Do I have to use Accounting Software for my New Business?

Over many years, we’ve used many different accounting software packages. From Sage Accounting Software to Quickbooks, we have experience across multiple systems. We also see many clients who have different attitudes to their bookkeeping.  Whether they love or hate doing it, have no bookkeeping ability or lots, or if they need the accounting results or not – are all factors that affect whether bookkeeping software is necessary for them.

This decision isn’t one based on how modern someone’s attitude to IT is, either.  I have clients who are young and use an accounting book that was becoming old fashioned 20 years ago, and older clients who are happily using Xero for their day to day work.  In these cases, it’s down to what works best for the client and not how far they feel they can push themselves and their computer.

There are obvious limitations to some methods. A book will never tell you what the total sales for the last ten days were, or what your profit margin is.  But similarly, an accounting system takes a little bit of time and some skill too, so it’s not in line with what many people want to spend their time doing!

When we begin working with a client, we always discuss how they’re doing their bookkeeping.  Too frequently the response is “it’s just what the previous accountant wanted me to use” which is a shame – since if a client doesn’t buy in to what they’re doing, it’ll never work properly.

If you’d like to learn more about the different accounting software available or our recommendations, please get in touch.