| So you've got a fantastic, game-changing idea for | | | | around for seven years now and has a pretty |
| a business but no cash? Well, you absolutely have | | | | nice website with training resources and a forum |
| to have accounting and financial records (really, it's | | | | to help users solve their accounting issues. |
| the law) but you can keep it affordable by taking | | | | - osFinancials also has a pretty nice looking |
| advantage of an amazing number of free and | | | | website and a user friendly set up. It's Dutch run |
| almost free online programs. The catch is finding | | | | (Hup, Holland) but don't be put off by the Dutch |
| credible providers who won't just lure you in with | | | | that you will see when you first connect to the |
| free enticements and then, a few months down | | | | site as it also offers full service in English. |
| the road, hold your records hostage until you pay | | | | Spreadsheets, Word Processors, Office |
| a fee for this or that service. To help you find | | | | Web Finance isn't just about accounting software; |
| your way through that minefield I have done | | | | you'll also need programs to keep databases of |
| some investigating and I have below some of the | | | | your customers and vendors, spreadsheets to |
| most highly thought of free software for | | | | calculate the payment on your loans and a word |
| entrepreneurs on the web. | | | | processor to write letters pleading for more time |
| Bookkeeping and Accounting | | | | from bill collectors. If your not willing or able to |
| QuickBooks is by far and away the most popular | | | | spring for the bucks to get a Microsoft package |
| accounting software program for small business in | | | | then you can consider a couple of free online |
| American and is rapidly growing its reach around | | | | options. |
| the world. Its ubiquity means that your | | | | - Google Docs is what I use to write this blog and |
| accountant probably knows it and is familiar | | | | it is adequate for wordprocessing needs, and can |
| working with it and that you can easily find | | | | do very basic spreadsheets. It also has a really |
| resources for using it. QuickBooks Online is the | | | | cool Forms app that you can use to communicate |
| most economical way of getting started, you get | | | | to your customers online. |
| a free trial for up to a month, and then it costs | | | | - is absolutely amazing and I can't believe that I |
| $10 a month and up thereafter. The beauty of | | | | had never even heard of it a few weeks ago! In |
| Quicken is that it can be upgraded to become | | | | fact, this article took way longer to write than it |
| almost as sophisticated as you could want, which | | | | should have because I had so much fun playing |
| will be nice down the road when your business | | | | around with Open Office. In addition to the |
| really makes the big time, and due to its | | | | spreadsheet, word processor, and database |
| popularity it has a large number of third party | | | | technologies they also offer a graphics program |
| add-ons that can enhance and niche QuickBooks | | | | and a presentation program. But wait, there's |
| to tailor it to your needs. | | | | more! To ice the whole cake off you can |
| No, Really Free | | | | download all your documents to a PDF format! I |
| "Dude", you say, "10 bucks a month is like four | | | | always thought the ridiculously expensive Adobe |
| burritos, I need that money for food!" Well, I am | | | | software was my only option for that. |
| feeling your pain and bootstrapping my business | | | | Tax |
| along to greatness just like you are with yours. | | | | Preparing your taxes is always painful but it at |
| So, for those who risk malnutrition and maybe | | | | least can be made a little more affordable with |
| scurvy if they have to part with the $10 bucks, | | | | some of the free reporting options available. |
| there are some absolutely free options out there! | | | | - The IRS, go figure, has absolutely loads of free |
| Ah, I know what you are thinking. Why on earth | | | | information to help you prepare your taxes. Here |
| would anyone offer for free something as | | | | is a dirty little secret of the trade that you must |
| complicated and difficult to produce as accounting | | | | promise never to divulge, we CPA's go to the IRS |
| software? My guess is that, as your business | | | | reference materials all the time when we prepare |
| grows, you are going to need some more | | | | your taxes! Crazy, I know! I mean, they're the |
| advanced services that will not come free with | | | | enemy! |
| the basic package and your "free" provider will | | | | - File for free online on the IRS's website if you |
| gladly offer them. | | | | meet certain criteria |
| The Google Apps Options | | | | - Absolutely free resources. As I mentioned in |
| Google Apps is just a mind-blowing offering of | | | | Self-Employed Tax Deductions, the IRS offers |
| resources for small business and many of them | | | | the tax calendar, and all the forms you might |
| are absolutely free! Plus, they synchronize and | | | | need, along with their instructions, are available on |
| work with another fantastic free resource, Google | | | | the IRS website. |
| Docs, and so you can layer free on top of free! | | | | - Turbo Tax has a free option for people filing |
| God I love that word, "free!" Two of the more | | | | online who have basic tax returns. |
| popular accounting and bookkeeping options are | | | | - offers the same |
| below. | | | | Payroll & Other Special Programs |
| - Rhino Accounting maintains that it is 100% free | | | | The list of possible software needs for a young |
| forever for basic use. | | | | business can be virtually endless, and so I have |
| - is free for up to two users, which should be all a | | | | included a list of other resources you can turn to |
| small business needs. | | | | should the need arise. |
| The Open Source Options | | | | - Intuit's QuickBooks Payroll is absolutely free! If |
| Another branch of the free software road leads | | | | you're the only employee of the business, that is. |
| you to open source software, which generally | | | | - PayWindow offers a no-frills but very affordable |
| means software that can be worked upon and | | | | option. |
| modified by any programmer. I am going to take | | | | - BeanCounters has resources in categories from |
| a wild guess here and bet that you don't program | | | | applications to actual accounting software. |
| your own code and that what you really want is | | | | - Google Apps is loaded with resources for the |
| a finished product that can handle your accounting | | | | small business |
| needs. Two of the best that fit that bill are below. | | | | - Intuit and their most popular product, |
| - Turbo Cash is probably the single most popular | | | | QuickBooks, is to electronic accounting what |
| free accounting program in existence. It has been | | | | Microsoft is to the P.C. |