bookkeeping software would be appropriate?

sunybck

New member
My dad wants to start a small business. What accounting/bookkeeping software would be appropriate?
As my dad's not overly astute in the financial management side of things, I agreed that I would help him out in that respect. I'm a year 11 Accounting student so we've covered most of small business bookkeeping. I'm just wondering which accounting method would be most appropriate (and which software).

The business I only likely (at present) to consist wholly of himself (service business). I would probably be listed as an employee in these circumstances though.
 
I use Peachtree by Sage for another venture I am involved in (not pressure washing related) and it is very easy

www.peachtree.com
 
Quickbooks works great.
Get the cheaper version Quickbooks "Simple Start" if there will not be employees.

They didn't teach book keeping software in accounting school?
 
The thing I dislike about Quickbooks is the planned obsolescence. If you buy the software you should be able to use it until you are done with it. The whole idea of buying it and then having to pay every year for the upgrades that you may not need or even want just so you can get the tax upgrades. Peachtree you can buy the tax upgrades seperately from the program upgrades.
 
Has anyone found an accounting program that can also be used as a database? What about a program made for PW companies? I'm looking into changing systems to cut down on processing time for the office people. I'm trying to automate everything I can to save time and cut down on paperwork.
 
Service CEO by Insight Direct might be what you are looking for.
 
Lets see >>>> We use Quickbooks ( Contractor ) As sad as this may seem I still have a ledger book and a calendar book that I keep in my truck.. Everything I spend and everything I receive goes in the ledger book and all my jobs with name , persons name , location , and next time due , and phone number go in my calendar book.. I have also figured out that if you really mess up in Quickbooks its a PITA to fix it.. I have to reconcile every month.. It's going to be another fun tax year..
 
Thanks Grant, I'll check into that. We currently use Peachtree but there are a lot of things about it that I HATE.

1. there is a size limit they never tell you. When you get up to a certain size it makes the whole program unstable.

2. Every other year your forced to update the software for about 1,000 in order to use the tax update system. The tax updates aren't real cheap either.

3. Networking and multiple users sucks. Always locking each other out or locking up the system or server. We always need the 5 user pack and it's not cheap. Now they have a new quantum system coming out thats around 3,000. I'm sure that will have to be updated every other year as well.
 
I always heard "if you already know and understand accounting use Peachtree, it has greater flexibiity". "If you don't know accounting, then use Quickbooks". I have a descent understanding, but I use QuickBooks, but like the others on here, its still not enough, and I have a lot of redundancy in my efforts. A greater tie in on the Customer Relationship side is definitely needed. That Service CED does look pretty interesting and could answer that call!
 
2. Every other year your forced to update the software for about 1,000 in order to use the tax update system. The tax updates aren't real cheap either.

You only need to pay for the tax upgrades if you do not want to manually install them. I pay for them.
As for the program upgrades, If I don't see a value in upgrading, I dont.
 
Your no longer able to manually install the tax updates. You have to buy their software. I don't mind that too much but, every other year they stop supporting the older versions so you have to upgrade. On the package we use you have to update to be able to get the tax updates too.

That other program is pretty nice, I wonder how much it runs. I'm going to see if I can get a trial copy of it to play around with it. I may end up switching over to it soon. I wonder if you have to have a copy for each company or if I can run 5 different companies off one version.
 
go to quickbooks simple start web site...d/l demo and use it for the month it gives you free....

somehow after my month was up it registered me and all and I didn't pay a dime. Same copy runs 1 large bill at STAPLES. Don't know if it was luck or what but give it a shot. Its a good program too esp for running a small business like PW
 
Quickbooks, no questions asked. Extremely user friendly and easy to learn.

Grant - We looked in to the Service CEO, it looks like a great program. We are interested in getting it, but will wait until we put a full time crew on. For our one traler we just hand schedule in a day planner.
 
service CEO is a very good program it cost $2000 dollars one time fee it dose everything even invoice and quote i will by it we i get everything thing built
and ready to start up
 
Use Service CEO, don't mess around with Preschool programs if you you want to do it right from the start. Bookkeeper 2008 is a ok program and not to bad for a start up but is a real headache to merge from and grow out of. You get what you pay for. Service CEO is costly upfront but it does link WITH QUICK BOOKS and provides EVERYTHING you need and most importantly, its tailored specifically for POWER WASH and ROOF CLEAN Service Businesses.

Contact my favorite Account Rep. at SERVICE CEO. His name is

Richard Winant at Insight Direct/ServiceCEO
His Direct number is 800 471-4200 his ext. 7344

Do me a solid and please tell him you heard about the software from PW Institute and Dave Westerman at ROOF CLEAN USA.

If you let him know we you got the referral, He'll hook you up and make the software E-Z to get into and if you tell him I sent you he'll give you some FREE training on set up.
Best of luck to you!
 
I really enjoy using GnuCash. It has everything any of the pricey softwares you will find have(only it is open source, and as such...free). Try it out, it is fantastic and has a ton of help information and forums dedicated to understanding and using it. Yes you can invoice and quote from it as well. Although I really prefer atleast as a startup to hand write quotes. From a clients perspective it has helped to give my business that human element that printed quotes and invoices do not. But that may just be my own perception.
 
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