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• # 115554
• Fri 25 Aug 2017 07:46 AM

Hi there - newbie here!

Looking for a bit of advice before sitting the B3 paper.  I use Sage Instant Accounts in my own business (which is not book keeping related at the moment), I know Sage inside out, but am wondering how I am going to sit the B3 paper without interfering with my current Sage.  I think my options are either buying a new version of sage OR perhaps downloading a trial of Quickbooks?  My question really is (for those that have used both), how easy is it to get to grips with Quickbooks quickly?  Do you think it possible that you could do the exam part of the paper without having lots of experience with it?  I just dont know how different it is to Sage Instant.

I am thinking about possibly moving to Quickbooks at some stage, as the version of Sage I have is 2014 and was a CD installation, but really grudge the per monthly charges Sage now have, especially if I go down the road of a multi company one.

At the moment tho, my main dilema is how/what to use for the B3 exam, which I'm due to start now.  P.S.  Am not doing my training through a provider, as I've been book-keeping for years, just want to get the papers under my belt.  Any comments appreciated.  Thank you.

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• # 115558
• Sat 26 Aug 2017 04:46 AM

I had thought of using Quickbooks too. However I used Sage Instant 2014 because the mock exams use it. This enabled me to be 100% sure of what statement or report is required. It cost me about 100 for the download version, with which you can run just one client at a time. You can re-download it whenever you need to from, say, Amazon, if that's who use bought it from. In April they replaced this version, the new one costs around 113 pounds. I must say I had lots of problems getting it installed and figuring out how it works. 

Even though you are an experienced bookkeeper, and certainly it would be very worthwhile to learn a new package, on balance I'd recommend you use the Sage for this exam so you know that what you are going to produce is exactly what is required.

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• # 115569
• Mon 28 Aug 2017 12:21 PM

Thanks Rlush0 -

Cheers for that reply.  I think you are right, have been mulling it over since I posted and I think I will go for Sage.  There are CD versions (new) still on *-bay for around £65 so I think I will just bite the bullet and order one.  I am worried about putting another version of Sage onto my laptop, so may just have to hijack my sons laptop and load the new CD onto his, then at least theres no chance of the two Sages talking to each other by mistake .....   I want to get the B3 done asap.

Hopefully I will get round to trial-ing the Quickbooks, a lot of book-keeping friends rave about it!

Thanks again.

Lynn

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• # 115606
• Sat 02 Sep 2017 07:54 AM

lynn.reid3 said:

“

Thanks Rlush0 -

Cheers for that reply.  I think you are right, have been mulling it over since I posted and I think I will go for Sage.  There are CD versions (new) still on *-bay for around £65 so I think I will just bite the bullet and order one.  I am worried about putting another version of Sage onto my laptop, so may just have to hijack my sons laptop and load the new CD onto his, then at least theres no chance of the two Sages talking to each other by mistake .....   I want to get the B3 done asap.

Hopefully I will get round to trial-ing the Quickbooks, a lot of book-keeping friends rave about it!

Thanks again.

Lynn

”

 Hi Lynn

I assume that you back up your data on a regular basis.

Provided that you back up your data to a known place before you do the B3 exam it will not affect your data when you rebuild your files for the exam.

Once you have finished the exam you can then restore your current data from the back up.

That way theres no need to buy another copy of sage.

Hope this helps.

Gordon

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• # 115631
• Thu 07 Sep 2017 10:01 PM

Gordon said:

“

lynn.reid3 said:

“

Thanks Rlush0 -

Cheers for that reply.  I think you are right, have been mulling it over since I posted and I think I will go for Sage.  There are CD versions (new) still on *-bay for around £65 so I think I will just bite the bullet and order one.  I am worried about putting another version of Sage onto my laptop, so may just have to hijack my sons laptop and load the new CD onto his, then at least theres no chance of the two Sages talking to each other by mistake .....   I want to get the B3 done asap.

Hopefully I will get round to trial-ing the Quickbooks, a lot of book-keeping friends rave about it!

Thanks again.

Lynn

”

---

 Hi Lynn

I assume that you back up your data on a regular basis.

Provided that you back up your data to a known place before you do the B3 exam it will not affect your data when you rebuild your files for the exam.

Once you have finished the exam you can then restore your current data from the back up.

That way theres no need to buy another copy of sage.

Hope this helps.

Gordon

”

 Thanks Gordon, got sorted in the end & have just submitted it (hopefully) 

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