Accounting Software
Makes Record Keeping Easy

Now with less work accounting software lets you get better information and you don't even have to know double entry bookkeeping. With the advent of personal computers it has revolutionized record keeping for businesses. The programs do it for you.

All the accounting programs provide you with many easy to run reports giving you valuable insight into the running of your business. With a click of a button you can get your monthly profit and loss statements, balance sheets, cash flow reports. You can analyze sales data by customers or products. Bank reconciliation's are easy to do. The graphs and charts can make it easy to watch your business trends.

Home and Business by Quicken

Many small business owners, like those starting out in network marketing, are running a very part-time business under their own name and Social Security number for the tax id. If you are one of those, you may want to consider the program Home and Business by Quicken. The program lets you track both personal and business expenses. It easily lets you separate the two of them. The program has many reports that you can run on your personal and business affairs. This program is only recommended if your business is very small. It does not provide the double entry accounting that businesses should have. What is important is that you will be able to generate several reports to see how you are doing. The reports and accounting will get you into the mindset of being a business owner. It will provide you with a convenient way of presenting the information to the accountant. --------------------------------------------------------------------- For the serious home based business owner your choice for a small business accounting program will be different. At this point you will probably have:

Set up a business entity (DBA, LLC, C Corp).
Opened up a business bank account.
Found an accountant.
Selected an attorney.
Filed for a tax id number.

There are three primary accounting programs for the home-based business owner. They are QuickBooks, Peachtree, and Microsoft.

The accountant will most likely have a favorite that they will recommend. Most business accountants will support all three.

QuickBooks by Intuit

QuickBooks by Intuit is one of the oldest and the most popular. They do offer several specialized versions for specific types of businesses. To get you started they also offer free accounting software. It is a full functioning accounting program that will meet the needs of most home-based businesses. It just does not have all the bells and whistles of the upgraded editions.

Peachtree by Sage

Peachtree has a long established and respected history when accounting systems. One of the great features of Peachtree, is being able to use the ACT contact manager program with it.

"A home based business gives you all the benefits of a non-home based business without the burden of the high overhead."
~ Larry Louzon

"A home based business gives you all the benefits of a non-home based business without the burden of the high overhead." ~ Larry Louzon
"The business of America is business" ~ Calvin Coolidge