Looking For A Simple Accounting Program For Your Small Business?

QuickBooks is a good accounting package for a small business. At the end of the year when you have to get all of your records together to file a tax return you may appreciate the little bit of extra detail afforded by QuickBooks.

Another program you might want to consider is the Sage Peachtree First Accounting 2011 package, which is less expensive than QuickBooks while still affording good coverage for the basics in accounting.

For an excellent pricing on QuickBooks and Sage Peachtree First Accounting take a look at this resource: Trinity

For a look at open source alternatives you might want to look at this resource: Osalt

Is There A Quicker And Easier Way To Do Small Business Expenses?

Software service solutions are tools. If the tool does not fit your business process or is extraneous to it then it becomes just as much a burden as not having the tool at all; it may even decrease your efficiency and increase your costs.

Most of small businesses evolve an integrated view of the expense reporting challenge. Someone in the accounting organization has to make the expense reporting become a reality in the general ledger and close the books to apply the data.

Getting the data from the individual that incurs the cost to the one who must process it and obtaining the necessary review and approval along the way are generally the process drivers.

Many small firms simply develop a template expense report in Excel or a similar spread sheet format that has built in formulas to easily total expenses by category required by accounting. The form sits on line and is reviewed and approved by the authority necessary in the company and then passed to the accounting process.

Box Net and free, controlled applications in a networked setting are software storage and access tools that work well for this type of process. But the process and the design of the process must come first. Your format and your situation are paramount in the design of what is stored and processed.

If you try try to pigeon hole your operation into software tool that does not fit your operation you will create more work than you save.

For more information try these resources .....

Box.net

Small To Feds

Small Business Tools And Resources Made Simple

WorkingPoint integrates tools for small business accounting, online invoicing and many other small business needs. Their online community brings you the best news, tactics and tips for Small Business.

They provide more than just an easy to use bookkeeping service for Small Business that handles your invoices, bookkeeping, accounting, accounts payable, and accounts receivable so you can spend your time on other things. WorkingPoint's sleek, easy to use software can be accessed from anywhere. They offer recurring invoicing, banking integration and reports... all for just $10 a day.

They designed WorkingPoint for business owners, not accounting professionals. It is simple and straight-forward to use.


The WorkingPoint Blog, Facebook Page, and Twitter Feed provide the best tools, tactics and up to date news for Small Businesses. I suggest you take advantage of all they offer.

Small Business Tax And Accounting Resource …. Consulting And Education

Fred Daus, CEO & Founder of Fredrick James Accounting, Tax & Consulting has built his entire approach to taxes & consulting on educating clients to help them make better informed decisions that result in financial growth while reducing tax liability. This applies to both business and individual clients.

His firm is offering a new personalized, 1 hour consultation & education course for those who have recently become self employed, independent contractors, independent business owners and even those who are taking on side work while retaining their regular employment. The consult is designed to provide a solid foundation of practical and accurate tax advice that, if followed, will prevent costly mistakes that can lead to a shockingly large tax bill at the end of the year. Each consultation is developed according to individual clients situations & needs. During the hour consultation with CEO Fred Daus, clients will also have the opportunity to ask any questions they may have. The cost is $147 for one hour and comes with a money back guarantee.

For more information on this service please visit: Self Employment Tax Consultation

Mr. Daus also offers expert advice through his blog: Educating the Masses to Help You Save on Taxes. Business owners may find some of the free advice helpful as well as the small business topics delve into some of the financial/tax issues small business owners and independent contractors face.

Below are two examples of recent posts that can be found on the Fredrick James blog. Entries are posted weekly and they do accept suggestions and requests to cover issues of particular interest.

….. Finding the Right Accountant to Help Build Your Business

Excerpt:

“...I want to clarify that accounting is an investment in your business, rather than an annoying expense. Finding the right accountant who understands your goals and is willing to work with you toward achieving them is worth his weight in gold. You will see a much higher return on your investment through smart tax planning and good financial reports that will help you more easily obtain credit in these credit-strapped times."

….. Starting Your Own Business: Choosing Your (Tax) Words Carefully

Excerpt:

"One of the most important issues, related to your tax situation, is how you will define the people who work for you or, if you work for yourself, how you define your relationship to your business. Do I classify workers as employees or independent contractors? And why does it matter?"

Small Business owners may also find the new "Ask Fred" section helpful as it allows them direct access to Fred's expertise in regards to a specific question they may have.

To see more of what Fred’s blog has to offer go to: Educating the Masses to Help You Save on Taxes

Small Business Tools For Basic Project Management and Accounting

SME business owners should have access to basic project management and accounting tools that allow them to easily manage their projects and automate their team's data entry for things like time on activities, expenses, distance traveled, and products sold on the road or at the job site.

BillZone is a product that allows small business owners to automate all these activities so that more time can be spent on their business. Employees and contractors simply enter their information using computers or PDA devices, and the employer or the bookkeeper can run all the customer invoices in a single day instead of managing hundreds of timesheets.
One of its strengths is that it is designed to work with Windows, Mac, and Linux, and with most browsers available on those platforms. All financial reports are in PDF format, delivered right to the desktop. Since it is Software as a Service (SaaS), there is no setup or expertise required by the business owner.

The software was also designed to deliver simple project management tools, so that owners can set up projects and then run reports to see project statuses in real-time (how much has been burned vs estimated as of today) and see how well they have done over time.

For more information look over these sites .....

* Bill Zone

* Why Basic Project Management Tools Are Good