accounting/invoicing apps... for a dance school, for non-accountant!

[Simon Gregory]

Hi,

my wife is expanding her dance school, and luckily I am tasked with keeping track of accounts, and generating invoices etc. I really know nothing about accounting, but I do keep a spreadsheet of income and expenses (cashflow i guess you call it) for my meagre graphic design business...

So, there will be at least 200 pupils, although some parents will have more than one kid attending, so I'd want to be able to group those somehow. And they would be invoiced each term, so 4 times per year. And I'd need to keep up to date with the bank balance and all that good stuff. And generate the stuff that the accountant will need at the end of the year.

Can anyone recommend a good program for doing this kind of thing? I know the big name ones, but have been told you need to know about accounting to use them... There are online services that are pretty good, for maybe $50 per month, but it might be overkill. I don't know. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

cheers, reluctant accounts person, Simon

 

[Thrilledge]

http://www.marketcircle.com/billings/

 

[snberk103]

There was a program called MYOB, that has subsequently been taken over by AccountEdge. I use and like it very much. I mentioned the MYOB because some people may still know it by that (old) name.

It has modules that divvy up what you are doing into understandable categories - and suggests the workflow. So, there is a "Sales" module that allows you to create invoices, print them (or create email versions), and where you would also apply payments. And track who has paid and who hasn't. (There's more of course!)

There's a "Purchase" module where you work with the information on things you have purchased.

There's a whole index of reports. It will calculate sales tax remittance figures. It has a payroll module (optional) if you want to pay people. It has a "Banking" module where you reconcile bank accounts, and track funds that aren't attached to Sales or Invoices.

Etc Etc

If it's intimidating, get a bookkeeper or your accountant to help you set it up so that the tax rates are accurate, etc.

In Canada, at least, they claim that they will send your accountant a free copy of the program so that they can read your files.

Check them out... I like it a lot. I avoided doing my books for years, until I started using the original MYOB. Now I can stay up-to-date... and keep my accountant happy.

ps I have no connection with the SW maker, other than being a happy customer.

cheers

 

[balamw]

You could also look at something like QuickBooks online (http://quickbooksonline.intuit.com/)

B

 

[JAT]

Quickbooks is designed for non-accountants. I actually hate it, I am an accountant and it is clear when I use it that I am not the target audience. But there is a reason it is so popular. The new online version does look interesting, but it costs more in the long run.

 

[Simon Gregory]

thanks for the info, I'll check it out...