Free Accounting Software - UK

Accounting is one of the aspects of running a business none of us can escape. Accounting software can actually be pretty expensive, but there are inexpensive solutions as well. Things get a bit more complicated if your search for things like free accounting software UK. Especially if you want it to be a free solution.

Free Accounting Software for Small Business - UK

Finding UK free accounting software can be a bit of a challenge. Instead you have to look at more generic software that is easily adaptable to UK standards. Remember, the more specific your requirements are the more expensive the software will be. Even if it is software you can download for free. If you have very specific requirements there is a good chance you will have to spend money getting it adapted to your needs.

Simple Small Business Accounting Software

I always recommend going for software that is a simple to use as possible. Accounting software is no exception to this rule. Look for something that meets your requirement without adding unnecessary levels of complexity. The simplest accounting software solution is Microsoft Excel. It can be adapted to your needs fairly easily. Fact is, you can probably find a template you can use online.

Best Free Accounting Software - UK

What is the best free accounting software? On top of being a very good question it depends on the scenario. It is impossible to name one piece of accounting software as being the best for any situation. Remember that specific geographic entities, such as the UK, can have requirements that impacts the decision. If you find a free piece of accounting software that already takes these things into account it's a huge bonus.

Accounting Software Comparison

To find out which piece of accounting software is best for you; you need to make a comparison. Do a search on Google for comparisons between different accounting software solutions. Remember the comparisons might not take your needs into account, so, you'll have to do that on your own. If there are demos of the different solutions test them before making a decision. Many factors can have an impact on which piece of software you end up using.

Which Accounting Software?

That is the big question isn't it? As I have said it very much depends on your needs. If you're a freelancer there is no need to go for a commercial software solution. Chances are tools you already have such as Microsoft Excel will serve you quite well. If your operation is slightly bigger than that you may have to look for different alternatives. Tests, comparisons and educated decisions should guide your choice.

Selecting the right piece of accounting software is a big decision. Doing a search on Google for "free accounting software UK" may or may not help you. Keep it simple whenever possible. When simplicity isn't an option make sure your decision is qualified correctly.

Free Invoice Template - UK

Invoice templates are a great way to speed up creation of invoices. However, it's important you make sure you use a template that abides by the regulations of your locale. That means, simply put, that if you live in the UK you should look for a free invoice template that follows UK regulations. What if you can't find that (you can, but let's just go with the what if), are there any software solutions you can go with? Although the UK obviously isn't as big a market as the US it is still big enough to attract a lot of attention. As you will see there really shouldn't be any problem finding the template you need.

Finding Free Invoice Templates - UK Regulation Specific

Google Drive has a ton of invoice templates. In fact, a simple search for the word invoice gives me hundreds of results. Even though the search "free invoice template UK doesn't yield any immediate results it should still be possible to find a template that suits your needs. If not, look for the one that is as close as possible and adapt it.

MS Office Invoice Templates

Microsoft Office is still a strong competitor to basically any other product you could imagine. Office too has a great number of free templates you can make use of. As with the Google Drive templates you might struggle to find UK specific free invoice templates. That doesn't mean they are useless it just means a bit of adaptation might be necessary. Just as you might have to make industry specific adjustments.

Freelancer Invoice Template

As a freelancer there is no way you're going to want to invest in expensive invoice software. I mean, your job is to get as many jobs as possible. Not to run your own invoice system. You need to keep your invoice system as sweet, smooth and simple as possible. The easiest way to do that is to use one of the templates mentioned above. Just remember to adjust it to your needs. If you're a freelance software developer your needs are likely to be different than if you're a freelance journalist.

Free Invoice Software - UK Regulation Specific

Free invoice templates vs. UK specific invoice software? It all depends on your need. If you're a freelancer you are unlikely to want to use additional software. If you're running a small business you might need to. As your operation grows templates may become inadequate. That is subject to your judgement. Considering how easy it is to adapt a template as opposed to a piece of invoice software it is really important that you ensure the software you get, if you go down that road, is capable of meeting your requirements.

