# General Business Category > Entrepreneurship and Business Management Forum >  Best business-accounting software for me?

## pmbguy

Hi all

I hope you can assist me

I am looking for a suitable software program for my business. I am involved in Office Equipment,
We provide a service (Repairs) and retail machines, consumables.

I require a system that is robust and one that is as functionally inclusive as possible, to allow for growth and flexibility.
I also dont wish to upgrade in the short or medium term, once I start using a new system.

Main requirements 

Accounting/Bookkeeping 
Invoicing
Inventory/Stock control
Client management
Job card
Reports...

Basically, a pastel type system integrated with a workshop type. Retail Management Software or PO Management Software type.

There is few I am aware off, some free, some not, some better than others.


For the last 4 years I have been using my own Excel spreadsheet system, it actually works well and I have refined it to where it is efficient. I keep good records and I can track what is going on. But a proper system would save me lots of time. Also, my system is intuitive to me and its difficult to teach.


A good no nonsense free one would be great (Without trial period), but any suggestions would be appreciated.

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## Neville Bailey

> Basically, a pastel type system integrated with a workshop type.


May I suggest that you look at Pastel Partner, integrated with Job-SYS?

Drop me a line if you would like to discuss this further.

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pmbguy (21-Apr-13)

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## pmbguy

Good evening Neville

Thank you for responding to my thread. 

I have considered Pastel. I used it before in retail, but not for workshop, we had a specific system for it. I like Pastel, and should be able to learn Job-SYS quickly.  
I will contact you once I have read all the literature concerning your system(s). So we can have a detailed conversation.

I really like your pics by the way

Thank you

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## pmbguy

Let me cut to the chase...

I am looking for a system as open source as possible, one that has been used by somebody in a related industry, who can say: it works for me and it is good... 

My reasoning behind open source is to eventually maintain my own in-house system, one that I can change at will to fit my specific business needs perfectly. Own my manual, so to speak.

I require a stabile working system that can fulfil my needs currently and I can change later by myself in any respect when/if need be. I will learn the system fully and involve a programmer to change what I need, if needed. I want full control that I can teach people who I employ.

This is idealised and simplified, off course. And not suitable for most businesses either. But in what I see myself requiring now and in the future, this is the way for me to go personally.

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## CLIVE-TRIANGLE

Open ERP is pretty comprehensive and the source code is available. 

It is however a "big" package that requires considerable competence. It is however very modular so you can grow into it.

An added advantage is that it is web enabled. I have run it on a Linux web server with no tweaking.

If you have a decent adsl line, you can test it http://www.openerp.com

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pmbguy (22-Apr-13)

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## pmbguy

Thanks Clive

I have been testing the demo version, it works fine. I have also located the erp-workshop add  Going to give it a nice full test soon

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## Lanceo

> Hi all
> 
> I hope you can assist me
> 
> I am looking for a suitable software program for my business. I am involved in Office Equipment,
> We provide a service (Repairs) and retail machines, consumables.
> 
> I require a system that is robust and one that is as functionally inclusive as possible, to allow for growth and flexibility.
> I also dont wish to upgrade in the short or medium term, once I start using a new system.
> ...


I can help you with a comprehensive system. Please check our web site :http://www.orax.co.za It don't come free but it has a huge amount to offer like full financials, full payroll, HR, inventory, sales, quotations, invoicing and ordering, serial tracking etc. etc. etc. It does not cost an arm and a leg as it is a web based system, that will allow you to access your company data at any time and from anyware on a PC, iPad, iPhone, Android, Blackberry etc. 
Regards
Lance

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pietpetoors (01-Mar-14)

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## pmbguy

Thanks, will look into it

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## RCerva

Hi. You can try invoice2go as well. Android app. Can be used on smart phone, tablets and pc.

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pmbguy (14-Jul-13)

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## eina26

If bookkeeping software is what you're looking for, I'm going to share to you the Google spreadsheet our company made.  :Smile: 
http://biz30.timedoctor.com/list-of-...ping-software/
It's a list of Bookkeeping software options that will be able to help you decide which tool to use that's going to be perfect for you and your business. You can also see their prices and the comparison of their features. I hope you'd find it helpful.
 :Zyfingerdance:

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pmbguy (08-Aug-13)

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## Dave A

> If bookkeeping software is what you're looking for, I'm going to share to you the Google spreadsheet our company made. 
> http://biz30.timedoctor.com/list-of-...ping-software/
> It's a list of Bookkeeping software options that will be able to help you decide which tool to use that's going to be perfect for you and your business. You can also see their prices and the comparison of their features. I hope you'd find it helpful.




Actually, that was a bit disappointing.

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## eina26

Hey Dave, I've checked the link, it's okay on my end.  :Smile:

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## pmbguy

Hi eina26, thanks for the list . Where you form originally?   boet?

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## Dave A

> Hey Dave, I've checked the link, it's okay on my end.


It looks like a browser dependency issue. It doesn't work in IE10, but it's fine in Firefox.
Or it timed out and my IE10 cached the botched page load... 
Anyway - a clue as to where the problem might be.

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## pietpetoors

Amazing to see that there are so little options available in accounting software.
Who is using Quickbooks? Does Quickbooks also handle network connections as bad as pastel?

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## Dave A

> Who is using Quickbooks? Does Quickbooks also handle network connections as bad as pastel?


I use QuickBooks. And as I don't use Pastel, I don't have a benchmark performance experience to measure against. So no idea on that front.

QuickBooks Enterprise does have a little trick for multi-site situations - using remote desktop services (RDS).

You can read the white paper on this here - which also explains the inherent problems with "just accessing the company file over VPN".

Obviously the speed you get using RDS over a VPN does come at a cost.

The alternative would be to go for the QuickBooks Cloud Hosting option. Again, not exactly cheap, although not nearly as outrageous as some other options I've looked at.

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## Mattpinner

According to your requirement . I suggest you *SlickPie* accounting software. It's 100% free online accounting software.  It covers my business necessary- for example online invoicing and billing, tracking the expenses of your company, getting the reports of payments, expenses, tax summaries and performance, creating estimates and quotes; raising credit notes; and much more.  The part I like the most is their MagicBot service that is supposed to read my receipts automatically.

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## Violeta Sirakova

Pastel is a good one. I tried it before. But among online accounting services software I like ZipBooks most then quickbooks. QB is a pricey solution I know. And for those who are using linux beware of QB. In my case there was a problem with integration. That's why I don't recommend it to everyone. From other aspect its all right.

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