very general office question 2

[Chris121]

Hi
A friend of mine is starting up a consultancy business and has asked for my help in setting up a PC based system to keep records, print invoices & financial statements etc. It will be just him for the forseeable future, so nothing to big or clever reqd.

My first notion, is to build an access database keeping all clients and jobs in their own table.

Use XL for invoices and statements, auto filling cells taking invoice numbers and data from the access database.

My question is...am I thinking along the right lines or is there a much simpler way without access and if so, what are the drawbacks if any?

Thanks.

Christine.

 

[bluedragon2]

Certainly using access is fine, but in my opinion, why not just keep everything in excel... That way you can pull the data into invoices or whatever.

Just my 2 cents

[Blue]Blue[/Blue] [Dragon]

If I wasn't Blue, I would just be a Dragon...

 

[SkipVought]

Hi,

What is he most familiar with? Does he already do stuff in Access? Is he a novice, imtermediate or advanced user of Access and/or Excel?

Certain things are best done with databases. Other things are easier done in a spreadsheet.

How about a Quiken-like business accounting application? You're biting off ALOT to design a "system".



Skip,
[sub]
[red]Be advised:[/red]We know Newton's 3 Laws. But did you hear about the [red]FOURTH???[/red]
Only ONE fig per cookie![/sub]

 

[Chris121]

He's a complete Novice with all things computer related.

I'm a bit beyond a beginer with Access and XL.

I'd like to keep it as simple as possible, so a pure XL solution seems favourite.

However I don't know how to do autonumber in XL for unique invoice numbering and jobnumbering - its automatic in Access by datatype... is it that simple in XL?

 

[PRPhx]

I'd say keep everything in Access. Create your data entry screens, invoices are reports, etc. It's not really a big deal to auto fill text boxes, etc in Access and you have a simpler system. Sounds like no matter which way you go, your going to have a lot of work ahead of you.

 

[tf1]

Well even if he is a complete novice, if he is going it alone he has to learn how to use something - whether it is Excel or Quickbooks or one of the other small business accountancy packages.

Personally, I think that Excel is very easy to use and understand and would be a good starting point. If his business grows, he will eventually have to get an accountancy package. But if it grows that much, he may be bringing in someone else to run that side of it!


Regards: tf1

 

[SkipVought]

tf1

I mentioned Quicken simply because it a SYSTEM out-of-the-box, as opposed to DEVELOPING a system in Access or Excel.

Skip,
[sub]
[red]A palindrome gone wrong?[/red]
A man, a plan, a ROOT canal...
PULLEMALL![/sub]

 

[tf1]

Skip

I agree with you that probably a small business 'out-of-the-box' solution is probably a sound path to choose. As I said, he has to learn something, so it may as well be one of the innumerable ready packages available. It means no development - just a learning curve.


Regards: tf1

 

[Chris121]

Hello Again folks

Having given the issue some thought, I decided to look into an off-the-shelf solution - taking Skip's suggestion on board, but came across the following...

Important notice for Quicken Users:
Intuit UK has made a difficult business decision to discontinue future development of Quicken products for the UK market. To help customers affected by this decision, we will continue providing access to Quicken customer support and online services through to the end of January 2006.

Soooo I'm asking for any alternative recomendations to Quicken. I've got a copy of MS Money Home and business 2003 somewhere but I've never used it, would that fit the bill?

Thanks again
Christine.