Free Invoice Software Downloads

There are a ton of free invoice software options online. Some of them are downloadable, others operate in a cloud environment. The advantage of a cloud based environment is that it is accessible anywhere. If you feel more comfortable having full control of your software a downloadable option is probably your best bet. If, on the other hand, you like the idea of making the running and maintenance of your software system somebody elses problem a cloud based system is perfect.

Even if a search for "free invoice template UK" fails to deliver the desired results you still have a lot of options. Remember that sometimes it's just about finding a good template and adapting it slightly.

Free Invoice Template Download

Free invoice template downloads are the fastest way to speed up invoice creation. A ready-made template allows you to churn out invoices at a breathtaking pace. Your choices depend on your platform of choice, but most popular platforms have the tools you need to get the job done.

Instant Invoice Creation Using Free Invoice Template Downloads

Let's face it. Creating invoices is one of those chores you just want to get done ASAP. You want to be able to do it with as little hassle as possible. One way to do that is by using a ready made template. Using a template leaves you with the task of filling in the blanks. If you don't already have a template you will want to find a free one online and adapt it to your needs. Try to find a free invoice template to download that is as close to your industry as possible.

Commercial Invoice Samples

There are many similarities in invoices across different industries. However, there are also thing that are different. When looking for an invoice template for your business you need to make sure it meets your requirements. Look for commercial invoice samples from your industry. The closer you can get to your industry the less work you will have to do to adapt it. Google is a good place to start.

Google Invoice Template

Ever heard the phrase; "Google is your friend!" If you have a Google account even more so. With your Google account you can create documents on Google Drive. You can even create documents from templates created by others. When you choose to create a document from a template you will be led to a search screen. Just searching for the word invoice yields hundreds of results. So, you should be able to find something applicable to your industry.

Free Invoice Template Downloads With Google Docs Invoice Templates

As mentioned in the previous paragraph there are hundreds to choose from. They are not downloadable templates per se, but nevertheless very useful. Google Drive documents, and thus templates, are by default cloud based documents. That means they are available online. The big advantage of this is that they are available to you anywhere with an Internet connection. Functionality might not be at the same level as with your favorite desktop solution though.

MS Word Invoice Template

Fortunately, at least if you're using MS Office there are a ton invoice templates you can download. A search for invoice templates at Microsoft's templates site yields many results for several versions of MS Office. I'm sure the same will be the case for other popular Office suites. So, you are now stuck with the choice between breaking new ground with the cloud based Google Drive solutions or sticking to your old desktop Office suite. Both are valid choices for different reasons.

I hope the above will help you find the free invoice template downloads you are looking for. As you can see all common, popular platforms have templates you can go and use. Make sure you pick a template that suits your business and your industry.

Google Accounting Software Options

Basic Small Business Accounting Software Options

Accounting; Most of us really hate it, but there is no way we can get around it. Accounting is just something that has to be done. And I do realize that some people actually love. More power to them. However, for a small business you should try to keep it as simple as possible. There is a really good case for avoiding complex commercial software when you are a small business. I probably need to go no further than expense, but complexity and maintenance are also strong points against commercial accounting systems for small business.

That leaves you with the ultimate tool in any small business. Excel (or another basic spreadsheet solution)! I truly love Excel. I believe it is one of the best things to come out of Microsoft. There is virtually nothing (IT related) you can't do with Excel. Even Excel, I have to admit, does have its limitations in the long run. The upkeep of mega spreadsheet is tedious at best and in most cases downright impossible.

Using a simple database system like Access can be a solution. It allows you to build your own accounting system that you can use for a long time. Unfortunately there aren't, at this point in time, any templates on Microsoft.com for accounting. That would be really helpful for small business owners. More importantly unless you invest in a SharePoint based solution neither Excel spreadsheets or Access databases are available on more than one machine at a time. These days you can get a SharePoint based solution fairly cheap through Office 365, but as you'll soon see there is an even cheaper solution.

