Accounting software for small business?

[Nottso]

I'd like to buy some accounting software for my business (design and manufacture custom motorcycle parts) to make things easier but I have no clue whatsoever as to what's good, what's bad or what's what in general. We have our taxes done professionally each year (both home and business) but I'd like to be more organized.

 

I'm pretty sure that Intuit's Quick Books is pretty good but I don't really even know that for sure. Are some of the other (less expensive) brands as good or maybe even better? Do I need this year's version or is an earlier version just as good? Is it possible to update year to year or must I buy the whole thing all over again each year?

 

As you can tell, I'm clueless. Completely. The only thing I've got going for me is that I'm extremely good with numbers but that doesn't help much if one doesn't know where to put the numbers to begin with, and I don't.

 

So, thoughts...?

[TheCrew07]

I spend quite a bit of time linking my company's software to various ERP, accounting, and warehousing systems. The vast majority of small to medium businesses I deal with run QuickBooks, it's so popular that many other programs are built specifically to interface with it.

 

The other software I see quite a bit of in NE Wisconsin is MAS 90/200 which I believe became Sage Peachtree.

 

I haven't used either, I work in the fulfillment side of business, so I don't have anything to offer to from a cost/ease of use standpoint, but QuickBooks is far and away the most popular small business package I see in the field.

 

Once companies grow beyond the small to midrange solution they usually move to any industry specific software package or something like Microsoft Dynamics (formerly Great Plains) or SAP.

 

Hope that helps.

[Nottso]

Yes, that definitely helps. Thanks for taking the time.

[brucrustu]

You said you have the taxes done by professionals. Have you spoken to them about the program they like? We use a program nobody's ever heard of @ our farm because it's what our accountant likes.

[Nottso]

Thanks, Stu. She also prefers QuickBooks so that will be the choice.