Having Trouble getting your books done?

One of the most frequent things we see are clients that are struggling with their bookkeeping systems.  It could be that they have been running the same software on their computer for years and all of a sudden the computer crashes.  It might be that they inherited the software when they took over the business and current technology can not run it.  It could be that the software was perfectly fine until it stopped recognizing important peripherals like Printers or USB drives.

The most common reason for letting your accounting software go old or obsolete is cost.  Historically the cost to update your software every year has started at approximately $200 per year and has now risen to approximately $450 per year for a standard version.  If you use your accounting software for payroll, historically Sage, Quickbooks or AgExpert have all subscribed you to regular software updates (mostly to limit the number of versions of their software that they have to produce payroll updates for and therefore support).

One of the avenues that we have done is to convert their old data files to Quickbooks Online.  The advantages of Quickbooks Online is that it allows you to seek advice with your accountant in real time without having to bring your data file to them.  Your accountant can help you to enter your year end adjusting journal entries (or enter them for you) without any disruption in your ability to continue entering your books.  Similarly, you can keep working in your accounting file while your accountant is working on your year end.  Because it uses current technology and is always up to date, you don't have to worry about obsolescence in your software or your computer equipment.  Finally, because it is cloud based, you can access your books from any computer with internet access and a web browser - there are no backups to do and no worries if your computer breaks down.

There are some disadvantages - the big two being that you are locked into a subscription for as long as you require your books, and the second being that you need a computer with good internet access to avoid issues with your day to day entry and bookkeeping.  

There are many options to consider, both in features available and different software providers which could be good fits for your business.  Call or book an appointment to discuss your software needs going into the new year.