Every (Google) Cloud-Based Accounting System Has A Silver Lining

I mentioned Office 365 a little while back. Office 365 is a cloud based SharePoint solution. Basically it allows you to do things you would normally need your own servers to do. Very smart. Office 365 is reasonably cheap, even for small businesses, but there is an even cheaper solution you should check out. If you already have a GMail account you may have heard of it. The name is Google Drive, used to be Google Docs, and is a cloud based office suite solution. It contains much the same functionality as any other office suite, except it's free and it's web based.

Whichever cloud based solution you pic the main advantage is the same. You can access it anywhere. As long as you have a computer, or a tablet, or a smart phone, or any device with a browser really; You can access your documents. That is such a huge advantage that I really don't know how to put across just how important it is. You get the advantages of having your own server setup without having your server setup. It is accessible for you and all your employees anywhere in the world. The maintenance is somebody elses problem. What's not to love?

In Office 365 it would obviously be Excel or Access you would be looking for as your accounting system. With Google drive you would use either Spreadsheet or Table, the equivalent Google applications. We'll get into the pros and cons of using Google accounting software tools like those two.

Google Spreadsheet - Browser Based Excel?

First of all, yes. Google Spreadsheet is the Google Drive equivalent to Excel. I you are planning on running your accounting in a spreadsheet solution you may well consider Google Spreadsheet. The added advantage is that it is a cloud based solution. That means you can access it anywhere. The functionality is pretty solid for a browser based spreadsheet solution. It's not quite up there with desktop based solutions yet, but that's only a matter of time.

The long term issues with regards to accounting are the same as for any spreadsheet solution. Upkeep is bound to be a pain at some point. Moving to a database solution may be a solution.

Google Table - If You Don't Mind Being A First Mover This Could Be Your Google Accounting Software Option

Google Table is an experimental solution by Google. That alone may make you think twice about using it. If you do decide to use it it should be for the same reasons you would use to justify using Access over Excel. You should expect the functionality to be lacking, at least for a while, but you do get the added advantages of cloud based technologies.

If you're sick of the old desktop solutions you have already tried for your small business accounting, you have probably considered what Google has to offer. The Google accounting software options are very similar to desktop solutions, except they are cloud based. They may lack a bit of the functionality you are used to, but they make up for it with cloud advantages.

Accounting Packages for Small Business

The Basic Accounting Packages For Small Business

You can’t run a business without an accounting system. Some accounting packages for small business are already available to you, but are they up to snuff? What if they aren’t? Do you know what you need from your accounting system? And if you do know your requirements will you be able to run the system? Will it require additional resources added to your business? These are just some of the questions answered in this article.

The First Stop Of Accounting Packages for Small Business

The first step comes from looking at the systems you already have. You no doubt already have an office suite, free or commercial. Did you realize that your office suite actually contains rudimentary accounting software?

Using Office as Your Small Business Accounting Package

A great portion of small business owners start out using the accounting package they already have installed. In most cases that is Excel. Since Microsoft Office is one of the most common office suites, even in private homes, it becomes an obvious choice when looking for accounting software. Excel is a great tool that can do a lot of cool things. Although it has its limits as the main accounting system in large to medium sized businesses Excel has an uncanny ability to make itself useful. However, as a long term solution to, even small business, accounting needs it will eventually fall short.

It simply isn’t feasible to easily go through years of financial data stored in Excel. For that you need a solution that is closer related to a database. Fortunately, Microsoft Office does have that. It has Access, an oft-maligned database solution. The truth is for small businesses Access can be a wonderful piece of software. You wouldn’t want to run medium or large sized companies on Access. The problem with Access is that it really isn’t an accounting system. It does have templates that you might find useful, but chances are, even then, that you will have to customize the solution. If you have the skillset to do that, fine! if you don’t have the skills to design Access solutions you could, on the other hand, be in serious trouble.

