Accounting software for small sole trader hairdresser

[Csills73]

Hi All,

I am wondering if someone would know if either sage one or xero accounting software would be suitable for a hairdresser business who is a sole trader. She has no employees, not VAT registered. Would it be possible to post the sales as a batch invoice for each day or does it have to be separated by clients?

Many thanks

 

[Ozzy]

As far as I'm aware, they will all be suitable for you. My daughter uses FreeAgent and she is a sole trader and not VAT registered (she does have one staff member on payroll though) and that comes free with her bank account.
They should all work fine.

 

[NicoJ]

Yes they will both do the job. As already noted there are many other softwares out there though to have a look at. Quickfile is one that I use, others will suggest others.

Yes you can do one invoice for the daily takings. For a cash business like that I would have a cash account and just post a cash receipt rather than a sales invoice.

 

[Scalloway]

Would it be possible to post the sales as a batch invoice

She should use a cash register and complete a daily summary of sales. Accounting software should have a facility for entering cash receipts rather than posting an invoice.

 

[marcus_bond]

We recently tried Sage Online, it was vile to use. Forced back to Quickbooks Online, which is better, but still has it's weird issues. We read about too many problems with Xero to bother trialing it.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Hi All,

I am wondering if someone would know if either sage one or xero accounting software would be suitable for a hairdresser business who is a sole trader. She has no employees, not VAT registered. Would it be possible to post the sales as a batch invoice for each day or does it have to be separated by clients?

Many thanks

You'd be fine using either - any reason why you are only looking at Sage and Xero?

I see no issue with entering the total daily sales but you'd need to keep a record of the actual daily amounts charged to each client too.

 

[Daybooks]

You'd be fine using either - any reason why you are only looking at Sage and Xero?

I see no issue with entering the total daily sales but you'd need to keep a record of the actual daily amounts charged to each client too.

That is what daybooks are for. ?

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

That is what daybooks are for. ?

Indeed. I've seen a few in my time

 

[Daybooks]

Indeed. I've seen a few in my time

I remember being taught, but never used, the Kalamazoo three in one system.

Daybooks are just simplicity itself and they don’t have to be manual. Traditional for a reason.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

I remember being taught, but never used, the Kalamazoo three in one system.

Daybooks are just simplicity itself and they don’t have to be manual. Traditional for a reason.

Kalamazoo....thanks, now feeling VERY old!

 

[Daybooks]

Kalamazoo....thanks, now feeling VERY old!

I thought I was the only one who had heard of them. I think they were referred to in my Frank Wood books ?.

 

[Newchodge]

Kalamazoo....thanks, now feeling VERY old!

And me. 3 part carboned forms spring to mnd, but I can't remember what for!

 

[Daybooks]

And me. 3 part carboned forms spring to mnd, but I can't remember what for!

Never had to use it or see it in action but presumed the top entry was the prime entry (daybook style) and the two below posted the double entry. For example Sale to Mrs Bloggs; then debit to customer account (personal ledger) and lastly credit to Sales Account (nominal ledger).

 

[numbersrule]

Hi, sorry to interrupt, as I have a very different kind of credit sales business, so I am always intrigued by how the accounts of a cash business work in practice. Following NicoJ's post, re a cash account and a cash receipt, presumably the OP would have some cash takings and some card takings, perhaps OP could clarify? In Xero there is the option to attach a PDF or JPEG upload to invoices or receive money transactions so Csills73 could photograph or scan the daybook and upload and attach to the batch invoice or receive money for convenient storage. I imagine the other cloud softwares may have something similar.
So a hairdresser has to make a note of every sale do they? I've never seen my hairdresser make any notes. I've always imagined it is just a daily total, but I'm just a Ground Investigator.

 

[NicoJ]

Hi, sorry to interrupt, as I have a very different kind of credit sales business, so I am always intrigued by how the accounts of a cash business work in practice. Following NicoJ's post, re a cash account and a cash receipt, presumably the OP would have some cash takings and some card takings, perhaps OP could clarify? In Xero there is the option to attach a PDF or JPEG upload to invoices or receive money transactions so Csills73 could photograph or scan the daybook and upload and attach to the batch invoice or receive money for convenient storage. I imagine the other cloud softwares may have something similar.
So a hairdresser has to make a note of every sale do they? I've never seen my hairdresser make any notes. I've always imagined it is just a daily total, but I'm just a Ground Investigator.

A hairdresser would have a diary with all their appointments for the day. In my experience they would write how much they'd charged the customer against the name in the diary. This would be checked in the event of an enquiry.

Yes, having a copy on the software is a good idea. I would put all of the takings to a cash account and transfer the card receipts to the bank when they were received (a couple of days later). Some hairdressers won't take card payments due to the fees.

 

[Daybooks]

Hi, sorry to interrupt, as I have a very different kind of credit sales business, so I am always intrigued by how the accounts of a cash business work in practice. Following NicoJ's post, re a cash account and a cash receipt, presumably the OP would have some cash takings and some card takings, perhaps OP could clarify? In Xero there is the option to attach a PDF or JPEG upload to invoices or receive money transactions so Csills73 could photograph or scan the daybook and upload and attach to the batch invoice or receive money for convenient storage. I imagine the other cloud softwares may have something similar.
So a hairdresser has to make a note of every sale do they? I've never seen my hairdresser make any notes. I've always imagined it is just a daily total, but I'm just a Ground Investigator.

The cash probably tends to go missing or get netted off somewhere if not recorded properly. ?
The requirement is to record all cash sales - not all cash sales by customer.

Your suggestions seem perfectly sensible.