What Is The Best Accounting Software For My Company?

The best accounting software for any company depends on the company's budget, needs, and staff. There are many accounting suites available but the top two in the industry are Intuit Quickbooks and Sage Peachtree. There are also some alternatives for companies that are in highly specific industries. Accounting software is an extremely important part of a business, and it's very difficult to switch from software to software, so research should be done before committing.

Intuit Quickbooks

Quickbooks is one of the most accessible accounting software programs. Quickbooks is very easy to use, and has been used for companies in many industries. It's a simple program that has more advanced features that can be purchased separately. Quickbooks also has an online accounting program that's available for a monthly service charge, though the online version is lacking some of the features of the normal version.

Quickbooks is extremely easy to learn and flexible, but it also doesn't protect against some common accounting mistakes. Because it is so easy to use, it's also easy to use incorrectly. Luckily, there are many Quickbooks seminars and tutorials that can be used to train staff. Quickbooks is available on PC and Mac, but the two types of file cannot interact, so all staff members would need to be on the same type of system.

Sage Peachtree

Peachtree is similar to Quickbooks, but there are some notable differences. Peachtree is a little more complex to use than Quickbooks, but it does offer more advanced accounting features. It also protects against some common accounting mistakes. Peachtree is not as popular as Quickbooks, so there are less materials available for training purposes. Peachtree software does discontinue support of their programs after a few years, so it's important to keep Peachtree updated.

Peachtree is better used for applications that either need to support very large companies or have a knowledgeable accounting staff. Like Quickbooks, Peachtree is available for both Mac and PC, though it does not offer an online component. Special modules such as payroll modules can be added on at additional cost.

Other Alternatives

For specific industries, there are industry-standard accounting programs. As an example, construction companies often use a program called Timberline. This is because construction companies are complex in very specific ways, so Timberline can help with accurate project costing, contractor tracking, and material expenses. Restaurants are another example of companies that may prefer an industry-specific accounting program.

For those in one of these industries, it may be worthwhile to examine alternatives that will help in managing the business more accurately. Some of these programs can even tie directly into a point-of-sale system to cut down on data entry and accounting time, and can help manage and track employee time.

Peter Wendt is a freelance writer and business owner living in Austin, Texas. With little knowledge of accounting software, Wendt hired a managed IT services company for Best accountants in Darwin. Wendt was very happy with the company's services, and can now run his business without worrying about technical issues.

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