Choosing the right accounting package

Accounting packages can be used for all the important financial transactions in your business and you will rely on it to give you critical information about the health of your business. In order to make the right choice, you need to consider a number of different issues.

To get the right package for your business, you need to define your business requirements and then match them to the available packages. A good way to do this is to decide on the overall requirements first, then consider the more detailed requirements within that framework. Once you have done this we strongly recommend that you talk to us!

Your package must meet all the statutory (legal) requirements that apply to your business and must continue to do so in the future, by, for example, submitting annual accounts that meet defined accountancy standards. Some requirements apply equally to all businesses, but others are specific to particular businesses and the way they operate. For example, a business that deals mostly in cash will keep accounts in a different way to a business that does not. 

If you have been running your business with manual accounts then you will probably be familiar with these requirements, but if not, we will be able to help.  You need to consider what help you will need to set up, install and maintain your accounts package. For example, if you need to send in your VAT return, but a problem occurs with your accounts package, you need to be able to solve the problem very quickly to avoid penalties for a late return. You need a person or support organisation that you can rely on to sort out this type of problem and Plummer Parsons offer this service