The industry of accountancy is comprised of many different specialties. but nevertheless there are certain computer programs that many accountants find indispensable. Large and small companies alike can find these programs worthwhile to manage their financial information and to make it easier for their tax accountants to report their taxes with the most accuracy possible.
Quickbooks
There’s no doubt that the Quickbooks suite of software is likely the most often used software by both professionals and individuals. Intuit software also provides their Quicken software for those who do not need the level of professional aid and features that Quickbooks does. Quickbooks can be extended with such features as payroll and online banking, and can even be accessed online. Quickbooks is available for both Mac and PC, and Quickbooks authorized advisers can help most users with many questions. Since Quickbooks is so ubiquitous there are many different training seminars and course materials for those who are wishing to learn how to use the program. Quickbooks may not be the most robust accounting software but it definitely requires the least barrier to entry.
Peachtree
Peachtree is very similar to Quickbooks but is more focused towards tax accountants than to bookkeepers. Peachtree allows less freedom in changing the records within it, which can be frustrating to those who are just beginning but represents security to those who have used it for a long time. Peachtree does tend to be less technologically updated than Quickbooks, and the technological support for Peachtree does tend to expire earlier than Quickbooks. For those who do not have any technological expertise, Peachtree can help control mistakes better than other similar software suites.
Prosystems
Prosystems is one of the main tax software suites in existence and many accountants and higher level accounting firms use the software. Another alternative to Prosystems is Gosystems, which is also similar. Prosystems does involve fees to use and can often be technologically finicky, but it’s also the industry standard. Prosystems should usually not be used by anyone who has not had significant tax training, even though it is relatively easy to use.
Specialized Programs
If Quickbooks and Peachtree do not fit a particular industry or company most accountants will move on to specific software that’s the best suited towards the industry of the company that’s concerned. As an example, Timberline is one of the best accounting software suites for those who are in the industry if construction. If there is a software suite that has been specifically built for a particular industry most accountants will suggest that these programs are used rather than more generic programs. Many industries have their own accounting software, and many of these software programs are integrated further into their point of sale systems. This means that which is best for the company depends on how much other specialized programs can offer.
Choosing a computer program for a specific accounting application can be a huge commitment because moving between programs can be an arduous, costly, and time-consuming process. When planning a company and its accounting procedures it’s important to first make the decision about which software to use and then move forward. Both Quickbooks and Peachtree are versatile programs, but specialized programs based on your particular industry can also be a good choice.