Hi all, I've been searching these forums for a while now and never posted anything so be gentle :D!!
There is a big number of posts on software, but I'm still so undecided as to which way to go! I do the books for my neighbour, but being such a small bakery business and pretty much everything in cash, I've only used excel for his work.
I'm now heading onto the Level II Bookkeeping Certificate and just can't decide which software would be best to use!!! There doesn't appear to be much in the way of help for QuickBooks as in step by step guides for the UK, but it would appear that QB seems to be a big favourite amongst most and would do the job I need it to do. Sage however, there seems to be a lot more help and I'm wondering whether I should just use Sage full stop even just to get me through the exam. Sage seems so expensive, but a step by step book guide appears to be invaluable and more beneficial for the exam. Pulling my hair out, please help!!!!
The issue in the UK is that regardless as to whether or not you use Sage you need to know how to use it as you will come accross it so many times with clients (even if such is just to take the information off Sag to put into a diferent bit of software).
With Sage you very much pay per client (You buy blocks of clients).
Quickbooks and VT have unlimited clients but are not so widely used and as you've already found UK QB guides are as rare as Unicorn droppings.
There is a UK version of the dummies guide which is very basic but does cover VAT. After that you are into American books that cover the product well but are not written for the UK market.
If you are happy with manual double entry bookkeeping then VT is very nice software. You can download a copy to use for two months for free.
I think that VT is superior to Sage in many respects but falls behind in others. All very much swings and roundabouts. (Sage wins on things such as stock control and a fixed asset register, VT wins for service organisations).
Sure thaqt you've already seen the Sage course in a box sollutions where you get an almost fully functional copy of Sage 50 to use for six months (more precisely, 180 days). Sometimes you can drop on slightly older versions on Amazon at very reasonable prices.
Note however that the course comes in three parts (beginner, intermediate and advanced) its the same software with each course with just different books and Sage certification levels.
Hypathetically you could get one of these courses, use a different book to learn beginner and intermediate and get certification for advanced Sage.
After saying all of the above Sage products are actually banned from my practice due to their client tax approach. Personally I use VT extensively and am just coming up to speed with QB (although I still don't think that its as good as VT).
Worth noting as well is that if you go VT its like marmite and you will either love or hate it. I think that myself and Foxy on here are the two extremes of feeling towards that particular software.
I'm sure that you have already read it but if not read the thread "Concince me that I don't need Sage". Its one of the few threads that ended up becoming a sticky.
The threads not as one sided as it sounds and covers plus and minus points of lots of different bits of software, not just Sage.
Once you're through that feel free to post follow up questions.
kind regards,
Shaun.
p.s. welcome to the forum
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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.
Thank you so much for your reply and help! Feels like a completely wasted day when searching for something I know deep down doesn't seem to exist.....a dummies guide to QB!". That really is the only reason that I've been steering toward Sage, simply because there is a step by step book that takes you through the entire process....including the simple things like the cash and bank transactions! Trouble is....who has the money to pay for Sage these days??! There isn't even a downloadable free trial that I can find for this. Nightmare...I can find the book for Sage but no trial version...I can't find the book for QB but I have the trial for that :D....Sod's law springs to mind!
Therefore, I have saved your link in favourites and will continue to read through that which I'm sure will clarify what I think I already know. I will confirm with the ICB tomorrow that they will accept me doing the Level II on QB just to be on the safe side, but in all honesty, I need something that is going to see me through the exam that I WILL be purchasing thereafter.
As for VT + I've heard great things about this piece of software and I'm not entirely sure I gave it much of a chance in all honesty. Maybe the answer has been under my nose the whole time and I've shoved it to one side. VT I shall have another good look at.
Im gonna throw this in to mixing bowl.... (pun intended BTW!! lol)
Try Kashflow! Online based, the client pays for the license, you can monitor and pay VAT through it and so much more!
I trying to get well versed in it so I can put it on my website. If you want to know more about it then i can help if you want? (btw I DO NOT work for kashflow, I just think they have a good product worth shouting about)
I have heard of Kashflow and never actually looked into it. Lots of good things heard and maybe worth my time to take a look, however, I'm not sure it's a package that I am able to get through the Level II computerised book keeping exam.
I could if I wanted to pay the £47 or so a month and go back to the drawing board with Home Learning College and put myself through the course itself which would give me the Sage Instant Accounts software included. This software comes at a price of around £130 or maybe less if I'm lucky to find that. If this is the route I take, then Sage would obviously be the one that I would continue to use. My mum is a HUGE TAS fanatic but was under the impression they were slowly bowing out of the industry and therefore reluctantly uses Sage for her Payroll etc.
With the above in mind, i'm thinking, wouldn't it be better for me to just buy the great user guide book I found on Sage 50, buy the software and self teach which is pretty much what you do with these courses anyway! As Shaun hilariously put...finding a book on QuickBooks as a guide is like finding unicorn droppings :D!!! I'm thinking it's even rarer than that!!!
With a big sigh, I'm to the point of flipping a coin and leaving my choice to good old fate :D!!!
Apologies missed the study for ICB exam bit - should have read thoroughly as thought you were just requiring software. Yes, obtain a cheap version of instant - I believe this covers all the syllabus. Request copies of the ICB papers - believe £ 5 a copy, lots of YOUTUBE on sage how to etc. I have also some information on opentuition if you can find the sage link.
should be enough to get through the exam - if not I do sell a "show and do" sage online tuition @ £28.
good luck with your study.
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Donna Curling - Complete Book-Keeping Ltd (CBKLtd) - 07939 101900
That's ok, I wasn't more specific about the Level II as I was more thinking of software to use for this and continue to use thereafter, rather than software just to get through the exam and then deciding again which one to use permanently.
After wasting so much time going around in so many circles and time not being on my side as usual, I have decided to go the Sage route short term in order to obtain the Level II. I think if I'm going in the direction of starting out on my own this is an exam that I will most definitely need, therefore, everything else is going to be put on hold and focus on that first and foremost. Therefore, Sage would seem the most practical and realistic answer being as there is so much help and books etc out there. I have, as you well suggested, I have obtained a mock paper which were invaluable through my other courses, so I will use this and decided rather than paying out over £500 for a course, I will self teach with the book I have, good old you tube as you suggested and, more than likely many more future posts on here :D!! Money is more than tight....kids alone bleed me dry :D! Therefore, opting for a complete course is pretty much a 'no no' as I just cannot add on another monthly outgoing at this moment in time sadly. I will most definitely take on board your 'show and do' however, as this could be something that would be of great benefit to me.
Thanks again....these forums really are a huge help!
