Accounting Posts

For small business and personal use. Not very rich in functionalities.Open source software literally means that the source code of the program is open to programmers, unlike traditional commercial closed source software. Image by zolierdos.

In this article we will be looking at professional Accounting software specifically and will highlight some of the popular open source products on the market today, their functionalities as well as the systems they run on. Please note that an accounting system may include impressive functionalities, but it is also important to consider whether the business owner would be able to use it when comparing functionalities of various options.

Other considerations when comparing free open source accounting software is the speed of the program, how many users can use it at the same time, if the program allows for multiple companies, departments or cost-centers (where this is important), whether the program is considered relatively bug free and whether it is web-based or not.

If you consider implementing one of these software solutions, please check first which other software in your organization would needs to be imported into this program and confirm whether such imports would be possible with the desired accounting software solution.

Usually with free open source Accounting software, the software provider will make his profits by providing professional training, consultation or manuals for the software at a fee. Some even receive donations.
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List of free and open source Accounting software (Part 1)

About two months back, I wrote a post about an open source web based invoicing software called BambooINVOICE.

I believe many have benefited from this open source tool. The only drawback about BambooINVOICE is that you will need to download the source codes and attempt to install it on your own web server.

Since this is a web based application, the installation process isn’t as simple as installing a desktop application where we just need to click next to everything and the application installs automatically.

In order to install BambooInvoice, you’ll need some experience with php, apache, and mysql. Of course you could also depend on web server packages like XAMPP to cut down on the installation steps.

But if you do not have any prior experience with any of these web installations, then you may have some difficulty trying to use BambooInvoice. If only there’s an option whereby the app is hosted on their servers for people to use, just like Google Docs.

If you currently need a free web based invoicing tool without the hassle to install and manage servers, then Sage’s Billing Boss is the right tool which caters for all your invoicing needs. Continue Reading »
Free web based invoicing and billing by Sage

The other day a buddy of mine came over and asked if there is a free web based invoicing software he could use for his electronics store. Since it’s a new start up, funds are tight and he can’t afford to go for an invoicing software for now. Yet, he understands the importance of being able to manage his invoices and finances well. Image by cybrgrl

The reason why he needs it to be web based is because he’s always on the run servicing clients. Being able to generate and manage his invoices online is a good way to keep all his invoices at a central location. No longer does he need to worry about backing up his pc in case of a hard disk crash, theft, etc.

I did some internet research and found out that there is indeed a web based invoicing software he could use and it’s called BambooINVOICE – a free open source invoicing software intended for small businesses and independent contractors.

BambooINVOICE is a web application that is released as an open source software (GPL). In order to use it, the application has to be set up in a web environment (Apache, PHP, MySQL).

Before setting up the application, I gave BambooINVOICE a try myself and found it quite good and comprehensive enough to get the job done. Continue Reading »
Free web based invoicing software

As you’re reading this, the biggest question is, are you currently in debt? If you’re not, that’s very good for you. But if you’re like me and many other people, you either owe some money to the bank, your parents, your spouse or even your friends. Image by stuartpilbrow

With the recent credit crunch that’s affecting many countries today, most need to be extra careful with their personal finances. If your finances is really tight, you might need to think twice before deciding to go for a:

• New car
• Sweet home theater
• Guys night out
• Posh tropical vacation

For some, they just choose to have a very simple life and forgo many of the desires above. But for those who are really tight yet still want to enjoy life once in a while, they can still do it by managing their personal finances better. There are a few basic and important rules to follow :

• Spend less that you earn
• Be prepared for the unexpected
• Make the money you have work for you

The next step to this is to really track every single expense and earning. To do that, I would suggest that you utilize a personal finance software to assist with the tracking. Continue Reading »
Why everyone needs a software to manage personal finances