Hi,
My company currently uses Sage 50 Professional and our Accountant has recommended we start using Xero.
From what I have read about Xero (and gathered from using the free trial), its great software to work in collaboration with the Accountant but lacks a lot of depth/functionality compared to Sage and as a result data would have to be entered twice; as you can export information from Sage into Xero but not Xero into Sage.
Is there any thoughts in this from users of Xero and Sage?
Currently my company won't be changing from Sage, but I'm definitely interested in hearing about other software being used with Xero, like QuickBooks.
Thanks.
What do you want the software to do, and what is it that either can do that the other can't that would make it worth trying to run two sets of software in tandem (and also paying for two lots of software?) It's not impossible, obviously, but the potential for complications and discrepancies between the two systems, not to mention the additional work would make me very hesitant. (I use Sage and Xero, and quite a few others and they all have their benefits and drawbacks)
Apart from your accountant being able to see your "live" data, the main benefit of using Xero would be to take advantage of some of it's automatic features, which would be largely pointless if you then had to recreate that in Sage.
(You can export data from Xero, but you would need to manipulate it into a suitable format to import it into Sage)
(Quickbooks isn't really used *with* Xero either; Quickbooks is just another bookkeeping software option, like Sage, Xero, Kashflow et al - but perhaps you meant you were considering a switch to Quickbooks as an alternative?)
If you are happy with Sage, and it does all you need it to, what is the need for change? (other than your accountant's suggestion?) On the other hand, if you really like Xero and want to be online, but it doesn't quite fit the bill, have you looked to see if any of the "add-ons" would plug the gap in the functionality you need (What functionality is missing in Xero, that you would need?)
There isnt any point in running SAGE alongside Xero as would be duplicating the work. What you need to work out is what you want from your accounts system.
The advantages of a "cloud" system like; SAGEone, kashflow and xero are the following
1. Easy for non accountants to use
2. Can be used from any browser facility eg laptop, desktop, ipad, ipod, mobile etc.
3. Accountant and client can work on the same information at the same time
4. No need for back ups, update software etc.
The advantage of a desktop package like Quickbooks, SAGE are as follows:
1. More functionality and better reports
2. Easier for accountants to use
3. Cant think of any more of the top of my head.
I was at the accountex exhibition in London on Thursday and Friday and the buzz is that the profession is changing and that in the next 10 years most of accounts will be done on a cloud based package with clients taking more of an actvie involvement in maintaining their records. Mainly on the basis that the entrepreneurs of tomorrow will have grown up in the internet/facebook/tablet/apple era and be very IT savvy.
There are also a few clever technology advances that I think will make traditional bookkeeping tasks redundant eg your traditional shoe box client where you post the bank statements into your accounts software and take maybe or a day or two to do will probably be made redundant by technology development by the like's of ocrex. If what they package does what it says then will turn a 7 hour job into a 30 min job. I even bought a package to try on a few of my clients.
