Here are the seven things you must consider before making a purchase that will help you achieve your businesses goals.

1. Scalability

Businesses change over time so it is critical that the small business accounting software you choose is adaptable enough to change also. Some things that often change are the number of products and services offered and the number of employees. When you choose your package, try to imagine the business in 5 years or 10 years time and how different it will be. Use this information to guide your purchase decision. It may well be better to pay a little more now for the software knowing that it can be easily upgraded when needed, with minimum disruption and cost to your business.

2. Support

It is important that any software has great support for the time when something goes wrong (and it always does). Most major companies offer support but you also need to think about support in your local area. It is often much easier to have someone locally come in and do things you need done with your software than have someone trying to help you over the phone. Make some enquiries with other businesses about the package they are using and their software support reliability.

3. Accountant Interface

It is most unlikely you will handle every aspect of your businesses accounting. Your accountant is an important factor in making the right decision. What software are they used to working with and what do they prefer? Can you easily supply them data and reports from your package without the need for any extra work (which you will have to pay for). Do not be afraid to ask their opinion as they live and breathe this stuff.

4. Best Value for Money

Once you have selected the right package for your business you may as well get the best value. Shop around as the prices can vary greatly for the same product. Online merchants such as Amazon may offer better pricing because of the sheer volume of products they sell. However, price is only one part of the equation so if there is a great software deal locally with support or installation assistance, this may be far more valuable.

5. Major Brands

There are two major players in the small business accounting software market. They are QuickBooks and Peachtree. Microsoft is expected to enter the market soon. I would recommend choosing a major brand so that you can get regular updates and you know the company will be around as long as your business needs them.

6. Ease of Use

Ease of use is a personal thing but it is worth trying the software before you buy it if you can. Remember to get the person who will be the main user to test the software as well. Also, consider how well the package can interact with other software you use. This is an advantage the Microsoft package may have when it is available.

7. Features Needed

I spoke about this earlier, when I touched upon the subject of thinking ahead as to where your business will be in 5 or 10 years time. Most accounting software packages come in several different versions. If you do not need certain features now and cannot see a need for them in the future then do not buy them.

The major differences are usually - number of users allowed, inventory management capability and number of reports available.

To sum up think ahead when planning your purchase of small business accounting software. You will make a much smarter business decision that will save you plenty of trouble and money in the future.

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