Bookkeeping program for client?

[PIGLEE]

I used to recommend "Quick Books Simple Start program" to clients starting a new business. Now it is only available as an online program. I am looking for something that is SIMPLE and INEXPENSIVE. This is a very very small business, but I want to get they started on the right track.

What programs are you suggesting? I am open to ideas.

Jan

[krfcpa]

Try QuickBooks Pro 2014

As a QuickBooks Advanced ProAdvisor, I recommend QuickBooks 2014 Pro version. It is available for less than $200 (generally around $175 or less) and is a good choice if client doesn't need complex inventory or job cost tracki

[Roberts]

I've never used it but know people who do and say it works great.

http://www.gnucash.org/

FREE

[Gary2]

I've never used it but know people who do and say it works great.

http://www.gnucash.org/

FREE

I started using GNU Cash for personal finances when I switched to a Mac, largely because I didn't want to pay Intuit any more money for their planned obsolescence contract.

It seems reliable and functional enough, but:

1. If you're already familiar with bookkeeping and accounting, it's probably fine. I don't know how good the reports are, or whether it can produce a "current year only" file for furnishing the IRS on request.
2. If you know absolutely nothing about bookkeeping, you'll realize immediately that you first need to learn something - unlike QuickBooks, which will string you along for a while before you realize you need to learn something.
3. If you're in the middle, you'll probably find that there's enough additional handholding in QuickBooks to make it worth the expense, but hey, since GNU Cash is free, you don't lose much by trying it out.

I've since decided to switch to iBank, but keep in mind my intent was personal finance, not bookkeeping. GNU Cash is over-engineered in terms of functionality and under-engineered in terms of usability, so it was getting to be a tedious pain setting up brokerage accounts. Each mutual fund within an account required creating an account, a security object, and a price tracking object; the name and symbol had to be retyped for each case. I don't think you'll see this level of tedium for business books.

[taxea]

for a sml bus just starting out and having no records keeping experience I recommend Dome weekly or monthly manual book. It gets them used to doing booking and makes them aware of how much it takes to keep the paperwork up. I would highly recommend they hire someone who knows what they are doing, however, rather than mucking it up by trying to do it themselves.

[John of PA]

I also recommend manual bookeeping for the first year of a very small business. Many want to just do it on Excel and thats fine. They can always later migrate to Quickbooks. For the average person, Quickbooks is very confusing and complicated and is only for someone who is willing to invest a lot of time learning the package the right way so their reports are not garbage, or is willing to purchase unlimited Tech Support.

[Roberts]

I have a client who went straight into Quickbooks and tries to run his business himself through it.

Holy cow he has screwed everything up repeatedly and horrifically.

He doesn't understand the difference between assets / income and Liabilities / expenses.

Taking a basic bookkeeping course at the local community college would be enough for most people.

[lenboush]

I also recommend manual bookeeping for the first year of a very small business. Many want to just do it on Excel and thats fine. They can always later migrate to Quickbooks. For the average person, Quickbooks is very confusing and complicated and is only for someone who is willing to invest a lot of time learning the package the right way so their reports are not garbage, or is willing to purchase unlimited Tech Support.

Since you mentioned using Excel, I thought I'd share a record keeping spreadsheet I created for our clients with small businesses. It's a FREE download. It is the two links at the bottom of this web page - http://heritagetax.com/download-business-forms/

I tell the clients that this is NOT "bookkeeping" but "record keeping".

Obviously, this isn't for everyone but some of our clients have used it and do like it. They either bring the Excel file in on a thumb drive or e-mail it to me. My feel for the quality of the work decides how much I rely on it or how much editing I do.

[John of PA]

Thank you for sharing your spreadsheets. I like your websight. I'm curious, what tax software do you use? Many Happy Returns!

[arlo]

What a great web page.

Since you mentioned using Excel, I thought I'd share a record keeping spreadsheet I created for our clients with small businesses. It's a FREE download. It is the two links at the bottom of this web page - http://heritagetax.com/download-business-forms/

I tell the clients that this is NOT "bookkeeping" but "record keeping".

Obviously, this isn't for everyone but some of our clients have used it and do like it. They either bring the Excel file in on a thumb drive or e-mail it to me. My feel for the quality of the work decides how much I rely on it or how much editing I do.

Who did the work on your web page? I wish I had one like that.......

[Lion]

Thank you for sharing, Len.

[lenboush]

Thank you for sharing your spreadsheets. I like your websight. I'm curious, what tax software do you use? Many Happy Returns!

I use Drake Software.

[lenboush]

Who did the work on your web page? I wish I had one like that.......

Valerie Cudnik at http://cdgwebdesign.com/

She is VERY reasonably priced compared to anyone and everyone else I have researched.

[RitaB]

Crying

Holy cow he has screwed everything up repeatedly and horrifically.

This struck me as the funniest and most accurate description of EVERY layperson I've ever seen trying to use QuickBooks.

[John of PA]

I also use Drake and love it. Again, your websight is outstanding.