Alan Butler is a director of A Butler and Company, chartered certified accountants, based in Derby, providing a personalised service to local business owners and individuals. Four Software Limited, 5A Darley Abbey Mills, Darley Abbey, Derby, DE22 1DZ, Tel 01332 200 604, Fax 01332 344329, Four Software Email bookkeeping@siteweave.net
When you are running a small business, the last thing you want is to have to learn a complicated system for your accounting. Unless you have experience in accountancy or bookkeeping you want an accountancy program that is simple to use but which provides the record keeping and reports that you want.
So, what should you be looking for when you decide to buy accounting software?
You need something that is easy to use - and also easy to understanding when you print off the reports.
Have you looked at the different accounting packages around? I have talked to many business people and they all seem to say the same thing, that most accounts software is too complicated to be used by someone who does not understand accountancy.
Many of the major accounting software packages have steep learning curves for the average business person.
"When will someone create a user friendly accounting package?" I hear can hear you say.
The good news is someone was listening, and there are simpler, but still effective accounts programs available. They are simple to use, and there is no steep learning curve. They are designed for the non-accountant to be able to keep their own books and records on their computer and produce reports that they can understand.
For the majority of businesses this is probably the best accounting software you can buy. You can often download a free trial version; you can test it out and then purchase it, knowing exactly how it works.
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