How new accounting software is
helping small businesses to overcome reservations about
bookkeeping.
Many owners of small businesses are reluctant to
involve themselves in day to day figures. Although they may be
running very successful operations, the part they dislike most is
the bookkeeping.
"Although, we try to make everyone feel at home and welcome,
you can see from their faces that the accountant's office is the
last place on earth they want to be," Vince Murphy explained.
Vince runs a busy practice in the Cotswold town of Chipping
Norton, V M Murphy & Co and shares offices with another
accountant Val Hancock (V J Hancock & Co). Both are used to
clients turning up at almost the last possible moment with sets of
incomplete books that need patient care and attention to turn into
accurate accounts.
All this has changed in the last year for V M Murphy
& Co with the introduction of two new accounting systems,
developed by the leading financial software house, IRIS. IRIS iCash
is an on-line accounting system that suits those businesses that
use a cash book and IRIS Bookkeeping for those that need
ledgers.
Both solutions allow businesses to keep up to date records
with the least possible effort. The ease and convenience of both
methods is changing the way small businesses think about figures.
Quite often considered a bore and time wasting, Vince is receiving
some interesting feedback from the clients using the new
systems.
He went on "We are seeing a distinct change in the way our
clients view accounting. Those using IRIS iCash and IRIS
Bookkeeping are taking far more interest in their position on a
monthly basis and are becoming more aware of their
performance."
The iCash system uses the Internet so the client does not even
need to buy any software: he or she just connects to Vince's web
site and enters all their transactions as they happen.
The instant view
of the company provided by the system helps to prevent problems
from occurring as the accountant can be in touch when required and
can offer pro-active advice if needed. The traditional method of
bookkeeping, in contrast, only allows re-active advice as the
accountant is first aware of the figures at the end of the
financial year.
IRIS Bookkeeping is one of the first new book-keeping systems
to be launched specifically for the small to medium sized business
for some years and is already being used by a number of Vince's
clients including Oxfordshire Rugby Football Union.
Vince says that clients like the fact that the system is fully
set up for them. "Clients recognise that these systems are good for
them, they want only solutions not problems." IRIS software has
been used by the firm for the last three years. With the addition
of a new Trust Tax package and P11D program, Vince feels that they
are now really enjoying the benefits of an integrated system. "IRIS
is getting better all the time", he said. "We are very pleased with
the software. It is a real step forward."
