Do it Right the First Time

When starting your own business, it’s important to have a plan. You should write down everything you will need to get that business running smoothly so that you won’t have to lose time and money on things such as poor bookkeeping. Keeping detailed accounting is one of the most important things about starting a new business and without software like Quickbooks you could get lost before you even really get started.

Even if your business is a very small business and you are the only employee, you still must keep accounting records that are easy to understand and in a convenient location. Too many people think they can keep all their accounting data written down in a ledger or even just a plain notebook but when it comes to having a business, no matter how big or small, you should have accounting software installed on your computer. It’s not only for your benefit but when it’s time to pay taxes all that information is easily and quickly attainable.

I’ve used a couple of different programs over the years; Peachtree accounting is one that I really liked a lot. It was simple to use and helped me to keep a good record of my over-head spending as well as what I was bringing in.

Many small businesses use Quickbooks which is also a very good program. It is probably the most used accounting software on the market because of how easy it is to install and use and the amount of details the program has. This program will actually expand to suit the needs of small businesses that have outgrown the family home.

The most important thing to remember when starting your own business is to make sure you have all your ducks in a row. You wouldn’t go out in a boat without a sail or oars and you shouldn’t start a home business without some kind of accounting software.

Putting my Office in Order

When I began my own business three years ago I had not prepared for the overwhelming duties of keeping my accounts in order. I figured since it was just a very small business I could handle it without having to use a professional accountant or even accounting software. I was very wrong. It didn’t take long for my books to get out of hand and I knew tax time would be a nightmare if I didn’t bring some order to this mess.

I began with buying Quickbooks, which was very simple and easy to use. I was able to take care of all my home office needs just from that one program. I was able to print checks, automatically keep my bank balance, and print invoices without any problem at all. I had detailed legers of all my business payments and bills.

There are many different business tools that were at my disposal and I tried many of them just to see which ones were perfect for my needs. I made sure that everything I tried was related to small business accounting software as I didn’t need anything that is designed for big corporations; it was just me and my office. I didn’t have any accounting knowledge so the programs I tried had to be easy to understand and easy to work with. I really didn’t want to do any kind of math on my own; I needed a product that would do it all. That’s why I finally decided on Quickbooks because it did everything I needed it to and nothing I didn’t need it to.

I highly suggest that anybody starting a home business to start out with some kind of accounting software to keep your books in order. Don’t wait until you become over-whelmed with a desk covered in invoices and notes; start your business clean and easy and you won’t have sleepless nights wondering which bills were paid and which ones weren’t.