Disgruntled Microsoft Accounting user here!

[hazymat]

Hello all

I'm an independent freelance photographer, new to this forum, so hello.

So I chose Microsoft Office Accounting Express (MOA) a few years ago based on:
- I'm a fan of MS products
- at the time, heard many poor reviews of Quickbooks and other products by less-well-known vendors
- MS produced a free UK version of their product

However, they have discontinued MOA2009 UK, and I am struggling to know the best thing to do.

I have contacted QuickBooks who advised me there is no way of exporting from MOA2009 directly. They offer a migration tool however this only works for the US version.

At this point, I'm caring less which package I end up using, as long I can find an efficient way of migrating from my old installation of MOA2009. And as long as it's reasonably easy to use, with an upgrade path if my business grows.

MS have withdrawn all downloads of the original product. I have no setup program stored, so if I needed to restore from backup e.g. on another computer, at this point it's looking like I would lose ALL of my accounting data, despite having religiously kept backups. (Thanks MS.)

Does anybody else here have experience of moving from MOA2009 to another accounting package?

Any advice and tips?

Or will I just have to suck it up, install Quickbooks, and set account balances and recreate every transaction ever made, one-by-one, by hand?

Please help!

Thanks

Mat

[Tom McClelland]

Why the emphasis on Quickbooks as the main alternative? There are many other possibilities. Do you already know QB?

You shouldn't need to repeat every transaction since day 1 whatever you transfer to. You just need the current state of your SL+PL, your bankrec, and your trial balance. (unless you have SME-like needs for things like last-year comparatives of P&Ls)

[Scalloway]

I presume Microsoft Accounting allows you to export data as a CSV file. Quickbooks, and other accounting packages allows import of data from CSV files. You my need to do a bit of work with column headings but it is not too difficult. I did to transfer my sales ledger from Excel.

http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/pages/inproducthelp/Core/QB2K4/Pro/excel_p/intro_msimport.html

[hazymat]

Hi Tom

I don't already know QB. Somewhere I read it was the direct competitor to MS Accounting, but perhaps that's not saying much. I was interested mainly because I could try it out using the free version (QuickBooks Simple Start Free Edition), then upgrade if required.

To be honest, I would just prefer to use the most common, half-decent, and reasonably cheap package available. My main uses: sending out invoices by PDF to clients (using custom templates), and for filing my VAT returns. (I do the return manually online, but it gives me the figures for each box.)

I like the sound of online packages, but would rather keep my data in my own hands and also don't want to pay a continuous fee.

Thanks for the advice re keeping transactions. I had initially thought I need to keep records of transactions for historical reasons for HMRC tax and VAT, but perhaps I don't!

Dumb questions:
- SL & PL, I know the terms but I'm super sketchy on the meanings. Does that mean I just need to know the exact income and purchase amounts I have received since April? Surely I would need to prove this? I don't keep copies of invoices as they are stored in my accounting package (and sent by email). Also my expenses (including business purchases) are stored in a spreadsheet and as email / printed receipts.

- Is bankrec my bank record? I have kept all paper statements since business start

- What is trial balance?

Thanks,

Mat

[hazymat]

I presume Microsoft Accounting allows you to export data as a CSV file. Quickbooks, and other accounting packages allows import of data from CSV files. You my need to do a bit of work with column headings but it is not too difficult. I did to transfer my sales ledger from Excel.


Yes! I can export basic details for invoices I have sent to Excel. However it won't export information like when the invoice had payment received, etc. But I guess that doesn't matter.

The problem is that I'm worried there are many other things that I would be missing.

For example, I don't have a record of all my previous VAT returns stored anywhere else. What happens if I need to go back and adjust one?

I can't think of other examples right now, but I'm a little concerned I'll miss some detail!

Thanks

Mat

[Tom McClelland]

You could get printouts of the history from MSOA before transferring.

You need your sales ledger (SL), just in terms of what people owe you right now (at the point of switching to the new system), and your purchase ledger (PL), again just in terms of what you owe suppliers right now, and if you do bank reconciliation you'd need a list of currently unreconciled payments and receipts.

The trial balance is the total against each accounting heading. You get this from MSOA and transpose the total of each account into the equivalent account on the new system.

But really if you don't understand all this it may end up simpler to put in every transaction from day 1, assuming that the total number of transactions is low and your original records are in a good state .

Do you have an accountant? They will usually recommend something. If you want a desktop PC solution lots of people here recommend Solar, which is a one-off payment of around £100 with no recurring costs.

[MyAccountantOnline]

Hi Mat

If you want to do your own bookkeeping I really wouldnt restrict yourself solely to Quickbooks - you have numerous options.

What is it you really want from a software package?

If I were you I wouldnt try to re-enter the old data or import it I'd just enter an opening trial balance - much easier:)

[hazymat]

Hi Mat

If you want to do your own bookkeeping I really wouldnt restrict yourself solely to Quickbooks - you have numerous options.

