Book-keeping advice

[stephelen]

What is the best way of keeping accounts up to date for a very small business with not much spare money.
Either computerised or paper accounts and which software or books would you recommend.
Any suggestions extremely welcome.
Thank you

[Ravenfire]

Definitely quickbooks.

[newlittleperson]

I went with MYOB which I think is really good. I think alot of them give you free trials which are worth doing to make sure it's the one for you!

[Ravenfire]

Another is http://www.kashflow.co.uk

[trogette]

If it's really small, it might be easier to just keep all your receipts and bank statements and sales info together 'til you need to give them to your accountant or do your tax return. Or if you want to look at paper accounts, the analysed cash-book is simple and straightforward. I found a better article than this last time I looked but this will do... http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/ad741e/ad741e0r.htm We also have a few non-VAT-registered clients who use the green 'simplex d' book. The one for VAT registered businesses is hopeless but the non-VAT one is fine :)

[stephelen]

Thank you ever so much for your suggestions.
:happy72:

[Arianna]

Hi,

Another suggestion is to actually use a spreadsheet. You can get templates from some companies that offer bookkeeping services and accountants that are very useful for small businesses that just want to keep things simple and cost effective.

Arianna

[Bunny]

I work in accounting and I prefer it when people keep paper accounts, many people who use computer programs to give us their basic figures for the year don't realise we still have to go and check all the figures they have given us, and it's never usually that easy to do that. So just keep bank statments, invoices, reciepts and you can try a cash book analysis yourself whick, if you are going to be using an accountant, makes their lives so much easier for when they check it all.