Small Business Accounting Software

[Grant 4]

Hi All

I am going to purchase a small business accounting package, something like MYOB.

Who has experience with any packages on here? What would you recommend (and why...)?

Ideally I would like something that is set up for NZ, and deals with things like GST easily, and also interfaces with internet banking (BNZ) as easily as possible.

I must admit to having very little knowledge of these packages, but have a pretty good general accounting knowledge.

Cheers

Grant

Edited January 3, 2007 by Grant

[Gus 5]

my mum uses MYOB..your more than welcome to have a chat with her about it, or get some help..she seems pretty happy with it

[318isCoupe 0]

Quickbooks is the best small business accounting program I've used.

I found MYOB to be less flexible and adaptable.

[OLLIE 26]

Grant .. I haver been doing my research about this recently and have chosen quickbooks over all of them, same reason as above. go to the websites and order a demo copy you will recieve it in the post the next day

[Guest Ken]

Talk to your accountant as you will inevitably be sending him your accounting info on disk. A number of them use Quickbooks, (as do I), which has excellent facilities for this type of information exchange.

[318isCoupe 0]

If you've got good general accounting knowledge then pretty much any accounting package is easy to pick up, I've worked largely with J.D Edwards systems (p.o.s) as an entire customised package in a job with a lot of inventory work.

For someone with no accounting knowledge that only wants to do the very minimal of accountancy jobs (e.g, a mechanic or plumber who works by himself from home) then I think MYOB would be ideal.

However, for someone with some accounting knowledge that wants to be able to make financial reports, manage payroll, due date and unpaid bills, completely electronic invoicing and purchasing and still have plenty more options when it comes to adapting the software to their business.. all in an easy to use software package.. then Quickbooks wins hands down. It's about as close as you can get to a custom designed program without going into 5 figures. The higher levels of Quickbooks especially.

I've got an un-opened un-used copy of the previous version of Quickbooks that you may be able to have for cheap.

Edit: Quickbooks Premier 06' ... as listed here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000B8NFHQ/

Never got around to updating from the earlier Quickbooks.. but I've just ordered the 07' copy.

Edited January 4, 2007 by 318isCoupe

[Grant 4]

Thanks for the answers guys, really helpful.

I have spoken to a few people today, and looked at both (Quickbooks and MYOB) packages during the day, and agree with most of you here with Quickbooks being the "better' of the two. MYOB was good as well.

Also Dick Smith is getting rid of its Quickbooks Small Business 2006, for $178 at the moment, so it is pretty hard to beat (and I only need the functionality of the Small Business package for my small one man consultancy). I will pick up a copy of this tomorrow.

Ken, I take it from your reply that you are an accountant? Do you do small (I mean very small) business work, or can you recommend someone who is good to work with. I am starting out on my own in 3 weeks as a management and project consultant, and am getting everyting in place now to hit the ground running.

Cheers

Grant

[Guest Ken]

Ken, I take it from your reply that you are an accountant? Do you do small (I mean very small) business work, or can you recommend someone who is good to work with. I am starting out on my own in 3 weeks as a management and project consultant, and am getting everyting in place now to hit the ground running.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I'm a Database-Systems Architect Developer ("Computa programma")!!!

As I do a bit of contract work now and then I have to call upon the services of an accountant. I can only recommend ones up my way (Whangarei), however if you go with QB I'm sure that there will be a number of small business specialists down your way that can be of service to you. Yellow Pages may even indicate some that are QB "enabled".

Check these guys out... Auckland Chamber of Commerce ANY business large or small will benefit from "networking".

Full marks for seeking out an accountant to aid your business venture; you NEVER want to be on the wrong side of the IRD!!!

Cheers

Ken.

Edited January 4, 2007 by Ken

[318isCoupe 0]

Thanks for the answers guys, really helpful.

I have spoken to a few people today, and looked at both (Quickbooks and MYOB) packages during the day, and agree with most of you here with Quickbooks being the "better' of the two. MYOB was good as well.

Also Dick Smith is getting rid of its Quickbooks Small Business 2006, for $178 at the moment, so it is pretty hard to beat (and I only need the functionality of the Small Business package for my small one man consultancy). I will pick up a copy of this tomorrow.

Ken, I take it from your reply that you are an accountant? Do you do small (I mean very small) business work, or can you recommend someone who is good to work with. I am starting out on my own in 3 weeks as a management and project consultant, and am getting everyting in place now to hit the ground running.

Cheers

Grant

I can recommend a few people in Tauranga, but I'll get back to you next week once I'm back at work about some people to contact in Auckland! Good luck!