Small Business Accounting Software

[C0ldf1re]

Tally is the best accounting software.

Nutcache works for me... Give it a go! <a href="http://www.nutcache.com">
Katie

Microsoft Dynamics NAV is also an ideal accounting software solution...

So... We've had 3 posts in a row from new forum members who are enthusiastically praising their solution. It looks to me like salespeople joining this forum solely to promote a product in which they have a financial interest. Or am I being too cynical?

[Mary Jane Smith]

I would like to bring out one important quality to look for - integration with other webapps. No one likes to spend time on repeat data between different services (e-commerce, CRM etc). I encourage you to have a closer look at Quickbooks and Freshbooks, because they both have really good integration options with other webapps. Saving time = saving money.

Mary Jane

[C0ldf1re]

I would like to bring out one important quality to look for - integration with other webapps...

My reaction is that accounting software (other than the most trivial) is not at all suitable for webapps. I prefer a native app on a PC because: (1) You know your data really is kept private. (2) PC's are faster than webapps. (3) PC's are more reliable than the web. (4) PC's do not incur the overhead of paying for webapps constantly. (5) You are sure that your backups have really been done.

By all means prove me wrong. It is the only way that I learn!

[Mary Jane Smith]

C0ldf1re you bring up some important points. Fundamentally, if you want to know your data is kept safe, there's only one way and that's to keep it on your own hardware. However, many people already choose to use webapps and therefore have already decided that keeping data in the cloud is ok for them. In that case, you might still favor doing accounting with your own private PC database, but that means you need custom integration or installation integrations which are complicated, expensive and often not kept up to date with the webapps you use. Or you can input the same data twice of course, incurring the cost of time.

The benefit of keeping everything in cloud webapps is that APIs make it easy to connect them and with systems like Cloutex you can seamlessly keep your data synchronized without incurring the cost of an IT consultant. It's definitely a trade off. You save time, it's more convenient and you can be sure your data is always the same in all systems connected. And although I'd like to tell you there's no safety risk, some people wouldn't even guarantee that the sun rises tomorrow, because no-one can predict the future... But I can personally guarantee you that Cloutex takes backup every day and that all measures are taken to keep your data just as safe as in any other webapp or online payment transfer. We like to equate the risk of using webapps with similar risk of corrupted hardware such as harddrives going bad or someone stealing your laptop.

I do understand that not everyone has access to stable internet connections and in that case, yes, installation systems may be preferable. Lets hope the infrastructure catches up soon.

By all means, if you have more points, keep the discussion going, this is a generally important topic that I think deserves to be discussed.

Mary Jane

[C0ldf1re]

OK. I see that Cloutex is an Estonian cloud start-up firm, who emphasize their ability to integrate data between apps, at a monthly fee.

I feel secure with on-site apps. Provided you take proper off-site backups, then you are genuinely safe. If the app author disappears, you still have your working copy of the app. If the internet stops, you can still work. You have physical possession of your data and/or backups. Your hardware can be replaced in hours. You are at nobody's mercy.

But I've seen lots of disasters on the web. The apps stop working, and your data is gone. And there is no point screaming, "I'll sue!" Because their small-print protects them against any claim, and they weren't in your jurisdiction anyway, and they couldn't compensate you because they've gone bust, and they have also disappeared without trace...

[Steve R Jones]

I too work for an accounting software company. We have two pc based apps and are getting ready to release a web based version that is the best of the other two.

All of our clients want the web based version... No more installing patches on 27 pc's.

One of our competitors has a function that at the press of a button will update Craigs List...

[C0ldf1re]

... All of our clients want the web based version... No more installing patches on 27 pc's...

There's a lot of pressure for, 'Login and go'. The client doesn't really want to bother with configuration or backups.

It is a far, far, better thing for a software house to earn, say, $19/month which continues and increments forever, than to try for a one-off sale of, say, $499. It can also, paradoxically, improve the software house's cashflow. Once you have demonstrable predictions of future earnings, you can immediately borrow multiples of those earnings.

There is also the point that having your clients, 'By the data', is quite as good as having them, 'By the balls'. You can do it from a safe distance as well, and don't have to wash your hands afterwards!

We too are building a WebApp counterpart to our on-site programs. This is despite the fact that I doubt that this course is the safest or most reliable solution for our clients.

One concern is to build a 'Legal Firewall' around this venture. If the WebApp turns into a disaster, as it easily could due to circumstances beyond our control, then the WebApp subsidiary could go into liquidation without harm to our main company.

You will note the hint of pessimism... It is born of long and sad experience!

[Steve R Jones]

A small sell for us is $10,000.00 USD and we get about half that every year to renew. No renewal - no access to the data

[C0ldf1re]

A small sell for us is $10,000.00 USD and we get about half that every year to renew...

Very interesting info. I am always keen to learn from, 'the big boys'!

That is a different business model to any that I am used to using. I am used to either (1) a sale price, and then an annually recurring ~15% for maintenance and support, or (2) distribution as freeware, with support by pay-per-minute telephone, and fixed quotes for alterations to the software.

Am I right in guessing that you sell as a 'lease' of the software, and that your firm is always under pressure to generate revenue to support your marketing costs?

[Steve R Jones]

We're always under pressure to generate revenue to "keep our doors open."

We also grow when our clients grow and need to use our software in newly acquired offices. The renewal fees cover support and free upgrades as we release them.

I haven't looked at our licensing agreement is years. I doubt it has the word "lease" in it. It is probably similar to a Windows agreement - we "grant access" or continued access.

We get away with the large renewal fees because our competitors do the same thing

[C0ldf1re]

We're always under pressure to generate revenue to "keep our doors open."...

Perhaps that is the one thing in business that I fear above all else: the time when immediate cash-flow becomes more important than long-term profits.

I've seen salesmen make promises that can never, technically, be fulfilled, just to get deposits from customers. Their employer is inevitably doomed.

[Steve R Jones]

Lets not talk about what the sales people do

Been there don't that... In the first software company I worked for we finally managed to get the sales team to stop making stuff up or saying yes to every question about "will the software do this or that."

Our current sales people can't even do demos without assistance from a trainer or support person to do the job.

But speaking of the software being able to do this or that - I get calls all time from clients that have been around for 3+ years and are upset they can't do something. I've been known to tell them to go shoot the person responsible for picking out software. I do that knowing full well Im talking to "that" person

[C0ldf1re]

... I get calls all time from clients that have been around for 3+ years and are upset they can't do something...

Do you offer 'tailoring' services to alter the software package to the client's own needs? Once a reasonably sized firm has started using our freeware, I find it easy to quote $10k+ for alterations.

... I've been known to tell them to go shoot the person responsible for picking out software. I do that knowing full well I'm talking to "that" person

I'll remember that one... Just in case.

[Steve R Jones]

We use Crystal Reports and can make custom reports for clients @ $100 per hour.

[C0ldf1re]

We use Crystal Reports and can make custom reports for clients @ $100 per hour.

Which back-end database do you use?