Help with courses

Wilson

Hi everyone

I'm new to this forum and would really appreciate your help. I currently work for a small business I'm 41 and I do some bookkeeping and payroll. We use sage 50 for accounts and Iris for payroll. I'm struggling a little as I'm not sure what to study. Basically I enter invoices, sales, petty cash, bank reconcile, run vat etc. The accountant taught me how to do these a few years ago. We don't produce invoices as hotel software does this so there are lots of features I don't use and would like to be more confident in those that I do. I've seen some courses on reed that are very cheap Sage 50 course 12& 3 would that be ok for me? I'm not necessarily looking for qualifications I just want to be more confident should I want to apply for other jobs. Also with payroll we use Iris so I run the payroll weekly and do RTI submission etc, also process the pension (ok actually the software does all the calls for me) I was thinking of sage payroll course as this it what most businesses use. At the moment, I feel like I know a bit of this and a bit of that. I don't class myself as a bookkeeper nor a payroll clerk, I just use the software.

Any advice / feedback would be appreciated.

Thank you

solidjon

Hi, I think you need to ask yourself do you want to be doing payroll in a number of years down the line. If you're wanting to be doing accounts preparation, purchase or sales ledger, bank rec's etc, I'd be going more towards a book keeping course, or even completing AAT. Hope this helps.

N4T

Hi,

I can't comment on the payroll course because I don't do payroll nor use any payroll software. I just know how to calculate NI and income tax and also provide a budget for staff cost when asked to at work. I have been thinking of doing an accredited payroll course at some stage though.

Sage 50 course alone may not help you very much as you already know the basics. The most important features are raising invoices/credit notes (sales and purchase ledger), journal entry, bank rec and receipts and payments. There are reporting features but you can play around with those when you have some time at work or get a book for reference.

I think you may find studying AAT levels 2 and 3 useful. It will give you an understanding of double entry which then leads to the why and the how of Sage (or any accounting software). AAT will consolidate what you know aleady and build on that. You have the work experience and it would look good on CV if you have the qualifications to match - qualifications will help if you decide to look for other jobs.

Personally, completing AAT L2 & L3 gave me confidence and it really helped with finding new work. I was asked about double entry and credit control questions at an interview....I may have been able to waffle out an answer before but I know I gave a confident answer due to completing AAT L2 and L3.

Like you I knew enough to do my job (when everything was going well) but I wanted to be able to identify/correct errors, this is where knowledge of double entry is important, knowing what to debit and credit and getting them the right way. The other units within AAT like professional ethics or working effectively makes you more aware of your working environment.

You can stop at L3 but can come continue to L4 if you wished. You decide the pace you go and have a choice of self studying, distance learning or with a training provider so very flexible to suit your work and personal commitments.

This is from my own experience and I hope it has given you something to think about. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Happy to answer any more questions.

Wilson

Hi

Thanks for the replies. N4T.wow that's exactly me. I think I will have a look at AAT course. thanks so much for you're detail reply, you've definitely given me something to think about here. Thanks again.

usama

What's the double entry if it is not register
Purchases 1000 on credit
Sale tax 17.5%