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Office Technology Q & A
| Guest post by: Brenda Parker |
Article Overview: Questions that I get from my clients centering around : accounting software, backups, electronic payments and security.
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Free Download - Accounting - Beyond the Tax Return By Brenda Parker |
Office Technology Q & A
Let's face it. Business offices have changed significantly over the past several years from the days of the pencil, the sharpener and the manual typewriter to the office full of laptops, scanners, printers and servers. Many of the questions that I get from my clients center around accounting software, backups, electronic payments and security. Here are a few:
I have a small home based business and I'm looking for an accounting program which is easy to use and will meet my needs. What do you suggest? The two main programs on the market are Simply Accounting by Sage and Quickbooks by Intuit. MYOB is not as well known now since it is no longer supported in Canada. However, there is a new Mac version of MYOB coming out from the US. Both Sage and Intuit offer products which will assist you with accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll , inventory and the general ledger. When choosing which one is right for you, free trials are available so that you can "test drive" the product. Also, assess your needs. There are various levels for each of these products depending on whether or not you need payroll or inventory, or are working with more than one currency, for example. As well, consider the number of users which you will have using your system. For example, Simply Accounting offers "Enterprise" which is designed for a concurrent multi-user environment.
I am thinking about purchasing a Mac. Can I still run the accounting software on it? There is no "Mac" version of Quickbooks or Simply Accounting, but they can run these programs on a Mac by using programs such as Boot Camp or Parallels Desktop. As well, the US division of MYOB is introducing a Mac version of their accounting software in Canada.
I am concerned with losing my data. What are my options? If your place of business were destroyed by fire or if your computer crashed, would you be able to recover quickly? It is important to do regular backups of your data. Simply or Quickbooks data backups can be save to a CD for example and stored offsite. A popular option now is online backup where third party providers offer back up service and recovery. The data is encrypted so it is safe and stored on their servers. This will probably be the "normal" way and perhaps the only way to backup data in the coming years. Scanning and archiving through services such as Doc-It or software such as Unity is becoming a popular method of storing data in electronic form as opposed to storing it on paper.
My employees are asking for direct deposit. How do I get this set up? You have different options. You may speak with your bank representative about setting up electronic payments for your employees and for trade payables as well. As well, consider encouraging your customers to pay you electronically. Savings can be realized through using less cheques and postage. Simply Accounting and Quickbooks enable you to set up banking information within your program now, so getting started with electronic payments is straight forward. Another wonderful and cost effective alternative is TelPay. Check out their website, just search for telpay dot ca.
How can I make sure that attachments sent by email are secure? Many of the programs such as Excel or Word allow you to encrypt a file before you send it as an attachment in an email. Passwords can also be assigned to a file. Just tell the recipient ahead of time what the password in a separate communication. There is a new alternative now called "E-Courier" which safeguards your email transmission through encryption. It is a subscription service which is renewed annually and allows those on your contact list to send information back to you securely, at no additional cost to them.
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Article Tags: accounting software, electronic payments, office technology, security office, software backups
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About the Author: Brenda Parker RSS for Brenda's articles - Visit Brenda's website
Brenda Parker operates Scotia Accounting and Tax Services located in Stellarton, NS, Canada. After graduating summa cum laude from St. Mary's University in Halifax with a B Comm in Finance and a BA in Economics, she worked for a national grocery firm in various departments with her last role being assistant manager of Taxation. During this time she attained her Certified General Accountant's designation. Since getting her CGA, she has worked in various management/accounting positions for government ,public accounting firms, and as controller of a regional hotel chain and a new car dealership. She is a Simply Accounting Certified Consultant and Quickbooks partner. In her accounting practice she has served both large and small clients in a wide variety of sectors. From personal taxes to businesses in manufacturing, wholesale, retail and services to charities and not-for-profit organizations. She has clients from Cape Breton Island, NS to Montreal, Quebec to Calgary, Alberta and in many locations in mainland NS. All information in her articles is offered without prejudice and she advises readers to consult a professional accountant in person in regards to their personal situations. Click here to visit Brenda's website   Registered charities perform valuable work in our communities Whats New for 2009 Personal Tax Returns The ABCs of the Harmonized Sales Tax for Business Wake Up Sleepy Head Its Time to Go to Work Starting Up Your Own Small Business |
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