Recommendations sought about book keeping/accountancy software

[TopGun]

A question for the SME owners and accountants on here.

 

I've been using an older version of Quickbooks (2006) for time monitoring, book keeping, invoicing and VAT but want to get up to date. Quickbooks has done the job for me pretty well thus far as it saves me loads of hassle by keeping it all in one place but I'm wondering whether others prefer alternative packages and why?

Edited 18 March, 2012 by TopGun

[buctootim]

'Offbooks' and its derivative 'Offshore' are increasingly popular in football and FTSE100 circles

[Verbal]

We use Sage. I can't comment much about it because others in the company use it - only that its reporting functions are superb.

[TopGun]

'Offbooks' and its derivative 'Offshore' are increasingly popular in football and FTSE100 circles

 

Yes, I'm not going to consider 'Pompeybooks'!

[Kingsbridge Saint]

Xero - cloud based solution - its the future. It just works. I am in Oz but could recommend a Hampshire accountant who is all over it. PM me.

[CB Saint]

Sage -

[ooh it's a corner]

Is it just a single user that you need?

 

If so, then you are in safe-ish hands with Sage, it is proven, widely adopted and support is available readily should you need it. It's also inexpensive.

 

If you start needing more functionality, or more users, then despite Sage's other offerings, I think there are better products out there.

 

It's an easy analogy with cars. If you want a car for 1 person, you might buy a two seater sports car, but if you've got a family of 5 to transport, you wouldn't.

 

I like Quickbooks, and if you're used to it, it might be the better product for you, but support is harder to find.

[Special K]

Sage 50 here. Very good i think, but only really use it to run off reports. I know the "accounts dept" (all 1 of them!) like it though.

[dronskisaint]

As others have said it depends what you use it for...bought Sage 50 a few years back and have constantly upgraded and it's been ok but I now find it lacking in foreign transaction capability and a little restricted in it's reporting.

[Minty]

An alternative suggestion from someone who has used Sage and Quickbooks before... Kashflow.

 

Also cloud based, it is perceived by some as being underpowered but it depends what you need it to do. It is powerful enough for me and most importantly, is exceptionally user-friendly, which I've never been able to say about Sage or QB. Support is excellent and accountants access is free.

 

Accountants used to the likes of Sage may not like it so much, but for the end user, the business owner or bookkeeper who is not a qualified accountant, it is excellent IMO.

[TopGun]

Interesting. Thanks for comments. I shall do a bit of investigation into each.