[Adam P]

been recommended to try sage for all of these needs but wondered before buying their software if anyone on here could recommend anything else?

i need something that will sort out my accounts (only a small business now but big plans so needs to be able to grow with us), sort out payroll work, and then finally take payments online for our services/products that we sell.

i'm not expecting all this from one software manufacturer, but my thought was that i might get a better deal getting this all from one place.

i'm with federation of small businesses if that makes any difference to discounts etc

[Big Al]

i use www.mybiz.co.uk, free for the first year, then £99, doesnt do payrol 

[Alan McTernan]

I have heard quick books is meant to be good. But i would rather leave it all up to my Bookkeeper & Accountant

That way i don't screw it up, as i did in my first year and got a huge tax bill that i had already paid as a PAYE  :

[dollycharwf]

Wouldn't hesitate to recommend the guys I've been using for some time;

Accounts - www.kashflow.co.uk - Excellent system, which is all hosted securely online taking away one massive potential issue of data loss.  You will not need Sage, which is designed by accountants, not business owners.  There are some additional modules which may deal with your online payment requirements.

Payroll - We've used Moneysoft for the last year.  We were using another similar system, but I found I was still having to duplicate a lot of things.  Moneysoft are great - you can produce most of your HMRC reports on there.  Eg P46 / P45 / P32/ P60 etc.

[absolutecleaning]

Unless your accounts are very complicated why not just use a spreadsheet for your sales and purchase ledger (which can then be sent to your accountant), raise invoices as word docs/pdfs and use the free employers cdrom which calculates tax and your eoy employers return.

Simon

[cml]

I guess you have been given a number of options but  it all  depends on what you want the software it to do and how much you are prepared to spend.  There are a number of softwares that can assist.

If you want to keep everything in House and not web based then for small businesses you can try comparing the following as a starter.

1.  Sage (already recommended)
2.  MYOB (for small businesses) can handle payroll, invoicing, day to day operations etc.
3.  Quickbooks (simple to use) handles everything from small to expanding businesses

All packages start from basic accounting to professional. 

There are also other softwares that are more tailored to the industry and can serve as a front and back office.  Their more catered to your industry and aids your sales, marketing, payroll etc.

The straight accounting softwares (1, 2, 3,) can be used for any business type whilst the more industry based softwares will deal only with works carried out.  so if you sold a cleaning service to (A) it would automatically update your sales ledge, expense and timesheet for workers and all that involves doing that job.  The same process in a straight accounting software would required individual entries for the same process.  It all depends on what you want the software to do for you.

I hope this helps

[Daria Taylor]

been recommended to try sage for all of these needs but wondered before buying their software if anyone on here could recommend anything else?

i need something that will sort out my accounts (only a small business now but big plans so needs to be able to grow with us), sort out payroll work, and then finally take payments online for our services/products that we sell.

i'm not expecting all this from one software manufacturer, but my thought was that i might get a better deal getting this all from one place.

i'm with federation of small businesses if that makes any difference to discounts etc

sage is very complicated software and you have to have good knowledge of it. I'm an accountant and still not very keep on it, i dont use it although i have the software. if you are only a small company which i quess you are, go for quick books very simular stuff, however much easier to understand etc and will easily be able to train staff to use it if need be.

regards
dash t

Dash t

[AC Pressure]

I have to agree with you Dash i have sage as part of my buiseness banking i find it quite hard to understand so i dont use it and wont be renewing it after initial 12 months.
I now use Quickbooks free simple start edition it is so easy to understand i do quotes and invoices with it and would reccommend it.