Need help with Business software- Advice on what I need +Rep

I want to know if anyone has experience with business software? I need advice on what to get. I was going to get quickbooks but I am seeing horrible reviews of their new products online. I thought I would get quickbooks even though it is pricy but now i'm hearing that after you buy it they raise the price when you go to renew after the first year and that the payroll is not included and you have to pay for that separate and that every three years they make you buy a new version of their software. I just need a program to keep track of money coming in and money going out and expenses and a few employees hours and pay and be able to create paychecks with legitimate pay stubs that will work for proof of income. Anyone with advice or experience they could share?
Thanks and Rep

You can get a good old fashioned ledger for about 12 bux. Sounds as though you really don't need any accounting software just a pencil, eraser and a calculator.....By the time you get it all set up with all the information input required You've already over complicated it. Best lesson I learned operating small business's is KISS(Keep it Simple Stupid)

I'll go one step further. You probably already have a very powerful ledger tool on your computer. Microsoft Excel. It has some advanced mathematic functions that could easily be tailored to suit your needs. You can make it as simple or as complex as you wish. There is a bit of a learning curve, But most Microsoft Office products are self teaching. Open the help function and just start reading away. It also have one very distinct advantage over a pen and paper ledger. It can be copied, backed up, and most of all encrypted.

So I can do everything on MS Office? what about payroll? thanks.

Padawanbater2 said:

I use Quickbooks at my job, really basic stuff, easy to learn. I'll ask the boss about the other details and get back to you. I think we sell it for $35.99, relatively cheap, it's got payroll, everything you'd need to run a business and pay employees.

Click to expand...

Thanks, yeah let me know what you use and what the details are as far as cost and ease of use. 35.99$ sounds good, the ones i'm looking at are a couple hundred or more by the time your done and everyones complaining and giving horrible reviews. Let me know what version you use or are talking about-Thanks

I would search www.cnet.com for free downloads. Notice this one on there.

NolaPro is a premium, completely free web-based suite. It includes AP, AR, Payroll, Order Tracking, Inventory Control, POS, B2B, and an Ecom Shopping Cart. Many plug-ins and add-ons are available such as a TimeClock, QB converter, development API, and a Hosting Manager revenue module for CPAs, VARs or consultants. Global flexibility for VAT/GST, multi-language, currency symbols, and decimals also comes standard. However customization is its best feature. It can be modified upon request to fit any industry spec or business requirement. NolaPro is also integrated with many 3rd party applications worldwide to provide backend accounting support.

What's new in this version: Version 4.0.7137 features various improvements in preparation for release of NolaPro v. 5.

experience quickbooker here. done everything from open a business to creating assemblies blah blah blah.

first thing first: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BUY A NEW QUICKBOOKS VERSION EVERY YEAR.

this is only true if you are using quickbooks online help or some other bullshit. i worked at a business quickbooks 2008 was all there was available.

you do not have to do your payroll through quickbooks, nor the online banking. it's just a service that is provided for your 'convenience' but in my experience it has never worked right unless you have a certified quickbooks expert spend hours customizing it and constantly coming back to check on some shit that's gone wrong..

you can't be lazy with quickbooks either, or you'll run into inventory gaps QUICK. believe me. you do not want to do a physical inventory and have 34 items, and quickbooks tells you you have 3. it is a pain in the ass to get it to properly account for the increase/decrease in inventory (if dealing with assemblies), and to then have everything add up, individual inventory runs a little smoother, but not much. ... i have worked at several different places and EVERY SINGLE ONE doesn't understand why quickbooks makes it that annoying to deal with inventory when the physical count doesn't equal the book value....

all quickbooks payroll does is make you lazy. it's a waste of money in my opinion.

you can also take a look at peachtree accounting software, not recommended if you've never worked with acct software though... .

BendBrewer said:

I would search www.cnet.com for free downloads. Notice this one on there.

NolaPro is a premium, completely free web-based suite. It includes AP, AR, Payroll, Order Tracking, Inventory Control, POS, B2B, and an Ecom Shopping Cart. Many plug-ins and add-ons are available such as a TimeClock, QB converter, development API, and a Hosting Manager revenue module for CPAs, VARs or consultants. Global flexibility for VAT/GST, multi-language, currency symbols, and decimals also comes standard. However customization is its best feature. It can be modified upon request to fit any industry spec or business requirement. NolaPro is also integrated with many 3rd party applications worldwide to provide backend accounting support.

What's new in this version: Version 4.0.7137 features various improvements in preparation for release of NolaPro v. 5.

Read more: NolaPro Free Accounting - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Downloads http://download.cnet.com/NolaPro-Free-Accounting/3000-2066_4-10232555.html?tag=mncol;4#ixzz1Q8eMrLfT
​

Click to expand...

This was a great answer and super helpful I have been setting up the Nola program and it is exactly what I needed, I just have to figure out if it will print checks or work with another program that prints checks-Thanks again