I have just downloaded some Open Source software (legit and free) to do my accounts with. Just wondering if anyone else did their own accounts and either used or have used this software.

I am usually pretty good with software but as I have no accounts experience (outside the module I had to take as part of the post grad law course I did 12 years ago) but after a quick look I have realised this is going to take me a little while to get my head round

I had looked at SAGE and Quickbooks but really they are far too expensive for me especially when you can get free software to do the same thing.

It does look good as it seems to not only keep your profit and loss, it also has a client database, invoices which you can design and stock inventory too. Now all I have to do is work out how to use it properly.

So if anyone more knowledgeable could impart any words of wisdom I would be most grateful as I really don't even have a clue where to start at the moment.

I just use ? well I cant remember what it's called and it's on my main computer that has given up the ghost.
Ah I remember now excel and I just have an in and out column, very basic and simple. Like myself

LOL Graham you are so funny. I too have been using Excel with a simple 2 page spread sheet but felt with my new venture into décor I could do with a bit more of a sophisticated accounts system with a database for my clients and one that numbers invoices automatically as I have messed up a few times with numbers etc (thankfully I noticed in time) and I especially like the idea of having an inventory of all my stock. I will probably never remember to update it but I really should.

Hi Yvonne, I downloaded this after reading your post.

I also think it seems very good with automated invoices etc etc, need to spend some time on it to work out how best to use it.

Let you know how it goes.

Regards, Debbie Oneill CBA

WOW Balloons

Glad I could be of use. I'll have a proper look next week but in the meantime I already have too much on my plate that I have to do first.

Yvonne, that's easy to sort out............just get a bigger plate to fit everything onto

love the idea of having a bigger plate Graham!!

Sage Girl myself, but thats because I have used the sage software since the early 80's... (long time) and moved with it.

These days I use Sage Accountant (wasnt that expensive if I remember), but I dont use automated invoices, sales & purchase ledgers & stock control for our small company. most are new customers each time and payment is mostly prior to bookings - you dont have to to run the full system to get the information out of it

Whatever system of complete accounting package you use remember if you dont fill in your chart of accounts (the list of where you want the accounts and their information to go to) you wont get profit & loss accounts or balance sheets. So its worth spending a bit of time working on that prior to starting using it.

I have a manual invoice book for numeric invoices and a diary for controling bookings

Pam
xx