Signs You Need a New Accounting System

The top 10 signs you need a new accounting system are:

10. The service technician keeps threatening to retire
9. “Reconciliation” is your middle name
8. You ask for “proficiency in DOS” when hiring staff
7. When calling Support you hear laughter in the background
6. Salesmen no longer call you about upgrades
5. You have to go for coffee whenever you click on “Post”
4. Your system came on diskettes
3. The last person to know the setup password retired to Florida
2. Nobody understands the reports

and the top sign you need a new accounting system is . . .

1. Your subledgers need counseling for “irreconcilable differences”

Quickbooks is one of the most popular starting systems in North America. In fact, a March 23, 2008 PC Magazine article shows Quickbooks having over 4,000,000 users.

As a Quickbooks user, you won't have any of the signs mentioned above, but you still might have outgrown your system (which is a wonderful thing, when you think about it). Here's what to look for:

1. Performance - The number one reason why Quickbooks users switch is that Quickbooks slows down. Data entry windows, menus and reports take too long to run.

2. Features - As you add such things as warehouse locations or complex customer specific pricing you reach the limits of an entry level system. A sure sign you need to upgrade is the number of spreadsheets you need to maintain because the information is not available directly from the accounting system.

As one of 4,000,000 users you have a lot of clout. Look for a system that not only has the features you need, but also has a way to upload all the Quickbooks history you have worked so hard to build up. That way you can continue to spot trends in your reports. You don't have to start over or compare reports from different systems. One example is Microsoft Dynamics.

Now, let's talk about those irreconcilable differences, shall we?

What Do You Use?

Remember the old saying that the shoemaker's kids go barefoot? I was reminded of that recently when reviewing my own accounting system. When I first selected it, in 1994, I narrowed the choice down to Quickbooks and Mind Your Own Business (MYOB). I chose MYOB because it had both a Mac and a PC version and I was a bit of a MacHead back in those days.

MYOB could continue to record my revenues and pay my bills, but I started thinking about hiring my son to do some of the mailings, particularly when I'm on the road. I'm currently looking at Net Suite because it is:

1. Accessible via the web,
2. Bundled with a web site interface and CRM, and
3. Aimed at small business and the mid market.

I can use it for myself and offer it as an alternative to Microsoft Dynamics GP and NAV (formerly Great Plains and Navision). I'll let you know what happens.