Accounting software any recommendations?

Does anyone know if the main accounting packages do a desktop version with the ability to upload to the cloud later? our internet is very hit and miss, have tried cloud based versions in the past and struggled.
Thanks

Did you investigate this further?
We have the same problems with t'internet and it won't be worthwhile to pay £22 pcm for Xero. Have a seen a Sage Accounts Essential desktop version on a well known auction site for £90. It is v.24 which I believe is the oldest version that is still MTD compliant. From what I can see it doesn't require an ongoing subscription.
 

Loftyrules

Member
Location
Monmouth
Did you investigate this further?
We have the same problems with t'internet and it won't be worthwhile to pay £22 pcm for Xero. Have a seen a Sage Accounts Essential desktop version on a well known auction site for £90. It is v.24 which I believe is the oldest version that is still MTD compliant. From what I can see it doesn't require an ongoing subscription.
I doubt it will be MTD compliant as all software is going through testing over the next few months. Currently Submitting VAT directly is different to being MTD compliant
 

Phil P

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
North West
Did you investigate this further?
We have the same problems with t'internet and it won't be worthwhile to pay £22 pcm for Xero. Have a seen a Sage Accounts Essential desktop version on a well known auction site for £90. It is v.24 which I believe is the oldest version that is still MTD compliant. From what I can see it doesn't require an ongoing subscription.

Checking what your accountant uses, we use sage and it will need to be up to date with there versions if you want to send your books to them electronically/usb whichever.

I’m not sure but you may need a license key for sage to work? I could be wrong on that though I’d have to check with the secretary.
 

Boysground

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
Accountant uses farmplan does anyone have anything good to say about it seems very negative on here?

As far as accounts software is concerned farmplan is a dinosaur. One of the best things I did was move to Xero.

I guess I was in the same position as many farmers who started with farmplan. We were wanting to computerise the accounts (in 1994 ish) and we believed that accounts had to be farmer friendly. At the time it was the best thing for us but realistically farmplan have not moved on very much. Accounts are accounts whatever business you are in it’s only a matter of setting it all up correctly. I spent 2 hours with my accountant learning the Xero basics the rest of my learning has been using the great user forums. It is that easy to use. Also cheaper than farmplan.

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heyfarm

Member
BASE UK Member
Location
Northampton
Yep separate sub for each. One login.

Is there discount for multiple? I was worried that you would have too have separate logins (from what I had read!) but ideal if not.
You get on with it well then? I just couldn't bring myself to use farm plan as they annoy me enough with gatekeeper. So it between sage ans Xero.
 

wr.

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Breconshire
I spoke to my accountant today about Xero. They offer a one to one course for £400. Is this a rip off or would it be worth my while? Is Xero easy to get into and pick up as you go along or would you advise the course? I've done everything on Exell for 5 years.
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
I spoke to my accountant today about Xero. They offer a one to one course for £400. Is this a rip off or would it be worth my while? Is Xero easy to get into and pick up as you go along or would you advise the course? I've done everything on Exell for 5 years.

Depends if that course also includes for them setting your Xero account up for you, and possibly some support if required after the course. Plenty of advice available in Xero Tips & Tricks thread on TFF too.
 

Servac

Member
Location
Wales
Has anyone looked into bridging software for excel. Seemes to be a few listed on HRMC site. Came across one called vitaltax. Is it trustworthy being its free?
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
Has anyone looked into bridging software for excel. Seemes to be a few listed on HRMC site. Came across one called vitaltax. Is it trustworthy being its free?

No experience at all. The danger I can see with bridging software though is I'd be surprised if it didn't disappear in 1-2 years and you're back to square one again. I can't see it being viable to support/be profitable for whoever supplies it.
 

Jerry

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Devon
I spoke to my accountant today about Xero. They offer a one to one course for £400. Is this a rip off or would it be worth my while? Is Xero easy to get into and pick up as you go along or would you advise the course? I've done everything on Exell for 5 years.

Very easy to use and get around.

I had a 1:1 with my accountant to set it up for our business, took about 90 minutes. Like you I transitioned from Excel.

Had 2 follow up sessions to iron out my own mistakes and misunderstandings. Still make the odd phone call to check if I can find the answer online.

Never been charged for any of it.
 

Boysground

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
I spoke to my accountant today about Xero. They offer a one to one course for £400. Is this a rip off or would it be worth my while? Is Xero easy to get into and pick up as you go along or would you advise the course? I've done everything on Exell for 5 years.

When I moved from farmplan to Xero I spent a couple of hours at my accountants with one of their Xero Gurus, and they set up my account with the accountants own basic set of heading codes (which I have changed a lot). I wasnt charged for either. Personally I would think £400 is far too much. If you can work your accounts on excel Xero will be easy for you.

Xero online help is great and as @Steevo says you can always ask on here.

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Kidds

Member
Horticulture
I spoke to my accountant today about Xero. They offer a one to one course for £400. Is this a rip off or would it be worth my while? Is Xero easy to get into and pick up as you go along or would you advise the course? I've done everything on Exell for 5 years.
My accountant has offered the same deal but with QuickBooks for £150 (5 hours)
 
£400 buys you a lot of Xero sub! As others have said, I should think if you’re au fait with some basic accounting principles and in using excel, you should have no issue getting to grips with Xero. It’s designed to by easy to use for non-accountancy trained regular folk.

I’m completely self taught, and picked it up no probs at all. Have come across some curly issues (self inflicted) however the body of knowledge within the wider Xero community is deep and good. As well as more farm specific Xero advice you’ll get on TFF threads like this! :)
 

Boysground

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
Just keep it simple to start with. Learn how to get a bank statement on the system, pay a bill and issue an invoice. Once you can do them it’s easy to reconcile and do the vat return. That’s the 1st month done.

Don’t worry about scanning invoices and the fancy stuff for a few months. Take it one step at a time.

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SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

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