Does anyone have an opinion of the suitability of NCH "Express Accounts" software for a vat-registered UK micro-business?
It's authored in Australia (one of an integrated suite of accounts/invoicing and stock-control programs) and distributed across the web; it's applicable to several countries' tax systems. I think it's free below a certain size of business, and fairly priced above that.
The client is considering using it as a no-cost option for moving from the Excel spreadsheet that her business currently runs on.
I haven't used it yet and I'd be interested in any view; I don't want her to trip up ...
My only experience of using it was in relation to a client who'd had his previous bookkeeper using it (the sentencing for her 12 counts of fraud is this week, but that's another story). Perhaps it was because the information that had been put in it was of poor quality but I found it nightmare to navigate round and use. It just seemed to be very hard to access the information that you were looking for.
It is however free (my favourite price), so it's going to have it's limitations. I think that TAS (owned by Sage) also do a free small business version you can download from their website. They certainly used to not too long ago, I'd be more inclined to lean towards that personally.
Ironically we have a few clients who we have moved away from Sage onto spreadsheets instead because they just found software too complicated and now love their new super easy accounts!
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Jenny
Responses are my opinion based on the information provided. All information should be thoroughly checked before being relied on.
I've been actively encouraging mine to abandon Sage.
The number of small businesses that buy an off the shelf accounting package or just start using one because the bank gave it to them is ridiculous.
I totally agree that Sage / quickbooks / etc. have a place but for people like IT consultants with absolutely no complexity and few transactions it's a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
For VT users there is VT Cashbook (another freebie) that can be given out to micro busineses. However, from my experiences to date I prefer to do all of the input myself rather than redo it once the client has messed it up... Then again, things are an awful lot easier to undo in VT than SAGE.
Shaun.
p.s. this is not an anti Sage post. it's an anti overly complex software of any variety being imposed on business owners post.
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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.
Giving it out free? Barclays are selling Sage One accounts to new small business customers ... My latest client went in to open a business account for the first time last week. She wouldn't have been prepared for the pitch (a pretty heavy selling pitch it was, too, she's told me) if I hadn't warned her to expect it.
I would have thought of suggesting VAT cashbook if it weren't for the fact that my client uses a Mac. There seem to be only a few accounts programs that run on Macs. Not being a Mac user myself (that's my wife's province) I don't feel overly qualified to advise her. The possible attraction of the Express Accounts is that it will run on both PCs and Macs.