What is it you really want from a software package?

If I were you I wouldnt try to re-enter the old data or import it I'd just enter an opening trial balance - much easier:)

Thanks Nicola

The main things I want from a software package are:
- ability to send PDF invoices directly from package
- ability to let me enter expenses and purchases really quickly!
- ability to provide me with figures for my quarterly VAT returns
- ability to change VAT when the rate changes :)
- other things like ability to store customer details, etc. not really necessary but useful.
- run on Windows 7

Preferably NOTHING else, because it confuses me!

I'm going to take a look at Solar, and some other alternatives.

Thanks all! This has been most useful!

[MyAccountantOnline]

Thanks Nicola

The main things I want from a software package are:
- ability to send PDF invoices directly from package
- ability to let me enter expenses and purchases really quickly!
- ability to provide me with figures for my quarterly VAT returns
- ability to change VAT when the rate changes :)
- other things like ability to store customer details, etc. not really necessary but useful.
- run on Windows 7

Preferably NOTHING else, because it confuses me!

I'm going to take a look at Solar, and some other alternatives.

Thanks all! This has been most useful!

My recommendations if you want an online package - Accounts Portal http://www.accountsportal.com/ or if you'd rather not have an online package Solar.

[hazymat]

Thanks again!

Let's say I did just enter an opening trial balance into the new software package.

Wouldn't I have to also have a record of all transactions within this tax year? Or even since the start of my business? Don't I have to have a list of invoices, dates, amounts, etc., for HMRC?

What's the requirement in terms of HMRC for tax and VAT? I have never had a visit from a tax man or VAT man, but I'm sure one day I will.

Mat

[Scalloway]

Just do a print out of all nominal transactions, Debtors and Creditor ledgers and VAT reports. As long as you have paper copies you will be ok.

[hazymat]

Just do a print out of all nominal transactions, Debtors and Creditor ledgers and VAT reports. As long as you have paper copies you will be ok.

Thanks! I guess I was just worried what data I need to keep for future reference.

Question re Solar (accounting package): does anyone know if it allows you to custom-design your own invoices and quotations?

I have been looking into the software features but the only thing I can glean from the website is that you can change invoice logos and a bit of text spacing here and there. I'm guessing... no. Can anyone clarify?

Thanks!

[hazymat]

however at £50 a year I think its simple to use and great:

I know it's good to think about software ownership as an ongoing expense (whether online or not, one has to still invest in upgrades etc.), but I'm not sure I would be ready to spend £500 over 10 years. And also I really don't like the thought of holding my data with a third party.

I wonder if someone could perhaps suggest a good resource for choosing a UK accounting package? For example, a comparison page, with prices and features? Does such a resource exist?

Thanks again

Mat

[Scalloway]

I guess part of the cost question is how often you would update a standalone PC accounting package. If you buy a new version of Sage every couple of years the cost will probably be similar to the charges for an online bookkeeping system.

[Philip Hoyle]

Why don't you ask your accountant what they would recommend. I think paying a reasonable amount is essential - you've tried a freebie and look what happened! A lot of decent accountants will give you software either free of charge or can supply it at a discount (or cost price to them). I would also not discount the online systems - you can still do data dumps to csv/excel in most of them which gives you control of your data and allows export to a different system if things go wrong. The prices for online offerings may seem a lot, but remember they usually included support and upgrades, and going through an accountant who is a member of their advisers scheme/program, etc., means that there are hefty discounts making the subscriptions even more affordable. From what you say, the ease of use, and your needs, I'd say that www.freeagentcentral.com (http://www.freeagentcentral.com) would be worth a look as it is designed for freelancers so has functions built in for expense recording & recharging, etc. When thinking about pricing, how much time have you spent/wasted on a freebie product and then having to change for something else - how much productive work could you have charged for if you weren't having to mess around with it and finding something to change to?

[accountancyextra]

Why don't you ask your accountant what they would recommend. I think paying a reasonable amount is essential - you've tried a freebie and look what happened! A lot of decent accountants will give you software either free of charge or can supply it at a discount (or cost price to them). I would also not discount the online systems - you can still do data dumps to csv/excel in most of them which gives you control of your data and allows export to a different system if things go wrong. The prices for online offerings may seem a lot, but remember they usually included support and upgrades, and going through an accountant who is a member of their advisers scheme/program, etc., means that there are hefty discounts making the subscriptions even more affordable. From what you say, the ease of use, and your needs, I'd say that www.freeagentcentral.com (http://www.freeagentcentral.com) would be worth a look as it is designed for freelancers so has functions built in for expense recording & recharging, etc. When thinking about pricing, how much time have you spent/wasted on a freebie product and then having to change for something else - how much productive work could you have charged for if you weren't having to mess around with it and finding something to change to?

As always, some wise advice there Philip