New Accountant. New Software Choice

[howburn]

Hello this is my first post but I have often looked at the threads on this forum, for a 1st post this is a bit long winded, but I will try to be to the point.

I am in the process of possibly changing accountants, I feel I have being paying to much for a long time and I try to do a lot of preparation myself, but it is costing me more each year. I think I have chosen the accountant that I will use in the future.

I have been using an older version of QuickBooks (QuickBooks Pro Version 6, pre 2000 I think) and have got on with it OK. It is at the moment on Windows Vista and on the whole it works OK, but there are problems. The help function doesn't work, I can't add logo's to invoices, Direct Debit/Standing orders have to manually entered and copy and paste is cumbersome. Also according to the QuickBooks forum, it is 'dangerous' to use it with Vista. But I can get on with it.

The old Accountancy practice as far as I know, did not use any of the date I produced from QuickBooks and I think they preferred to analyse everything long hand, I don't doubt that it would be correct but costly to me and less involvement for me.

The firm I am considering using suggest Sage or VT Software as these are the two that they use, or they would fit in with me and 'borrow' my copy of QuickBooks. I could update the quick books for around £250 and I am sure it will cure a lot of the issues above, but I am interested in what suggestions are around.

My business is small, only me at the moment, supplying services/labour and starting to sell goods to trade customers.
Sorry for the long drawn out post.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

I try to do a lot of preparation myself, but it is costing me more each year. I think I have chosen the accountant that I will use in the future.

The firm I am considering using suggest Sage or VT Software as these are the two that they use, or they would fit in with me and 'borrow' my copy of QuickBooks. I could update the quick books for around £250 and I am sure it will cure a lot of the issues above, but I am interested in what suggestions are around.

My business is small, only me at the moment, supplying services/labour and starting to sell goods to trade customers.
Sorry for the long drawn out post.

To be honest you'd really be best discussing it directly with the accountants you are changing too.

A lot of accountants tend to use one or two packages and you will probably find depending on how they bill that you'll be charged less if you use a package they are familiar with.

If you want something which is simple to use VT is in my opinion a very good choice.

If you are used to QuickBooks you may find you're not keen on Sage. People tend to sit to like one or the other but rarely both.

 

[David Richards]

I have been using an older version of QuickBooks (QuickBooks Pro Version 6, pre 2000 I think) and have got on with it OK. It is at the moment on Windows Vista and on the whole it works OK, but there are problems. The help function doesn’t work

From the age of the program, it may use 'Windows Help'. This help system isn't supported on Vista, but you can download a fix from Microsoft.

The firm I am considering using suggest Sage or VT Software as these are the two that they use, or they would fit in with me and 'borrow' my copy of QuickBooks.

Unless you have a software licence which permits a second installation, you may find that letting them 'borrow' your Quickbooks breaches the terms of your licence.

 

[hendyphilhendy]

You may want to consider KashFlow. It is an online package which can be purchased relatively cheaply. For example I offer it to my clients at £9.99 per month.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

You may want to consider KashFlow. It is an online package which can be purchased relatively cheaply. For example I offer it to my clients at £9.99 per month.

If you want to look at online options such as Kashflow you have a huge choice this is just one of many.

Freeagent seems to be very popular and Arithmo is another, out of many, which is much cheaper.

 

[Dawn Lane]

I use Kashflow for my own and a client's accounts and find it easy to use, and the security of it being online and backed up by external servers is great.

Also, it can be accessed by your accountant if you use a franchised accountant such as Taxassist (offices UK wide).

Dawn

 

[David Griffiths]

The old Accountancy practice as far as I know, did not use any of the date I produced from QuickBooks and I think they preferred to analyse everything long hand, I don’t doubt that it would be correct but costly to me and less involvement for me.

That's crazy, and as you say costly. Unfortunately too many accountants have a negative attitude to QuickBooks. It's too late now but you shouldn't have put up with that.

There are plenty out there that do use QuickBooks, so if you like it and want to continue to use it, try to find one. I suspect that anybody who needs to borrow your copy won't fully understand it, unless it was simply because you have an old version. Even then they won't be able to instal it now because they won't be able to download all of the updates.

