What software to use ?

Travena

I'm currently studying AAT level 4, with a view to being an MIP.
I use Sage Instant Accounts for my current business, but when I started looking into using Sage software for my potential new bookkeeping business I was very surprised at the high costs based on a new licence for every client I had.
What software does everyone else use ??
I was impressed with one website I saw recently saying that all the details were on the internet (the cloud I think) and therefore viewable by the clients too.
Thanks for any advice.
:001_smile:

Roro1303

hi there,

you can try XERO(just google it) it's an online system, pretty does what it says on the tin

(by the way i do not owe any shares in Xero, I applied for a Job, was invited for an interview but this was cancelled)

just in case

cheers

BCASL

VT - every time!

Monsoon

Mr BCASL! Good afternoon sir!

Don't bother with Sage.

Like BCASL rightly says, VT, every time. My caveat to this is: for standalone software.

If you want to go in the cloud, Xero every time.

ExcelAnt

HHello,

Out of curiosity....how do you convert your clients accounts if they are keeping them on SAGE onto different platforms Such as VT?

.. *runs off and googles VT*....one comment...

"Knocks Sage into a cocked hat several times over in my view!"

may have to get hold of this!

Monsoon

VT T+ can import a Sage TB from csv. Or you just type in the TB.

And yes, it's brilliant. Ltd Co final accounts in about 10 minutes if it's a clean set of books.

ExcelAnt

Lol then the question is how often are the books clean ? :001_tt2:

Monsoon

ExcelAnt wrote: »

Lol then the question is how often are the books clean ? :001_tt2:

Often, if you've done the bookkeeping yourself

ExcelAnt

Hi Monsoon,

So to clarify with an example:

Client uses SAGE, and employs "Joe useless" who makes lots of interesting entries into sage.

You as the accountant use VT, you don't have a clean set of books but don't have SAGE either.

How do you begin?

deanshepherd

I thought it was a bookkeeping business you were setting up?

If you don't have Sage just get them to print of TB, Nominal Ledger, Debtors and Creditors lists and get cracking on the accounts. When you are done, give them journals to post.

Monsoon

What Dean said.

ExcelAnt

Fair point, and in hindsight seems like a dumb question Beauty of hindsight.

@Dean I'm not the OP on this one, I just waded in and asked nosey questions lol. maybe it will help the OP too.

Thanks to both of you

deanshepherd

Oh yeah, silly me!

No such thing as a dumb question on this forum..

pirate

VT Transaction Plus is a great product as everyone has said and I use it extensively. When doing a set of accounts where no bookkeeping has been done we give Cashbook to the clients to input the transactions.

Clients doing their own bookkeeping or part bookkeeping and where we do the bookkeeping I usually recommend a cloud based solution. The great thing about this is you can review anything as you have access to this as well.
and if we are doing the bookkeeping they also have an uptodate view of how their business is doing.

Xero is a lovely product and the great thing is it offers live bank feeds and has a great user interface. It is expensive though even with a discount which you can pass on.
AccountsPortal is a nice product and comes in at a much lower price. Bank Statements can be imported into this so no live bank feed but the import is very easy.
We also have clients using Kashflow and Clearbooks-

I would definitely advocate using online bookkeeping tools especially so that the clients can view the data. But it is a monthly cost which needs to be considered. Our clients are usually happy to pay for the online solution, when requiring bookkeeping services.

VT will allow you to do bookkeeping for unlimited clients and it's price point is very low. You can create some reports fro this and of course export to excel so you can send these reports to the clients but if the clients need to see how they are doing then a cloud based solution is the way to go.



Hope this helps.

Juliepye

Hi

I've just come across this thread whilst searching for information on setting up my own bookkeeping service. Would the information on software still be relevant? I would appreciate any help with this.

Thanks