MIP Wannabee!!

JodieR

I've got a little HP server & it's fab. Means that when I'm out seeing clients with my laptop i'm not carrying around ALL my clients' data with me. If I loose/break my laptop then I've only ever lost a maximum of 24 hours work. Also have an online backup system (idrive) which is about £12 a month. Runs every night at 2 in the morning. It keeps copies of the last 5 versions of each file, so even if you change/delete something or the file corrupts you can restore a previous version.

GinnyBee

Monsoon wrote: »

They are fab, yes, recommended

http://www.considerit.co.uk/services/remote-online-backup/

Thanks, I'll take a look at them! :-)

noodles

We have approx 150 assorted clients and no server. No IT costs, we work it out ourselves or ask friends. We use cloud backup which has been used a few times so a must have. VT final accounts, Sage 25 company but must agree I hate sage as believe they are just after your money. Currently use Forbes tax software but we are looking into TAXCALC as heard good things about it.

Monsoon

JamesB wrote: »

Thanks guys,

Would all the software fit comfortably onto a standard PC?

I assumed with all the data for say 40/50 clients would mean you would need a server?

Apologies if that is a stupud question, IT was never a strong subject!

James.

Easily fit on a standard PC.

As Jodie says though, if you have a laptop you don't want to be carrying everything around with you if you take it out and about.

Monsoon

I just looked.

I've been in business properly call it 5 years so all my historical files are here. I've got say 100 clients and all the ex-clients toom, along with obviously practice admin stuff. My data is about 17Gb - tiny - and that's years worth of data.

That doesn't include software but any computer can run the software you need.

burg

To add to Monsoon's data volume - Mine is almost 3 years again around 100 clients plus past clients but all now paperless and mine is just about 9GB.

Plus offsite backup is important I use Idrive as well.

jamesm96

On the software front, has anyone ever tried PTP? I'm lead to believe that it's broadly the same as Iris (I use Iris in my employment and I like it very much) without quite as many bells and whistles, but I was amazed at the prices on PTP... if, indeed, it is as good as it's supposed to be.

burg

I have used PTP before they changed the Accounts Production to a re-branded Iris. I did this because of the same reason i.e. was used to Iris from employment. It is ok but it can be expensive as your practice grows and I found costs nearly as much as Iris. I use Digita which is very similar to Iris but costs are much cheaper. For me I find Digita really easy and VT difficult but I was tought using Iris. For many VT is great and for the price you cannot complain but I just find it so slow and awkward. VTT+ is great though.

Monsoon

burg wrote: »

I use Digita which is very similar to Iris but costs are much cheaper. For me I find Digita really easy and VT difficult but I was tought using Iris. For many VT is great and for the price you cannot complain but I just find it so slow and awkward.

I think it is indeed down to what you know!

As Ian knows, I've used Digita and VT, and my opinion is the exact opposite. I found Digita slow and laborious and unintuitive, but it will take me minutes to produce a set of accounts in VT - because I've used it for years and 'get' it. I just didn't click with Digita's way of doing things.

We've only just started using T+ as a way of integrating bookkeeping with final accounts and, my god, it's bloody amazing. Set of accounts in seconds, as long as all your necessary journals are in T+. A few minutes tweaking and you're good to go. Saves an infinite amount of time.

Hallj999

So, to try and condense all these advice!

If I intend to do bookeeping, year end accounts and company/corp tax, personal tax and payroll services....Something like vtt+ (will this handle from smallsole trader accounts to sme's?!), hmrc tax compliant software (seperate software for personal and company?!) and some payroll software would be great (I would quote names of the last two but theres been that many posts I have forgot what was recommended!) should be ok with the IT part as I am into computing and tech anyway so should have that covered.

Monsoon

Hallj999 wrote: »

So, to try and condense all these advice!

If I intend to do bookeeping, year end accounts and company/corp tax, personal tax and payroll services....Something like vtt+ (will this handle from smallsole trader accounts to sme's?!), YES hmrc tax compliant software (seperate software for personal and company?! - NO, YOUR SOFTWARE VENDOR SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO ALL) and some payroll software would be great (I would quote names of the last two but theres been that many posts I have forgot what was recommended! - MONEYSOFT AND 12PAY, BOTH ARE EXCELLENT) should be ok with the IT part as I am into computing and tech anyway so should have that covered.

Good luck!

Hallj999

thanks for the advice all, im off to buy some software!