# Bookkeeping options? Quickbooks or better? Newbie help...



## gijoe985 (Sep 15, 2009)

Hey all,
I have been reading and I am am continuing to read threads across the forum on this topic, but I figured I'd start my own post as well. 

I am just starting up my business. For the most part, I design my own shirts, sell them retail online and at events, as well as sell wholesale to stores. Or at least that is the long term model. Also, I am currently heat pressing my shirts with plastisol transfers. 

My questions-
Do I really need quickbooks? I was looking at getting it, but it seems like so much more than I need for my one man operation. Though I feel like in the long run, it is what my business should be using. 
Are there better programs for my situation? I've seen a few links in other threads to t -shirt specific programs.
Do I really need a program to track my inventory? It seems smart, but I also feel like that is where people are running into problems with Quickbooks. (If you use quickbooks, do you have it set up as a retail operation or manufacturing? Seems like people are split between the two)

I'm trying to get a grasp on this now because I am still pretty unsure about business taxes. I do my own personal taxes just fine, it's when the three other types of taxes kick in that I get confused. 

I'll keep searching, but any advice, tips, or thoughts on my questions would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## stevems7768 (Apr 28, 2012)

We have the accountant version of QuickBooks and it does almost everything we need. It will do the sales tax computation but it does not do payroll unless you purchase an upgrade. 

I'm pretty sure there are other, less expensive programs and maybe even free. My suggestion is that if you are planning to make this into your "business", find the software you are most comfortable using and has support to help you set up you chart of accounts and learn the processes. Accurate record keeping is extremely important and can save huge headaches later. 

We don't carry an inventory so that has not been an issue for us but I think the accountant's version has inventory capabilities. Not 100% on that though.


----------



## Stamp (Mar 26, 2010)

Try get on a free book keeping course (UK inland revenue does these) and a copy of Excel is all you need! So long as you track you income and outgoings and fill in a tax returns

If your in the UK (?) you can make an appointment when your tax return is due, take all your accounts in for the year and they will actually fill it out for you!
I opt for the online version, quick and easy


----------



## gijoe985 (Sep 15, 2009)

Nope, USA. 

My CPA friend said that he uses excel for his wife's daycare. And I am pretty good with excel. That may do for now. I got a free trial of quickbooks pro 2013. If I can't get anywhere with, I'll probably go that route.


----------



## 20vK (Jul 9, 2011)

I use xero. It's online and you only have to use the features you want. (I don't currently track stock, for example)


----------



## stevems7768 (Apr 28, 2012)

You can certainly use Excel as you said. It's fine for smaller databases and you can set it up to fit your exact needs. I do payroll on Excel but I'm proficient enough to set up all the functions to give me easy access to information such as A/R reports and P & L statements.


----------



## gijoe985 (Sep 15, 2009)

I've seen at least two links to 2 different t shirt specific programs. Anyone try those? I'll try to find the links tomorrow.


----------



## strike3sports (Jun 24, 2013)

Quickbooks is great. I love to use it for our bookkeeping. It just makes everything so much easier. If you really want to save money you could set up excel the way you want to do your bookkeeping. Quickbooks really is worth the money.


----------



## Stamp (Mar 26, 2010)

I used a QuickBooks and I did find it quite useful but a bit over complicated, great if your using an accountant but an accountant will normally recommend Sage. 
I'd stick with the excel its easier to know where you are plus if you want to do all those tables and profit/loss stuff you still can. 

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using T-Shirt Forums


----------



## ChameleonPrints (Apr 7, 2007)

If you are familiar with double entry accounting, keeping a chart of accounts and don't need the user interface that Quickbooks uses to try and simplify things... Then you might want to check out gnuCash. It's free and pretty simple if you are already familiar with accounting.


----------



## gijoe985 (Sep 15, 2009)

I actually was about to download GnuCash when I instead downloaded a trial of quickbooks. That might be the best option if just for my accounting needs. 

I use Gimp for all of my graphics. I live Gnu stuff!


----------



## sandmanbjj (Oct 26, 2011)

I will be looking at quick books online soon


----------



## gijoe985 (Sep 15, 2009)

As far as quickbooks go, I just set up my trial version as a retail store, but what do you guys think? I think my long term goal is wholesale, so should I go back and redo it as the manufacturing model? I'm still going to give quickbooks a try...


----------



## gijoe985 (Sep 15, 2009)

This looks promising-

inFlow Inventory Software | Inventory System - Features Overview


----------



## Neuromax (Oct 17, 2010)

I use Quickbooks Pro and my wife is a CPA, she likes it because all she has to do is generate a quarterly report and she is done (provided I remember to put everything in it)


----------

