How to choose your accounting software?

Following the creation of your business or the decision to manage all or part of your accounting internally, you must choose accounting software. This choice is not simple, given the wide range available on the market and the many features that these applications can offer. We offer you a practical guide to help you choose the right accounting software. It reveals five basic tips to follow before choosing:

Identify software adapted to the size of the company,

Check the adequacy between the software and the activity carried out by the company:

·         Identify any additional needs,

·         Write a checklist to prepare your choice ,

·         Test and choose your accounting software.

·         choice accounting software

Identify the right kind of software for your business

Accounting software can belong to one of the following three categories:

The accounting software adapted to VSE: it is for small businesses that manage only the bookkeeping. They can also concern companies that use a chartered accountant. These software are very standardized and widely used on the market. They can sometimes make quotes and invoices. For the Accounts Payable Scanning this is a very important matter now.

The accounting software tailored to SMEs: they allow to manage all of the internal accounting. They integrate the management of VAT returns, the ability to make and send the tax book ... These software, rather standardized, allow the company to manage the entire accounting process, from holding to the establishment of annual accounts ;

And accounting software adapted to large companies: these are software that require special developments. They cover specific needs that depend on the organization of the company itself, its activity, etc. Built "made to measure", it integrates into a complex and personalized IT infrastructure. The best Accounts Payable software comes here.

In the case of micro-enterprises, they benefit from very significant relief and are, in particular, exempted from keeping accounts. The micro-entrepreneur may, at least, use billing software and possibly an accounting software ultra-simplified for use as a management software. It is therefore to consider it as a steering tool because it is not mandatory.

Check the fit between the software and its activity

Some activities require the use of specific accounting solutions (craft, trade or production). We generally distinguish:

The specialized accounting and management software "trade"

These applications will offer functionalities adapted to a profession. This will be, for example, for a building company, a management control tool that allows site monitoring (monitoring of hours, consumption of materials). This type of application is interesting for craft companies (building, catering)

The software with the accounting and management of the combined output

With this software, the company not only manages its accounting but also its entire production process (monitoring of purchasing and production cycles). These solutions are adapted to production activities.

The accounting software coupled with business management: Using this solution, the company will manage its business process (quotes, invoicing, tracking proposals, recovery and management outstanding) in parallel accounting.

These software are suitable for trading companies

When the business activity requires the use of a business management or production management application, it is in the interest of choosing an accounting software interfaced or integrated with this application.