Looking for small business accounts software

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hlsps

  • #1
    Hi
    I have just received a letter advising me that my existing Software supplier is no longer supplying the UK market. Whoever they sold the database to is offering me a cheap upgrade to their software which looks okay BUT they have a mandatory service agreement of £100 year which I don't want. I am competent enough to figure it out for myself.

    I have seen the link on the right for Kashflow but wondered if you guys had any recommendations or experiences you could share.

    I dont need bells and whistles just good old basic software that wont break the bank.

    Many thanks
     
    Maslins

    Maslins

    Free Member
    Feb 12, 2009
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    Tunbridge Wells
  • #2
    I think Sage Instant is a good one to go for. I know a few other members on this forum regularly slate Sage. It isn't the cheapest, but as far as I'm concerned it is good.

    You also have the benefit of virtually all accountants knowing it, so when year end comes (if you need an accountant) they won't have many issues.
     
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    C

    CassioAcc

    Free Member
    Mar 17, 2008
    962
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    Hertfordshire
  • #3
    There are many to choose from - look at Quickbooks Simple Start, MS Express, VT Cashbook and Solar Accounts. All cost cost effective solutions. The features vary, but it depends what you need.

    A number of clients who I have suggested the VT software have been really pleased, especially ex-sage users.
     
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    jholden

    jholden

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    Apr 5, 2005
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  • #7
    The choice is HUGE.

    For online you have (to name a few):
    www.marginz.com/
    www.kashflow.co.uk/
    www.libertyaccounts.com/
    www.liquidaccounts.net/
    www.xero.com/
    and my old favourite :) www.winweb.com

    Offline you have:
    www.turbocashuk.com/
    http://www.vtsoftware.co.uk/cashbook/index.htm
    http://www.diyaccounting.co.uk/
    and then there is:
    www.myob.com
    www.sage.co.uk

    There are loads :D:eek::cool: not sure if I have made the whole things a lot harder though, sorry.

    Winweb do have a cashbook facility in their software so you don't have to use all the bells and whistles, and a great way to get it cheap is (unless you use me :eek::p;):)):http://www.viking-direct.co.uk/emptySpecialLinks.do?ID=winweb

    Jason
     
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    MyAccountantOnline

    MyAccountantOnline

    Business Member
    Sep 24, 2008
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    myaccountantonline.co.uk
  • #8
    As has been said the choice is truly HUGE and we all have our favourites, but to better answer your question what do YOU really want from your software, and how much are you willing to pay for it?

    Another suggestion if you havent already done so is to ask your accountant what they recommend and why, working with a package they know/have does have its advantages.
     
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    H

    hlsps

  • #9
    The package I have been using is MYOB Business Basics which my accountant suggested a few years ago. This is who has stopped supporting the UK market. Thanks for the suggestions above. I will check them out and see which works best. I have used Sage in the past but dont like being forced into annual maintenance contracts. The Clients I will be doing book keeping for have been using MYOB as well so this is another reason for seeing what is out there. Thanks guys.
     
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    John Stokdyk

    John Stokdyk

    Free Member
    Jun 20, 2007
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    Brighton
  • #11
    Thanks for bringing this situation to our attention HLSPS - I write about accountancy software for AccountingWEB.co.uk and business zone and found MYOB to be one of the more useable desktop packages. It's quite big news to find out they're dropping UK support, so I will go off to investigate further.

    Meanwhile, we have prepared a couple of articles that lay out the options for you to help narrow your choice. I don't know your full circumstances so it's hard to be definitive, but suggest you work out your 4-5 top priorities for the software (ease of use, management reporting, remote access, fast data entry, order-to-invoice etc) and then look for an app that most closely matches what you want.

    The web-based systems get you away from constant software upgrades - but you also need to look into their back-up, security and long-term financial prospects. Consider the worst case scenario - if the online supplier was to disappear, what would be your exit route?

    Here are a couple of the articles I mentioned:
    IT Zone's small business accounting software resources
    A buyer's guide to accounting software for a start-up business
     
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    jholden

    jholden

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    Apr 5, 2005
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  • #12
    John is right, with the SaaS market you have to be sure of what happens if they go bump.

    I see from various forums various SaaS players claiming to be the biggest etc, so I thought I would post an excerpt from an interview in the Telegraph with the CEO if WinWeb Stefan Topfer:

    OnlineOffice, WinWeb's small business infrastructure, enables small firms to access professional services on a time-shared basis for ad-hoc projects as well for longer-term work and now has 300,000 users at 120,000 clients, while WinWeb has turnover of £5m.

    The full article is here:
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsore...-SME-Services-IT-chores-fire-5m-turnover.html

    Jason
     
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    B

    Blackberry

    Free Member
    Mar 7, 2008
    473
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    Shropshire
  • #13
    VT cashbook is a very good basic program

    It does not have all of the functions of some of the other software mentioned here, but its simple and easy to use and allows for fast data entry.

    best of all its free!! download it and have a look, if you don't like it you can delete and its cost you nothing
     
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    weebly_one

    weebly_one

    Free Member
    Feb 26, 2009
    442
    66
    Northamptonshire
  • #14
    I am a Sage trainer and book-keeper - but this is just due to the need to specialise and the demand out there. I know there are many products on the market, and have been interested recently at looking at Microsoft Accounting Express is an alternative I have looked at recently.

    For most small businesses I would say Sage Instant does a fine job - but it helps to get advice on the initial setup as the flexibility you get is set down in how you set out yur nominal codes etc on start up - these things are hard to change once you start entering invoices in earnest.
     
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