Microsoft Office, and similar desktop office suites, provide great tools for startups. Some of those tools will be useful for a long time, either as niche tools or as workflow tools. However, in the end, there are some tasks that will require you to find other software solutions. I’m afraid accounting is one of them. Office have solutions that may work at first, but most of them lack the features to last the duration.

Requirements of Accounting Packages for Small Business

Features have been a main talking point so far. Even though you have accounting software that can probably get you off to a good start you will at some point need to branch out. The most important thing to look for when deciding between accounting packages for small business is your specific requirements. Not every business have the same requirements when it comes to accounting. Most do have the same needs, but you are very likely to run into requirements that are specific to your business.

An important business requirement is integration with third party systems. If you have a CRM system that is specific to your business you may want to be able to integrate it with your accounting system. This saves a lot of upkeep and minimizes the amount of manual errors you will experience. Accessibility is another important requirement that is important to consider. This has to do with upkeep as well as ease of use. It is not good having a system that has all the bells and whistles if it doesn’t make data entry as easy as possible.

Drawbacks of Accounting Packages for Small Business

Buying a commercial accounting package can be very expensive. In fact, for many small businesses it simple isn’t a feasible solution. If you use a commercial system you will have to maintain it yourself. Some systems require dedicated servers, which in themselves can be full time jobs. If your business is a one man show that’s not an option. Even if you are not a one man show do you have the resources to hire a techie?

So, you can go with a free open source system. Are you going to be able to find adequate support? Can you find external hosts that will remove the hassle? You probably can, but those are the questions you need to ask.

Online Invoice Generator A Viable Alternative?

Courtesy of stock.xchng - Going for online invoice generator software?

Everything seems to be moving to the cloud these days. It is no surprise giving this development that so many online invoice generators are popping up. Why shouldn't you move this part of your business into the cloud? The advantages are numerous. You can often do it much cheaper than with commercial software. In fact, online invoice generator software is often free! Before moving everything online it's important to look at the pros and cons. It's no good switching software just because it sounds like a good idea. Your job, or at least one of them, is to know whether or not it is a good idea.

we will then look at 5 different online invoice generators and discuss the main selling points of each one. Finally, the most important part of this article in my opinion. The requirements you need your invoice software to meet.

Free Or Paid Online Invoice Generator

There is an old saying:

There is no such thing as a free lunch.

It's true. That doesn't mean you can't find invoice software you don't have to pay for. Most of it will, in that case, be financed through advertising. If you can live with that there are a lot of good free options, as you'll see later. The feature level of the free online invoice generators vary a lot. You have to test them to make sure you get what you need. Even if you have to pay for a subscription, which will typically be less than $10 a month, it will usually still be far less expensive than purchasing commercial software. The cost is one of the advantages of going with online software.

Why Choose Online Invoice Generator Software?

When I first started discussing cloud based software with my colleagues one point came up that is incredibly strong. By placing your software in the cloud based environments you make it somebody else's problem. It is no longer your problem to make sure that it works. If you think about it that is just such an unbelievable advantage. There is no maintenance, again somebody else's problem. It is accessible anywhere you go that has an Internet connections, these days that's pretty much everywhere. In most cases it is far cheaper than investing in commercial invoice software. So, what's not to like? Making it somebody else's problem means you live by somebody else's rules. In this case, it is hardly a problem, but if it is a problem for your business, then online software is definitely not the way to go. It differs depending on which product you choose.

5 Online Invoice Generator Products

What are your options? Right here you will see 5 popular options for online invoice generator software. The list is no where close to being extensive. And only the main points of each solution is shown here. I highly recommend you take a closer look at each one. They are not listed in order of preference.

