| Bookkeeping for many small businesses is either | | | | records if they are stored on your computer and |
| something the bookkeeper does and therefore is | | | | fire, flood or vandalism would be equally |
| a mystery not worth getting involved with or it is | | | | devastating to computer or hard copy records; |
| an unwelcome, time consuming part of the | | | | remote storage keeps them safe. |
| business owner's schedule; sometimes still done | | | | Data Backups: If you are maintaining a computer |
| manually in paper ledgers it can be at best an | | | | software package on which you keep your |
| irritation. For those businesses that have chosen | | | | accounting records, the task of backing-up the |
| to do their own bookkeeping electronically, and | | | | data falls to you the business owner; it is probably |
| have opted for accounting software packages | | | | true that this is yet another bite of your time |
| rather than a simple Excel spreadsheet there is | | | | that you can scarce afford, the fact is that |
| often a steep learning curve which can | | | | because of this many business owners are a little |
| necessitate involving outside help in the form of a | | | | slack at backing-up their data regularly; online |
| specialist who will need to come in and set up the | | | | hosts of accounting software take care of this |
| system and train those using it, as well, of course, | | | | scrupulously, allowing you to rest easy. |
| as the return visits to up-date the software. | | | | Multi-Location Access: Being able to access your |
| Opting for outside help in the form of a | | | | data remotely allows you to take care of |
| professional bookkeeper is still a popular choice as | | | | business from any location; you do not need to |
| it off-loads the bookkeeping irritation completely; | | | | be in your office or even in the same country to |
| however, keeping your accounts information | | | | check information. |
| somewhere away from your main business can | | | | Up-To-Date Systems: One of the most |
| prove problematic, as immediate access to the | | | | frustrating things about accountancy software |
| information becomes difficult. | | | | packages is that as tax law and accounting |
| There is now a useful alternative to the | | | | procedure changes they often become quickly |
| independent bookkeeper or expensive software | | | | out-of-date necessitating the purchase of new, |
| package; online bookkeeping applications allow | | | | up-dated software; with on online systems the |
| small businesses to access the benefits of | | | | host continually up-dates everything, so that the |
| accounting software without having to install | | | | system you use is always of the moment. |
| complex systems and at a fraction of the price. | | | | Good Value: As well as being a cheaper option |
| In simple terms the users of online accounting | | | | than buying tons of new software or employing |
| systems access the software using the internet | | | | an independent bookkeeper, online systems often |
| and the software remains on the host's server | | | | allow you to pay in ways that benefit the cash |
| rather than their business computer, a method of | | | | flow of your business, with many hosts offering |
| working that has many advantages. | | | | monthly charges or discounted sign-up packages. |
| Secured Data Protection: Having your business' | | | | Probably the greatest benefit over all that using |
| financial data stored remotely allows it maximum | | | | an online system has to small businesses is that it |
| protection from the sort of physical destruction | | | | streamlines the whole process of record keeping |
| that would leave your business vulnerable. | | | | and puts it into a neat, accessible parcel. |
| Hardware theft often results in the loss of | | | | |