Do You Need Accounting Software For Your Small Business?
The only way to keep up with the latest about accounting is to constantly stay on the lookout for new information. If you read everything you find about accounting, it won't take long for you to become an influential authority.
If you're anything like me then you dislike with a vengeance doing your accounts and taxes.
So how can you make this process easier, less painful and cut your accountancy fees?
Well buying an accounting software package is one way.
First of all you need to decide whether you are going to keep your accounting records manually, that is using pen and paper, or whether you are going to computerize the process.
If you decide that computerizing the process is the way to go then you need to decide whether to buy an accounting software package, for example Sage or Quicken, or whether a spreadsheet, such as Microsoft Excel will suit your needs better.
As a general rule if you are a cash business that just needs to record income and expenditure then you are better off using a spreadsheet.
So, should you choose an accounting software package? Yes if:
· You have customers to whom you extend credit and you buy goods in the same way
· You process in excess of 50 transactions per month
· Your business is an Incorporated Company (Limited Company in the UK)
and
· You are computer literate or are willing to learn!
Before choosing the accounting software, speak to your accountants - they will be familiar with the various accounting software packages on the market and will be able to advise you. Most accountants use software in their office to process the bookkeeping for their clients and will have a working knowledge of the accounting software package they use. It may be cheaper for you to use the same one they do, because they can advise you how to get it up and running and will be on hand to answer questions, plus at your financial year end when your accounts need preparing it will be less expensive, believe me to have a compatible program.
I also recommend doing some research yourself, you may be able to obtain a demonstration disk or download of the most popular accounting software packages and this will give you an idea of how they work and if they are user-friendly.
The cost may also be an issue, so you need to decide on your budget. But consider how your business is likely to expand - you may outgrow that budget accounting software quickly and end up buying the more expensive one anyway.
Accounting software providers may also try and up-sell you a maintenance contract. Save your money! In my experience the established software providers will not have bugs in their systems. They will also try and upgrade you to the next version on a regular basis, but if the software is doing everything you need then there is no need to upgrade.
Of course, you could also pay someone to do your accounts for you, either your accountant or a bookkeeper - the payoff being you don't have to do it yourself and it frees you up to actually run your business!
Copyright © Jakki Francis,(UK), 2005
About the Author
This article is copyrighted. Please feel free to use it in it's entirety including copyright information and information about the publisher. Jakki Francis operates the website http://www.accountingsoftware-reviews.com>http://www.accountingsoftware-reviews.com
Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:
#BREAK#
#TITLE: Press Release
ERPWeb.NET Awarded Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) Cognos Software Contract
ARTICLE TEXT:
ERPWeb.NET's contracting vehicles allows government agencies to buy solutions with significant savings.
Miami, FL August 4, 2004 -- ERPWeb.NET an 8(a), SBD Information Technology Consulting company has been awarded a Cognos Software contract by Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS).
Oscar Perez, President of ERPWeb.NET, said, "We offer government agencies several contracting options such as 8(a) purchase orders, GSA 8(a) STARS GWAC GS-06F-0114Z and the GSA Schedule 70 Contract. The contracting options allows Federal government buyers to reduce procurement lead time, save time and money. This latest award provides compelling evidence of the quality of our support. We look forward to expanding our support to the Cognos software area and continuing our strong partnership with a highly valued customer. ERPWeb.NET identifies the best-of-breed products and partners with companies, such as Cognos, to help our customers get a complete business solution that improves their bottom-line business results. By combining high quality implementation and services through understanding industry demands, we can deploy scalable, results-oriented solutions tailored to our clients' needs."
About ERPWeb.NET
Headquartered in Miami Florida, ERPWeb.NET is an 8(a), SBD IT Technology Consulting company that specializes in ERP, SAP, PeopleSoft, Oracle, Cognos, Data Warehousing, Business Intelligence, eBusiness Systems Integration, Custom Software Development, .NET, WebSphere, WebMethods, Enterprise Application Integration, Legacy Integration and Migration, and Outsourcing Services. Their web site can be found at www.ERPWeb.NET, or they can be reached at 786 258-2191. Their e-mail is info@ERPWeb.NET. For further information regarding the ERPWeb.NET's GSA schedules or questions on their services, please contact Oscar Perez, at 786 258-2191. ERPWeb.NET has been a valuable resource to DFAS, GSA, Colgate Palmolive, Eli Lilly and Company, Holcim, AGFA, BAYER, COMPAQ, Bertelsmann AG and other leading edge organizations. ERPWeb.NET has implemented systems in North America, Europe and Latin America.
CONTACT:
ERPWeb.NET
Oscar Perez
oscar@ERPWeb.NET
786-258-2191
Copyright © 2004 ERPWeb.NET. All rights reserved. ERPWeb.NET services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of ERPWeb.NET in the USA and in several other countries all over the world.
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That's how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.
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