I've had a very fustrating experience and so feel obliged to warn others in making the same mistake.
For anyone doing a course package with Ideal Schools that involves the level 2 computerised bookkeeping course http://www.idealschools.co.uk/level-ii-certificate-in-computerised-bookkeeping-sage-instant-accounts- , please note the following:
You will be paying for a bit of softare (RRP £130) as part of the course costs, which once you have used for the course is unusable as it can only be used for one company.
It fails to mention this on the link, so one would expect Ideal Schools to mention this when a customer calls for further enquiry. When I called up asking what would be suitable for someone looking to learn bookkeeping with the software and was intending to use software as a professional bookkeeper, I was directed to this course. And I was naive enough to trust that Ideal Schools wouldn't sell me a piece of £130 software that was unusable after use for the course (as one usually expects after buying software).
I tried to write this warning as a review on the page I've linked to but when I learnt that my review would have to be approved by Ideal themselves, I somehow don't expect to be seeing that anytime soon. So I guess that's another warning to anyone who sees a list of only sparkling reviews on Ideal's website. A more honest word would have been testimonials.
Of course there are many more economical and practical options than this, so again, please don't make the mistake I did.
As someone who is also on the Career path package - the information was there! I knew, in advance, that the software was Sage Instants - it is a desk bound package for one user and one business only. I followed the Ideal School recommended path and registered it with Sage as a student with Ideal Schools, using the software for my studies and exams. That is what I paid for and that is what I got! I still use it for study purposes and when I have finished my studies I can, if I wish use it for my own books. As I said - the information I received was very clear.
If you had chosen the sage 50 career path you would now have software that could have additional licences applied to it.
I'm sorry if you feel you have been mislead but the ICB900 course clearly states Sage Instants.
I know that when I did my course with Ideal Schools I did not give the slightest consideration to using the software to run a bookkeeping business from. Yes, I could use it for keeping the books for my OWN business but that was all. I was using their software to pass the exams with. Running a bookkeeping business was separate from the course.
So for my time with Ideal Schools I can only give them a "sparkling review".
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Never buy black socks from a normal shop. They shaft you every time.
I assume that its Sage software that you are talking about.
Being fair to Ideal I think that the expectation is that most people know that to use Sage software for more than one client will cost you an arm, a leg, one of your kidneys and your first born child.
Sage instant and Sage 50 are quite similar bits of software. With Sage Instant it doesn't expire after 180 days where the training version of the 50 software does.
From that respect there is no reason that you cannot use the instant software once the course has ended where if you had purchased the 50 course you would have had to upgrade to the paid version after 180 days.
Ideal are not alone in this, such is true of all training compnaies that offer Sage training with the trade off being a version of the software designed for a single small company that you keep or a 180 day trial of software which "could" be extended to service multiple companies.
Personally I use VT+ which is unlimited company (but you may have a bit of a relearning excercise to unlearn Sage and start thinking more in manual double entry terms if you went down that route.
Quickbooks is another bit of software where you can have multiple clients (I think 99 but it it may be more) in the initial cost.
To be honest, I don't think that you should be angry with Ideal who have given you the option of software, for one company that does not expire and the training that is a big stepping stone to Sage 50 if you decide that Sage is right for your requirements.
I am not linked in any way to to Ideal and if you do a search of the site you will see a couple of blinding arguements between Brian and myself. Just needed to say that for you to know that I'm totally impartial.
But, I am fair and as I say I do not think from what you have written that Ideal have actually done anything wrong here.
They sold you a course that has taught you computerised bookkeeping. I assume got you through an ICB exam and possibly a Sage certification. I'm pretty sure that is all that they are commited to doing. The use of the software after the qualifications should then be fine for a single company but you are going to need to either upgrade or change if you are looking to make a bookkeeping business.
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.
Sage instant and Sage 50 are quite similar bits of software. With Sage Instant it doesn't expire after 180 days where the training version of the 50 software does.
From that respect there is no reason that you cannot use the instant software once the course has ended where if you had purchased the 50 course you would have had to upgrade to the paid version after 180 days.
I hate to flatly contradict but if someone pays the extra £250 to go on the ICB950 course they get a fully licensed copy of Sage 50 - not a 180 day training edition.
I chose the ICB900 course, I was spending the husbands money after all! Not too surprisingly having paid less for the software I got the lesser software.
Sorry Theresa, my bad... But pretty sure that would still only be for one company though.
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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.
The main difference in the courses is the software. Instants is only and forever a single user, single business piece of software, Sage 50 however can have additional licences added and Ideal Schools offer a service to their students (I think a reduced rate is involved - Brian could confirm) who wish to expand the package to multiple company use after they have qualified.
I've admitted that I made a mistake in not being thorough enough and indeed you can find that the Sage instant accounts course is less suited to bookkeepers if you happen to have found the right page on Ideal. But that is not the point I am making. You can see from my last post that I asked Ideal which course was more suited to someone who wanted to use software for clients. They directed me to Sage Instant even though they contradict themselves on their website saying that the Sage 50 path is more suited (you can see that here http://www.idealschools.co.uk/icb-career-path-sage-instant-accounts-and-sage-50-payroll-)
Thanks for posting and Ill repeat what I emailed you this morning by saying that Im somewhat bemused by the nature of your displeasure. At the time of you registering on your study in March 2012 the software available from all colleges was either fully licensed Sage Instant Accounts or 180 day licensed copies of Sage 50. From Jan 2013 we have added courses using Fully Licensed Sage 50 Accounts, which seems very popular. Therefore you would either have Sage Instant for continued use, or Sage 50 Training software that simply ceases to work after 180 days.
However, the Instant software could still have been used upon completion of your study. Although it can only hold a single company license, the company preferences could be changed, ensuring you could use it yourself upon completion of your study. You would have found this out as part of the training as we deal with many different business scenarios, but you swapped this for Level III study instead.
You started your study like a train and raced through Levels I & II in one month and its a shame that youve let this situation affect your continuation with Level III. Your course registration runs until March 2015 and our own preference would be that you complete your Level III study, although you indicated this morning that this is not in your plans.
I've admitted that I made a mistake in not being thorough enough and indeed you can find that the Sage instant accounts course is less suited to bookkeepers if you happen to have found the right page on Ideal. But that is not the point I am making. You can see from my last post that I asked Ideal which course was more suited to someone who wanted to use software for clients. They directed me to Sage Instant even though they contradict themselves on their website saying that the Sage 50 path is more suited (you can see that here http://www.idealschools.co.uk/icb-career-path-sage-instant-accounts-and-sage-50-payroll-)
So I was mislead, simple as that.
I'm sorry you feel that way, Matt, but I can assure you we do not go out our way to mislead anyone. I've checked a couple of the dates I provided above and it would appear I was wrong, Sage 50 Accounts options were introduced January 2012 and would have been available at the time of you registering. If you were sent an incorrect link this would have been an honest mistake and I can see that steps were taken to resolve the issue as you had switched the computerised element for manual bookkeeping Level III, which you received in April 2012, the 2nd month of your course registration. At that time, if you really wanted the Sage 50 option, you could have upgraded at the time of raising the issue with us in 2012.
