Software for small business/self-employed

[Tee]

I'm toying with the idea of becoming self-employed so that I can work freelance within aviation (instructing, etc.). Can anyone recommend good software for a small business? Is there one good package that would cope with both the accounting and administrative functions?. Any comments on Sage or Quickbooks? I'm neither an accountant nor a computer genius, so nothing too complicated!. .. .All input appreciated.

[GeneralElectric]

Can recommend Sage, it's a doddle to set up. It's got lots of wizards to guide you through the process.. .. .It's also one of the most widely used accounts packages, with superb support.. .. .Cheers. .GE

[What_does_this_button_do?]

I use Quicken - does everything for me and dead easy to use.. .. .B

[RNAV]

Why don't you mind your own business ! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> . .. .(No, I'm not being rude ... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="cool.gif" /> , MYOB is great stuff, have been using it for almost 5 years now .... it copes well with £500k pa turnover, although I would probably double check my recommendation if turnover exceeded £1m).. .. .<a href="http://www.myob.co.uk" target="_blank">http://www.myob.co.uk</a>. .. .good luck !

[GAF4139]

Hello Tee. .. .As a freelance instructor I would assume you will work as a subcontractor for mainly one flying school. So you might invoice them once a month or maybe on a weekly basis. For this small number of invoices it might be the easiest to just set up an invoice template in Word or any other wordprocessor and always overwrite it with the latest invoice details. To keep a record of your expenses (mainly travelling and equipment like charts and headset I would guess) a simple spreadsheet table should be sufficient.. .. .Regarding the bookkeeping software mentioned in this thread so far I do have my own opinion:. .. .Sage (Line 50 I assume) seems to me a bit too much for your purposes. And it is not really a doddle to set up. If you do not have a thorough understanding of double entry bookkeeping you are likely to make a complete mess of it. I am an accountant and I have it seen happening several times and it was never a pleasure to sort it out. Sage also does not allow you to correct mistakes easily and it is not a simple task to trace a transaction.. .. .Instead of Sage I would rather recommend on of TAS Software's products. Unfortunately they are now owned by Sage, but their Software is much easier to use, with drilldown facility to trace every transaction to the original entry. It is very easy to correct mistakes and you can keep up to five years on the system allowing you to create reports which show the development of your business.. .. .As far as Quicken or the more advanced Quickbooks goes they are fairly simple to use and corrections are easily made.. .. .But whatever system you decide to buy you should get yourself an accountant to set it up properly. .otherwise you might end up paying more for the year end accounts because you messed things up. Sorry, but I have seen it too many times that people buy themselves a shiny software package, make a complete mess and then moan that they get a big bill for their year end accounts because the accountant more or less had to redo the whole bookkeeping.. .. .You might also want to setup a limited company for which you should get some proper advice. In the end you might be better of to take your books monthly (or even quarterly for the VAT return)to an accountant.. .. .My advice, whatever you decide to do when you set up your business get yourself a good accountant. Unfortunately here it goes as with every profession: A good accountant is worth every pound you pay him whereas with a bad accountant every penny will be wasted.. .. .GAF4139

[under_exposed]

Tee, Rather than getting a computer system send all your customers a bill for £875,500 and then they will think you have a computer system.. .. .U_E MCP