Forum Message

Feedback on the trial program

Dear Sir,
Just a quick feedback on the trial program, I think solar account is in par with most other basic accounting packages, I have been looking for a package for long time and have tried number of them, I am using TB1 at the moment but since version 7, its so buggy that I had to tell the company were the bugs are. I am thinking of moving to some other packages, but all packages are let down big time by one thing, that is documentation. I want a simple acc. package for a high street Retails store. Its interesting that none of the packages cater for this market -well the documentation of how to set-up accounts for this sector -Its a simple requirements, a case study of setting a simple account system for these, the most common business in the UK, I thought will capture the market! The task is simple, but yet not seen a simple procedure to set-up an accounting package for traders retailers who do not have time to attend trainings and accounting level knowledge to decide where for example stock purchased and stock carried be recorded. A typical retails cycle is:
1. Business premises
2. existing stock ( Stock carried)
3. Vans, PC, Fixture fittings, etc -assets
4 Daily sales from cash register
5. Stock purchase for sale
6. bills, packaging, stationary -running expenses
7Supplier invoice/payment -by check or cash or credit card
8. capital purchased
9. VAT record/payment
10 personal drawings, NI payments
11 Tax payment
12 bank charges and interest
These are I think the basic transaction most people get involved with in small business, in addition to normal standard transaction manipulation like editing, transfers etc.
I have yet to see a package that really get people started from the basics.
I hope this helps, I think Documentation is the key to the usability of a stand alone software!, I think your software although easy to use, have the least documentation on how to properly set up the environment. By this one does not feel confident that the transactions being entered are entered appropriately.

Regards


Posted by A. Ali on Nov 10, 2008 11:10 PM GMT

Hello A. Ali,

Thank you for taking the time to send us your feedback. Documentation is certainly one area we are focused on to improve Solar Accounts. I think you have identified some holes in our documentation, although we also have help topics on many of the points you raise. Allow me to respond to each point:

  1. Business premises
    Do you mean for example rent and insurance? I believe this is covered by our help page on recording an expense:
    http://www.solaraccounts.co.uk/help/how-to-record-an-expense.php

An accountant might also want to record accruals and prepayments for these items. We don't see this as essential, but we may add such a help topic in future.

  1. existing stock ( Stock carried)
    Yes, you are correct - we definitely need a help topic on recording stock levels and purchases.

  2. Vans, PC, Fixture fittings, etc -assets
    I believe this is covered by our help topic on buying and selling assets:
    http://www.solaraccounts.co.uk/help/how-to-record-an-asset-purchase-or-sale.php

We should probably also add a topic on recording asset depreciation.

4 Daily sales from cash register
Yes, this is a good topic to add.

  1. Stock purchase for sale
    As per 2, good idea.

  2. bills, packaging, stationary -running expenses
    I believe this is covered by our topic on recording expenses:
    http://www.solaraccounts.co.uk/help/how-to-record-an-expense.php

7Supplier invoice/payment -by check or cash or credit card
Supplier invoices are covered here:
http://www.solaraccounts.co.uk/help/how-to-record-a-purchase-invoice.php

Payments on these invoices are covered here:
http://www.solaraccounts.co.uk/help/how-to-record-a-purchase-invoice-payment.php

  1. capital purchased
    As per 3, isn't this covered by our help topic on asset purchases?
    http://www.solaraccounts.co.uk/help/how-to-record-an-asset-purchase-or-sale.php

  2. VAT record/payment
    Recording VAT is mentioned in topic on sales and purchases, for example How to Create an Invoice:
    http://www.solaraccounts.co.uk/help/how-to-create-an-invoice.php

Preparing the VAT return and sending payment to HMRC is mentioned here:
http://www.solaraccounts.co.uk/help/how-to-prepare-a-vat-return.php

10 personal drawings, NI payments
Personal Drawings are mentioned here:
http://www.solaraccounts.co.uk/help/how-to-record-non-business-payments.php
although we probably also need a topic on dividend payments

National Insurance for employees is mentioned here:
http://www.solaraccounts.co.uk/help/how-to-record-paye-and-ni-contributions.php

11 Tax payment
Corporation Tax and Self-Employed Income Tax is mentioned here:
http://www.solaraccounts.co.uk/help/how-to-record-an-annual-tax-liability.php

12 bank charges and interest
Bank Fees and Interest Charges are covered here:
http://www.solaraccounts.co.uk/help/how-to-record-bank-fees-or-interest-charges.php
We should probably also have a topic on interest income


Regards,


Posted by Mark McLaren (Solar Accounts) on Nov 11, 2008 12:24 AM GMT