Accounts Advantage

Online accounting software packages are taking on the old players that had the market share for decades. Maybe the idea of changing your systems is not a priority but are you considering online bookkeeping?

Xero is becoming a very popular system for bookkeepers. We get regular requests from our clients to make the switch from computer based options. There are a lot of reasons and advantages, the main thing being accessibility. You can access you accounting data from any computer, phone or tablet with an Internet connection. Just have having this instant connection is a game changer with keeping instant knowledge of your financials. Managing your day to day cash flow is quicker for different levels of access that can be given. The sales staff can invoice and check to see if sales have been paid to staff entering there own hours, this is just a few of the unique features that emerging in this space. The service is charged on a monthly basis and is quite easy to use. With this ease of use has seen the rise of even better add ons that make the collection and reporting of data amazing.

Accounting Anywhere 

Data safety and security

One major concern with online applications is the security of the financial data . This concern from businesses is natural, and the safety of the financial records is paramount. A breach in the system can mean loss, theft or destruction of the data.

The online applications boast greater data protection measures than computer based software. A lot of the time the computer based systems don’t have passwords or back ups of the software. The biggest threat is not usually being hacked but the loss of data. The hours of work that took to input all the data can be a mammoth task. As a bookkeeper this is all to real to get called to start over putting together all the data again. A computers hard drive can have meltdown, a server crash, the computer an be stolen and hacked, or it could just fail. This threat to data loss has devastating effects. Online accounting systems have a high level of security with often two stage access, the data is backed up in multiple locations in real time. The online application invest heavily in encryption, firewalls and anti-virus systems to protect their data which is far better than household systems.

Final assessment

Some of the functionality from desktop software is still easier to use but the online versions but with third party add ons and major development to online and phone application this gap is closing quickly. The demand for the online option is getting greater by the day.

The rise of online bookkeeping has allowed us to bookkeep for business all over Australia. From day to day data entry, payroll to processing BAS’s and paying bills the online accounting application has allowed us to be more efficient and more cost effective.

When you have a mountain of work your first reaction is to create to-do lists for everything that needs to be done. My desk has paper from days of scribbling the things that need to get done. On most days the items make it from yesterdays list and cycle continues. By employing some simple tactics of things not-to-do you can help in getting on top and through your list. This is not just for bookkeepers but for any business owner or staff.
I have created 4 do-nots that you need to stop. This will help with time sucking activities that annoy even the most focused of us. By cutting these activities out you will gain more time makes you more effective and productive.

1 Avoid bad customers

Your customers are the most important thing and the success of any business. Some customers are not worth your time and take to much of it. Their either to difficult and complex or they have just unreasonable expectations. You need to ask yourself if they are worth your time and in most cases they won’t be. Explore ways you automate the relationship your processes to stream line If your time is money then focusing on easier customers will free up time and allow time for more customers.