't for backing out stuff that I had already done and performing the comparrisons I reccon that we are talkings less than a minute an invoice.... It really is that simple.

The templates for invoices are fine and look very professional when printed. Put them onto pre printed stationary and they really would look the bee's knee's.

The help facility was quite good around this area even though I think that I could have probably worked it out without it.

All in all another 10/10 for VT on Invoice production and ease of changing data that had already been completed.

HTH,

Shaun.

kjmcculloch83 · Expert

Ah right, thought I had missed something. I have a client who pays on credit for a lot and use that screen loads, but for most like you I just use the P+R.

Kris

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Bill,

teacher training day! just over a week before the lazy sods get a six week holiday.

Anyway, must avoid the desire to spend the whole day on here and treat it as a training day myself.

Need to watch some Open Tuition F6 (Taxation) lectures as Mike fills in the gaps in the bits and bobs that we don't tend to use but should really know. He also has a rather ammusing anacdote or two that tends to get thrown into the lectures which fr most subjects stops them becoming dry.

here's a link...

http://opentuition.com/acca/f6/acca-f6-lectures/

There are 70 lectures all told but like myself I'm sure that you don't need to watch all of them Bill (Teachers should really try doing this for a living if they want to know what learning is!).

1 Introduction to ACCA Paper F6 exam and the syllabus
2 Introduction to Income tax computation
3 Example 2
4 Example 3 and 5
5 Example 7
6 Personal age allowances
7 Example 16
8 Introduction
9 Lease Premiums
10 Tax Adjusted Trading Profit Individuals: Introduction
11 Tax Adjusted Trading Profit Individuals Example 1
12 Capital Allowances Introduction
13 Capital Allowances Example 1
14 Capital Allowances Example 2
15 Capital Allowances Short life assets
16 Capital Allowances Example 9
17 Capital Allowances Special rate pool Example 11
18 Trading Profit Basis Periods Introduction
19 Trading Profit Basis Periods part 2
20 Change of accounting date
21 Basis periods for capital allowances
22 Trading Loss Reliefs
23 Tax Adjusted Trading Losses Example 3
24 Tax Adjusted Trading Losses Example 6
25 Partnerships Introduction
26 Partnerships continued
27 Deductibility of expenses
28 Assessable Benefits
29 Assessable Benefits P11D Employees
30 Employment income
31 Pension schemes
32 Pension schemes continued
33 National Insurance Contributions NIC
34 NIC Self-employed earners
35 Corporation tax
36 Calculation of Corporation Tax Liability
37 Calculation of Corporation Tax Liability continued
38 Long Period of Account
39 Tax adjusted Trading Losses: Companies
40 Tax adjusted Trading Losses Examples
41 Chargeable Gains: Companies part 1
42 Chargeable Gains: Companies part 2a
43 Chargeable Gains: Companies part 2b
44 Chargeable Gains: Companies Chattels
45 Chargeable Gains: Companies Shares
46 Bonus issues and Rights issues part a
47 Bonus issues and Rights issues part b
48 Corporation Tax: Groups part 1
49 Corporation Tax: Groups part 2
50 Corporation Tax: Groups part 3
51 Corporation Tax: Groups part 4
52 Overseas Aspects Companies part 1
53 Overseas Aspects Companies part 2
54 CGT Individuals Part 1
55 CGT Individuals Part 2
56 CGT Shares Example 1
57 CGT Shares Example 4 and 5
58 CGT Reliefs Example 1
59 CGT Rollover and Holdover Relief
60 CGT Gift Relief
61 CGT Incorporation Relief
62 PPR Relief
63 Inheritance Tax part 1
64 Inheritance Tax part 2
65 Inheritance Tax part 3
66 Inheritance Tax part 4
67 VAT part 1
68 VAT part 2:VAT Returns
69 VAT part 3: VAT Small Business Schemes
70 VAT part 4: Group VAT Registration, Imports and Exports

Have fun!

Shaun.

-- Edited by Shamus on Friday 6th of July 2012 12:53:10 PM

Wella · Expert

Hi Shaun

Don't know if you spotted that in the SIN mode, in the customer reference you can recall a previous reference, and on the main body of the invoice you can recall either what was entered on the previous invoice, or from the previous invoice for the selected account, which really saves time if you invoice you clients the same each month (or a variation).

Changing the invoice layout is reasonably easy too (certainly easier than Sage). For my own I have added my own logo, contact details, T&Cs, a permanent foot note and more. If you happen to use preprinted headed paper, you can select and click out the header that is normally printed to plain paper.

I used a copy of the original service template, rather than alter the original.

The only thing I haven't sussed yet, is how to customise, or change the other reports templates, or how to print a customer, or supplier detail list

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Wella wrote:
or how to print a customer, or supplier detail list

Hi Bill,

this was the reason that people were worried about dropping points in the computerised ICB exam by using the VT software as it doesn't seem to be an included option.

As the data is readable by Excel I think that it would be possible to build a Macro to build these missing reports.

Unfortunately I'm a bit too busy at the moment but it's definitely something that I'll slip onto the "To Do" list for the future.

Consider yourself an unpiad Beta Tester when I do wink

kind regards,

Shaun.

P.S. I did have a paly with the formatting of invoices yesterday. Only thing that I didn't do was add a Logo but I did see where to do it.

All in all this product really never fails to impress.

Wella · Expert

Blimey have I over slept?

It's only midday, and you are online Shaun!

I am constantly finding little (good) quirks in VT.

Wella · Expert

Only got as far as Introduction to Income tax computation, and fell asleep.

That was just reading the list biggrin

Good luck

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Just started listening to it and unfortunately its not Mike Little that's the lecturer for this one :(

3mins in and I'm bored already!

The lectures are so different when Mike is trying to teach accounting to Eastern European big four student accountants.