[ubuntu-nz] Accounting / book-keeping software

[Paulus Herewini]

Thank you very much Mike, Tim and Dave for your responses.

An SQL-driven application sounds very inviting for me as I plan to 
integrate accounting information with a web-based customer management 
system. Having an SQL backend will make this easier.

I will try LedgerSMB and post my findings back here. Also I am a web 
developer (and new-come business director) so I don't have an extensive 
accounting background so this should be interesting.

The web-based login for an accountant is also very attractive.

Thank you again,
Paulus Herewini

Dave Lane wrote:
> We've been using LedgerSMB (http://ledgersmb.org) which is a fork of SQL 
> Ledger.  We started with SQL-Ledger in 2002, and transferred to 
> LedgerSMB (more secure, better development team, attractive development 
> roadmap) which is functionally equivalent (or better).  It's a very good 
> system.  For most businesses, it's more flexible but has less "hand 
> holding" for non-accountants.  Unless you're a competent accounts 
> person, you'd probably want to have assistance from a professional in 
> setting it up (although I'd recommend that in any case).  That said, the 
> LedgerSMB email list is very responsive and offers some good resources.
>
> LedgerSMB is properly open source, it's client-server (uses PostgreSQL 
> as a back end), and it's moving towards a web-services interface.  We 
> sent PDF invoices via email to our customers.  It doesn't do direct 
> import of bank details (a la Xero) but it offers Point of Sale, Project 
> management, Quotes, Purchase Orders, Sales Orders, reconciliation, 
> inventory management, multiple currencies, and lots of other stuff that 
> other systems don't offer.  Don't underestimate the value of proper 
> client server architecture (e.g. give your accountant a log-in and they 
> can watch your accounts securely without you having to send them a 
> spreadsheet or MYOB database each time) - also no user license fees, and 
> the ability to integrate into other applications...  we're looking at 
> doing that now with Drupal.
>
> We offer hosted LedgerSMB systems for some of the other companies in our 
> Effusion Group cluster (http://effusiongroup.com) and they've found it 
> very good.  We're not offering it as a full-fledged commercial service, 
> but might be open for discussion.
>
> I don't know much about Gnu-Cash, but my impression is that it's more 
> for individuals and not so much for business use, particularly if you 
> expect to expand to multiple locations, branches, etc. (which LedgerSMB 
> does support!).
>
> Hope that helps someone.
>
> Dave
>
> Paulus Herewini wrote:
>   
>> Hello, I am in the process of setting up a small business. I am hoping 
>> to be using entirely opensource operating systems and software. I am 
>> almost there except for one part:
>>
>> Accounting Software
>>
>> I did some quick researched and (hopefully) found that GNUcash was the 
>> better option for me. It looks like it needs some slight customisation 
>> to enter/calculate NZ GST correctly, and anything else NZ-related.
>>
>> I am enquiring as to whether anyone on this list has either setup 
>> GNUcash (or any other opensource accounting package) successfully for a 
>> NZ business or have seen an NZ-specific tutorial or article. I am 
>> reluctant to ask my accountant for help with this as they aren't very 
>> technically-literate and would simply say "Just get MYOB and install it 
>> on a windows machine".
>>
>> Thanks in advance,
>> Paulus Herewini
>>
>>     
>
>