# What do you use for bookkeeping?



## onthecoast

I am getting a new desktop computer pretty soon and would like to get software for keeping my books. Right now I have folders & carbon copies of everything 

Are there any freeware bookkeeping software out there, or should I just splurge the $100 or so and get quickbooks for sole proprietors?

All recommendations are considered helpful! Thanks for your input!


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## TooledUp

There's plenty of good open source (free) acounting software at sourceforge

Try a few out or look for the most popular there :thumbsup:


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## Bender

Get Qbooks. It kinda sucks they have us all by the short hairs, but if your getting serious about your business its pretty much a 'must have'.


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## RCP

I use QB Pro and really like it. Once you get it set up correctly, it is great.


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## ledgestonepainting

Bender said:


> Get Qbooks. It kinda sucks they have us all by the short hairs, but if your getting serious about your business its pretty much a 'must have'.


I second Quickbooks! I used Quicken for a couple years, then hired a bookkeeper and she uses QBooks for everything. I've been told by some of my accountant friends that they prefer QBooks also. It seems to be alittle more user friendly.


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## dcbpainting

Well, sorry to say but I have quickbooks Pro and I've yet to use it! But all these comments make me want to get started.


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## johnisimpson

quickbooks pro for me as well. we also have their customer manager program and it's a good fit for us as well.


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## PaintMan3000

Quickbooks Pro is on sale rather often. I was able to snag it from Staples for free...yes, free. Check this site out, slickdeals.net. If there is a deal on Quickbooks, you'll find it on this site, along with just about anything else.


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## BESMAN

slickdeals and spoofee are awesome...along with woot


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## The Painter Guy

*Accounting software*

I use Peachtree, been using it for years and probably not to its full potential, but one thing to keep in mind is like what Ledgestone painting pointed out, if now or down the road you hire an accounting service or bookkeeper you both want to be using the same software. My accounting firm uses Peachtree so that is the major reason why I did not switch to Quickbooks.
Jim


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## nccowboy

I have been using Peachtree myself because my wife the accoutant told me so!


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## Msargent

I use qb pro and Hate it but I used to use qb simple and liked that my bookkeeper advised me this is easiest once I learn how to use.


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## Mantis

quickbooks pro contractors edition :thumbsup:


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## fauxpat65

I found these two software programs online and was wondering if anyone had ever used them or heard of them. I use Quick Books for my fauxfinish business but thought I might try something that is specifically geared to painting contractors. http://www.turtlesoft.com/small-business-software/painter-software.html

http://www.insightdirect.com/painting-software/


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## Woody

Q..books Pro... six beers, some Rolling Stones...and a big fatty.


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## RCP

Woody said:


> Q..books Pro... six beers, some Rolling Stones...and a big fatty.


Woody, I was just about to ask you to post an intro and tell us about yourself.
Some of your posts have made me curious.
At the risk of stereotyping painters, I no longer doubt you are a painter!



We'd still like to get to know you, how about you head here and join the family!


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## bikerboy

RCP said:


> At the risk of stereotyping painters, I no longer doubt you are a painter!


 

:laughing::lol::lol:​


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## patti

*It’s not the package, it’s the way you use it.*

There are so many choices in bookkeeping software that it’s often difficult to pick which one to use. And accounting is full of mysterious expressions like depreciation and equity that only the cognoscenti understand it. Even those familiar with the rudiments of accounting invariably fail to extract the full potential from these intimidating tools. Not surprisingly then, most folk take the safe route and follow the advice of their CPA.

Despite these conceptual difficulties market leaders like Quickbooks have transformed life for small businesses, providing them with a level of management sophistication that was previously the preserve of larger enterprises. Even proprietors with few employees, who manage to keep a tight personal grip on day to day operations now rely on software to raise invoices, process wages and keep tabs on cash-flow, visiting their CPA each quarter-end for a business health check. For many proprietors this is as far as they need to go to stay on top of their finances. But for others, it is just the start.

A few posts* in the last day or so have explored the attraction of commercial contracting. Scale and profitability are considered natural bedfellows if harnessed to an efficient organisation. However, some of the great drawbacks of increasing scale are the leaps that have to be made in supervisory and administration numbers, including greater investment in bookkeeping/accounting skills. Data that previously had merely to be inputted now needs interpreting for trends, and variances from budget need analysing. A supervisor may need daily cost updates where several contracts are working simultaneously, . 

With such a steep learning curve to negotiate an ambitious owner may lose sight of some of the financial essentials. If hitherto he has relied on his wife to do the books it may be just as steep for her too.

We use Sage. I guess that was a decision based on tribal affinity – their HQ is only 35 miles from here, although they speak with a totally different (Geordie) accent.

*(*so what is it about commercial work*_)_


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## fauxpat65

Woody said:


> Q..books Pro... six beers, some Rolling Stones...and a big fatty.


 
AWESOME!!!!!!!!:thumbup::thumbsup::jester:


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## SPM Group

Are there any vast differences between QB 2009 & QB 2010? I'm trying to cut costs and i'm looking into buying older software..


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## LeogeN

I use quickbooks pro for bookkeeping and freshbooks for invoicing. 

Search quickbooks coupon codes in google I saved $50 when I bought mine. 

Freshbooks has been a godsend for me. It can create an online account for your customers and you can choose to email you client or snail mail invoice. 

It is especially great for commercial/repeat customers. They can log on at any time and print out their account statements.


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