Choice of Accounting System

Simplify Your Choice of Accounting System

It’s easy to make a quick decision when it comes to your choice of accounting systems for your business, but it’s so important to take your time to ensure you choose the right one. The trouble is, with so many different programs, it can be nearly impossible to narrow down which one is right for you.

A professional team of CPAs can simplify your choices and ensure that you find the system that will work best for your business. By choosing the right accounting system from the very start, you can save time and money switching between systems in the attempt to find one that performs.

Many accounting systems to choose from

The biggest challenge when faced with your choice of accounting systems, is the fact that there are so many to choose from. When it comes to understanding all of your choices, you first have to understand the different types of accounting systems that are available.

  • Manual systems
  • Computerized systems
  • Single-entry systems
  • Double-entry systems

A professional Long Beach CPA can help you narrow down the category that’s right for you and your business, greatly reducing your choices, and ultimately making your decision much easier.

Finding an affordable option

With so many options, the accounting system market is extremely competitive. That’s great if you’re shopping around for a new system because it means there are many affordable choices. Unfortunately, finding the most affordable and effective option can be nearly impossible without professional help.

Once your CPA has helped you narrow down the type of accounting system that would be best for your business, they can also tell you about all of your options, including which ones are the most affordable. When searching on your own, you aren’t likely to exhaust all of your options, which means the most affordable program may go undiscovered.

If you need a little help finding the right choice of accounting systems for your business, give us a call. We can help you find the perfect fit for your company, and we can even help you get started because we have extensive experience working with some of the most dependable systems that are available today.

 

Choice of accounting system FAQ

How can I start narrowing down my options?

A professional CPA knows what questions to ask to help you find the right accounting system, but it can be helpful to ask yourself a few questions in order to get a better idea of the kind of system you’re looking for.

  • Do you have a small, medium, or large business?
  • Do you enjoy working on the computer; are you good at it?
  • Do you like working with numbers?
  • Will you be hiring an accountant to work with the system?
  • Will all transactions be entered on a timely basis?
  • What is your budget for an accounting system?

If you’re able to answer these questions, you can better help your CPA provide you with a professional suggestion that will be a good fit for your business.

Can’t I just download QuickBooks?

QuickBooks is arguably the most popular accounting system, and many people default to QuickBooks because so many other people use it. QuickBooks could be the right choice for your business, but it may not be.

One quirk that’s especially troublesome is the fact that you only get one chance to enter balances. If you have to go back in, you’ll have to enter the balances in another area of the program, which isn’t very intuitive. If you don’t have a lot of time to learn the quirks of your new accounting system, you may find that QuickBooks isn’t the right choice for you.

Can anyone use an accounting system?

The very best accounting systems are intuitive and easy to use with just a little training. You shouldn’t have to take a special class or obtain a fancy degree in order to use an accounting system. Anyone should be able to use it.

That’s why choosing the right system is so important. If you plan on having an accountant use the system, your choices will be wildly different than if you plan on using the system yourself.

How much will a new accounting system cost?

It is very difficult to come up with a monetary answer because there are many factors that will affect your choice. Not only do you have to purchase the system itself, there are a number of other costs that need to be taken into account:

  • Implementation costs that include consulting and temporary employees
  • Training, including time and materials
  • Hardware
  • Networking infrastructure
  • Support
  • Maintenance fees
  • Software customizations

Because there are so many costs to consider, it is vital that you seek professional advice from a CPA.

Should I choose desktop or cloud accounting software?

If you’ve shopped around, you may have noticed that you have your choice between desktop and cloud accounting software. Desktop programs must be installed on your computer while cloud programs run on the internet.

Many businesses enjoy cloud accounting software because they tend to be more user-friendly, they put less strain on the computers, and they require little know-how when setting them up. However, larger businesses may still prefer systems that are downloaded the traditional way.