The firm I am considering using suggest Sage or VT Software as these are the two that they use, or they would fit in with me and 'borrow' my copy of QuickBooks. I could update the quick books for around £250 and I am sure it will cure a lot of the issues above, but I am interested in what suggestions are around.

My business is small, only me at the moment, supplying services/labour and starting to sell goods to trade customers.
Sorry for the long drawn out post.

Given that you are going to have to change anyway (and ten years from the same program isn't bad going!), have a look at a couple of options. Most programs will allow a 30 day trial period (I think Sage are an exception - make of that what you will) so if you are prepared to put a bit of work into it you can see if you like the look and feel of the alternatives or prefer to stick with what you know

 

[Accountsportal]

Hello howburn,

You may wish to have a look at AccountsPortal as well.

 

[howburn]

Thanks to everyone who has had some input so far, I had not thought of an online/subscription based package.

One thing I want to be clear about is I am not just looking for a cheap job, and if I do continue to keep spending a reasonable amount on accountants fees that is fine as long as it is helping the business progress, and I can fit in with them.

I think I will download the 60 day trail of VT, I've nothing to lose and if I get on with it a may change, I assume though that I will manually have to transfer all my current data? But might that be the case with a new QuickBooks seeing mine is so old? (I haven't done bad to use it for so long!)

I prefer the idea of a PC based program for peace of mind, for a verity of reasons we have had internet trouble.

At the end it boils down to weather I learn a new package or the new accountant learning, the cost of what I think are my two options are very similar.

Thanks a lot.

 

[Tom McClelland]

Many round here like "Solar", which offers a very reasonable one-off fee and allows a 60 day trial.

http://www.solaraccounts.co.uk/

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

I think I will download the 60 day trail of VT, I’ve nothing to lose and if I get on with it a may change, I assume though that I will manually have to transfer all my current data? But might that be the case with a new QuickBooks seeing mine is so old? (I haven’t done bad to use it for so long!)

I prefer the idea of a PC based program for peace of mind, for a verity of reasons we have had internet trouble.

If you change to a new package as an accountant I'd suggest you do add data from the start of your financial year so that whatever package you decide on your accountant has a complete year on one package. Again speaking as an accountant it can be very time consuming to sort out year end accounts where a client has used two systems in the year.

You really do have a huge choice of software but as a thought if you like Quickbooks have you considered Quickbooks Simple Start?

That said as I mentioned before making a decision I really would speak with your accountants first - they may give some free/discounted training on their favourite package and or a free/discounted copy of the software.

 

[howburn]

If you change to a new package as an accountant I'd suggest you do add data from the start of your financial year so that whatever package you decide on your accountant has a complete year on one package. Again speaking as an accountant it can be very time consuming to sort out year end accounts where a client has used two systems in the year.

You really do have a huge choice of software but as a thought if you like Quickbooks have you considered Quickbooks Simple Start?

That said as I mentioned before making a decision I really would speak with your accountants first - they may give some free/discounted training on their favourite package and or a free/discounted copy of the software

[I can see you are right on that and if I do change to another system that is something I will have to, my year end is the 5th April so the sooner I make the decision the less work I will have to do.

The Accountant that I am talking with seems to be keen on the VT package, so presumably they will be able to give me a bit of help as they will be experienced in it. There was no mention of it being subsidised I think it will clearly down to me.
Thanks.

 

[accountancyextra]

VT is a good package as an offline solution, I don't think you'll go far wrong. As for subsidy, I don't think accountants get discount from VT to apss on (unlike SAGE & QB), so you will probably have to pay the full "screen price". having said that, it's worth it!

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

As for subsidy, I don't think accountants get discount from VT to apss on (unlike SAGE & QB), so you will probably have to pay the full "screen price". having said that, it's worth it!

They do if the buy 3 copies - they get one free

 

[accountancyextra]

They do if the buy 3 copies - they get one free

Then I stand corrected, I wasn't aware of that

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Then I stand corrected, I wasn't aware of that

In fairness they dont publicise it very well like most of the other packages