• Billable.me - no sign up required. Fill in the fields and print or download.
• Invoicera - a solution with customizable templates and lots of features.
• Invoicebubble - a free solution with Paypal integration.
• Invoicejournal - a solution with commercial features that is free to use.
• Billpdf - a free solution with no log in.

The 5 solutions differ in various ways as you can see. Some can be used for recurring invoices, others can't. I highly recommend that you test them yourself and look for others as well.

Online Invoice Generator Requirements

Let's face it, invoices aren't the most complicated things in the world. Having said that, it is important that you go for something that does what you need it to do. Some have commercial features, some don't. The question is what you need. Accessibility is also an important factor. If you're doing a lot of invoices you want your system of choice to be easy to use. Do you need online archiving facilities? If you print your invoices and save a physical copy you might not.

There are many really good reasons to consider online invoice generator software. Fortunately it isn't very expensive, which is probably also one of the reasons you're considering it. Remember to make sure that it has all the features you need! I can't stress too much how important it is to make an educated decision.

Open Source Invoice Software

You wound up on this page because you or your company are looking into the possibility of switching to open source invoice software. You are probably looking for software that doesn't include hefty licensing fees. However, you need to ensure that you don't do so at a loss of functionality or usability. The system needs to be able to handle all the tasks you are performing today, including importing and exporting large amounts of data when necessary. There is even a chance that you need to be able to integrate the software with 3rd party systems. You are asking yourself. Can open source software do that? This article will not direct you towards a specific open source invoice software system, but it will help you ask the questions you need to ask to get the system you need.

There can be little doubt that the cost of open source systems will entice many to consider them. Licensing costs can be a real burden and you don't get that with open source software. However, you need to be aware of the hidden costs. While open source systems are free to use there is still a price attached. You need to implement the system, which can cost far more than the licensing fees you are paying today. When it is first implemented, however, you will have a system that operates at a very low cost. Why not free you ask? Simply put you and your employees need to be educated in the use of the new system. The worst thing you can do is letting your employees loose on the system without being aware of the functionality of your new system.

Even Open Source Invoice Software Has The Functionality Of Enterprise Systems

One of the great fears when considering open source systems is functionality. Can you really expect an open source system to have the same functionality as an enterprise system. OpenOffice, a free office suite, is a great example of an open source system that does have enterprise systems. Indeed, several OpenOffice features have been adapted by, among others, Microsoft Office. It is proof that going open source doesn't necessarily mean sacrificing functionality. Having said that it is important that you test the features. Fortunately, it won't cost you a lot to test it since it is free. If you find that the current features are as you require it is worth checking things like feature update frequency and feature support. Since you are looking at open source invoice software there probably isn't an official support outlet, but it's worth looking for forums and communities supporting the system.

Considering how much time most of us spend in front of a computer each day it's important that we protect ourselves from computer related injuries. It's important to make sure that any system you use in your company takes this into account. Invoice software is often quite data entry intensive. Make sure data entry is as easy as possible requiring as few mouse clicks as possible. One of the things you should consider is the tab order of the fields. What that means is that each time you press the tab button to get to the next field it must take you to the next logical field. This is just another way to decrease the amount of mouse clicks you need to make. The system should be able to perform mass data entry, such as imports from spreadsheets or databases.

Open Source Invoice Software Integration

This is a really big deal. Working with invoices and other financial data you want to minimize the amount of manual data entry to an absolute minimum. First of all, automatizing it is better for your employees health. More important, however, is automatic data integration will minimize the human error factor. The last bit alone can save you a fortune. At a minimum any invoice software you choose should be able to import data from databases and spreadsheets. Third party system integration with CRM systems and other financial systems will be a huge bonus as well.

Switching to an open source invoice system is a very big decision. You are probably mainly considering it due to the serious costs associated with enterprise systems. Just make sure you remember the hidden costs of implementation and training. However, you should not consider switching before being absolutely certain the system will live up to your requirements. You can get open source systems that are as good or even better than enterprise systems. There is no reason to settle for anything less!