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• # 54722
• Wed 23 Feb 2011 05:59 PM

I'm looking to starting my own bookkeeping practice and I was origanly thinking of getting Sage 50 Accounts, which I'm familir with, but I'm not sure that I can afford it after seeing the price that Sage charge.  I'm now looking into othere software (i.e. QuickBooks) and online software (i.e. ICB's own solution), but there is so much choice that it is hare to make a decision.

So I was wondering what software people use to keep there clients accounts, what costs are involved, and what do you think are the pros and cons of your choice.

Any info will be greatfully received and I'm hoping it will allow me to decide on a more afordable solution or to dig deep and get Sage.  Also it might allow other bookkeepers to find new or alternative products.

Thanks.

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• # 54727
• Wed 23 Feb 2011 10:10 PM

Hi Tedius,

You need to search or shop around!.

The monthly online software is the cheapest option. I am not sure if i can mention a name but there are few...Xero, fusion and others...The price is between £ 16 and £ 30 per month for a small practice.

I personnally would go for online option as you can work anywhere as long as you have an internet connection.


Hope this help,

Nathaliexxx

• Provide bookkeeping and virtual accountancy assistance service in English and French @nckaccountancy.
  West Essex Twitter:http://nckaccountancy.co.uk
  E-mail: info@nckaccountancy.co.uk
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• # 54734
• Thu 24 Feb 2011 01:56 PM

Hi Tedious

I have Sage but......

I recently tried VT+ which is so bookkeeper friendly I can hardly believe it.  It has a free trial of around 3 months so you can trial it first.  I would say though that you need to know your double entry. Oh and the biggy for me buying it was that it's unlimited number of companies but only on one system.

I personally would run a mile from Tas Books as it's not as easy to correct mistakes made - fine if you've got books from start up but walking in half way through a year isn't fun anymore.

There are tons of alternatives to sage, some a lot cheaper and easier to use.  It all depends if you plan on working from home or at the clients who might have sage or a mixture like me.


Having experienced phone and internet disconnection due to a trainee at BT last week - I would personally steer clear of online unless you are going to get a dongle etc etc.

I couldn't have worked for four days if I had the online versions.

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• # 55125
• Sat 12 Mar 2011 04:33 PM

I recommend online when a client is involved in their own bookkeeping for invoicing etc. and you can't do better IMHO than Xero.

For clients who bring/send everything to us to deal with at the office we use VT Transaction Plus.  This brilliant software is so easy to use, simple to edit, reliable, available for unlimited numbers of clients etc is about £125+VAT per year.  It also has full multi-currency!  I strongly recommend this.

• Ray
  
  https://cbserves.biz

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• # 55127
• Sat 12 Mar 2011 07:59 PM

Hi 

I use sage as a lot of business like it ,  it is not just a bookkeeping package and since most of my clients use it for stock and project costing and quotes, CIS.  I find it great.

Just to say though I use GO to my PC to access all my clients that use sage on their own network so every one else can continue to work , which means I can work anywhere and on anyones PC that is set up where ever I am.  You can also use Log me in or remote access though I prefer go to my pc.  

I was really for online software, but I am bit undecided at the moment, one of my clients internet went down for days but I least I could take a back up and load it on my software.  

I think cloud software can be great during bad weather,  but I have yet to be convince by these companies security after talking to a lot of technical people there is a lot of discussion about which platform they are based.  I am very interested in cloud software.  

Liz I actually think you really need to know your double entry in sage as well  The about of Garbage I have seen over the years coming out of clients sage has been terrible and its always down to someone who is convinced they know how to do bookkeeping,  not complaining though they keep me in business and usually everything needs to be done again.
 

• Sarah Douglas C.FICB

  HouseTree Business Ltd 

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• # 55366
• Tue 22 Mar 2011 11:02 AM

I am not a fan of cloud accounting software, but interested in its development. Even Sage has felt the need to be part of it with its new Sage One package.

I have experience of Kashflow which I unfortunately did not like. The software would be fine for a small business to do their own books but was simply not powerful enough for my purposes.

I also have nagging doubts about data retrieval should the accounting software provider go out of business and also would not want to be tied into lengthy monthly payments that you have to keep up to access 'your' information. Then when you hear Mr Obama talking about an 'Internet Kill Switch' and the recent events in Egypt where that exact thing happened I old fashionedly decide to keep using trusty old Sage.

Example: I recently signed up a client who was using Kashflow and while I was prepared to give it a go within a month I transferred all his year to date books onto Sage (at my cost, and his agreement). Last week I logged back into his Kashflow account to check a bit of info and the whole thing was blocked due to his subscription being cancelled. Ok we could have paid another £17.50 for a month to retrieve it, but I think this illustrates my point.

I also had a 4 day period with no broadband due to a faulty router - not catastrophic, due to everything being PC based and I was able to pick up emails on my phone. Would have been worse had I been using cloud based software.

Sarah has the answer with the PC remote access software that is available, and this is cheaper than the many monthly fees you would end up paying for cloud based software.

Still this is just the opinion of a 40 year old dinasour, each to their own - I hope you find a solution that suits.

Ken

• http://www.K3accounting.co.uk is a bookkeeping business located in Northumberland. Ken Shewry has over 20 years of experience in Accounting, Management & Business Advice. Qualified AICB and member of the Sage Accountants Club

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• # 70171
• Tue 12 Apr 2011 06:08 PM

I have been looking at quickbooks as if you become a pro advice member with them for £350 a year you get the premier accounts and payroll software for free so thats over £1000 of software for £350

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