Online Accounting Software - Benefits For Business
A Fresh Approach;
Functionality
On tap...
Increasingly, software functionality required by business owners and managers is being delivered over the Internet on a pay-as-you-go service basis as with any other utility.
Forward thinking owner/managers are realising that use of these online services provides a great opportunity to reduce the expensive and time-consuming tasks of hardware and software management that go hand-in-hand with buying and running traditional software. Free of these distractions they can concentrate on meeting the needs of their customers rather than their computers.
Liberty Accounts recently commissioned a series of case studies looking at existing users' experience of our online accounting and payroll software. A number of common themes emerged with accounting and payroll software functionality delivered as an online service being highly valued as flexible, convenient, and low maintenance.
Using Liberty Accounts online accounting and payroll software has many benefits - it can deal with accounts and payroll like any desktop package, but being online, it offers much more than traditional desktop accounting and payroll software:
Easy Implementation
Getting started
Is this easy...
Problem...
You want a package that is as quick and easy to implement as plugging in a new television.
Solved!
Liberty Accounts is quick and easy to implement, and the benefits are even more apparent if you want an accounting system that can accommodate multiple users at multiple locations.
Because Liberty Accounts is a pure browser based solution it has zero installation requirements, just login and go.
Also, because Liberty Accounts is delivered as a service over the Internet, it is inherently networked - available for you and your team to use wherever you are. To achieve the same capabilities with an accounting application hosted by your business would require significant investment in hardware, software, communications, and technical expertise.
Zero System Administration
Waste time;
When YOU
Want to...
Problem...
You want to concentrate on your business, not waste time and resources on software upgrades, backups, disaster recovery planning, performance management and problem diagnosis.
Solved!
Liberty Accounts is entirely hosted and managed for you. Why should looking after your accounting system be any more difficult than having a telephone for example?
Modern technology has many advantages, but it can be complex, so it always good to know that someone else is responsible for taking care of the technology.
Simple, Effective, Safe Collaboration
Problem...
Using traditional accounting software to collaborate you are sending large data files back and forth between the business and accountant, with problems if one of the parties has upgraded their accounting software to a newer version. Additionally, you face the inconvenience of not being able to work on your accounts until the file is returned and there is a risk of getting files mixed up when restoring data, or accidental infection by a computer virus.
Solved!
Liberty Accounts works from a single database, providing all users with a consistent and up-to-date view of the business finances from a single, current version of the software.
At year end, accountants can review the data and make any necessary adjustments while data for the new year can continue to be entered without any unnecessary complications.
Security of Your Data
Protect
Valuable data...
Problem...
Many businesses store a great deal of important information on computers but few are properly prepared for sudden and unexpected loss of that data. You are concerned to ensure that crucial business records are protected from loss through disk crashes, viruses, fire, theft, accidental deletion...
Solved!
Liberty Accounts recognises the crucial importance of your data and takes great care to ensure that data is stored in a way that minimises the risk of data loss. Daily backups are kept offsite and we regularly test restoration of the backups.
Clear and Current Picture of Business Financials
Problem...
You don't feel in control...
You never really have a clear and up-to-date picture of
the financial state of your business because you are given
quarterly management accounts by your adviser, a few weeks
after the end of each quarter, by which time the business
has moved on.
Solved!
Liberty Accounts encourages you to take control and keep your books up-to-date, using either in-house resources, or external providers of bookkeeping services. Either way there is no reason not to have your accounts kept constantly current.
If your accounts are current, Liberty Accounts gives you a clear idea of how your business stands, cash available, money you owe and money you are owed. As well as the overview from the business home page, there are a number of reports that provide you with the ability to make well-informed decisions about your business.
Online Filing
Online Filing;
Quicker, simpler
More accurate...
Problem...
You have read that the Government is going to require businesses to file more and more of their forms online. You want to use software that can handle online filing.
Solved!
Liberty Accounts is committed to supporting its users by providing online filing facilities that save time and ensure compliance.
Liberty Accounts has supported online filing of PAYE year end returns since 2004, enabling all of our payroll users to claim the full HMRC cash incentive.
Liberty Accounts is, at time of writing, the only software to support direct online filing of VAT returns. We introduced this facility for all of our users on the same day the service was made available by HMRC without a single user having to buy or install an upgrade.
Where Liberty Accounts has led the way the traditional software suppliers will follow, but you can be sure it will be in a new version requiring a paid upgrade!
Startups
Problem...
You are starting up and you recognise the value of proper financial management for your business. You want a package that can grow with your business but you don't want to spend a lot of your money up front then on annual maintenance for a fully featured package.
Solved!
Liberty Accounts is ideal for startups because it requires no up front investment in hardware or software and no contractual commitment beyond the subscription, which can be cancelled at any time.
Liberty Accounts has users ranging from single person firms to multiple outlet franchise operations so you can be confident that Liberty Accounts can handle your business when it grows.
Virtual Businesses
Problem...
You run a business with other people in a variety of locations and don't need offices yet. Like many modern small businessess you are each working from home but you would all like to be able to have access to the accounts.
Solved!
Liberty Accounts is an ideal solution for multi-user, multi-site access to your accounts and it requires nothing more complicated or expensive than an internet connection and a PC for each user.
Predictable Costs
Problem...
Planning and financial management of your business is much easier when costs are predictable and evenly spread.
Solved!
Liberty Accounts is paid for by a simple monthly subscription. This covers use of the service and all future enhancements at your chosen level of service. There wiil be no forced upgrades and no surprises later on.
Additionally, the subscription covers many hidden benefits that you don't get when you buy traditional boxed software; you will always be using the current version of the application, backups are taken care of, as is disaster recovery planning.
Multi-Platform
Problem...
The people who need to access your accounts are not all using Windows XP. You need an accounting package that works for Windows, Macs, Unix and Linux users.
Solved!
Liberty Accounts is a pure browser based solution and is developed to adhere to W3C web standards as supported by most modern browsers.
It does not matter to Liberty Accounts what operating system you are using, provided you are using a modern browser that supports W3C web standards such as IE6, IE7, Firefox, Safari.
Easy To Use and Learn
Some user interfaces;
Don't need
Much explanation...
Problem...
You haven't got time to waste learning your way around yet another software application.
Solved!
Liberty Accounts has been designed to be easy to use for core business functions such as invoicing, receiving payments, and recording expenses.
Liberty Accounts also has more advanced features that you can start to use as you feel comfortable. We use a familiar, drop-down menu for navigation around the application so all the functionality is easy to find.
The online help is fully searchable and there are lots of user guides to get you started. The user guides are in pdf format and provide topic based, short and easy-to-follow introductions to different aspects of using Liberty Accounts.
Easy To Use Integrated Payroll
Problem...
You employ staff and find it both difficult and time consuming to do the payroll calculations each month.
Solved!
Liberty Accounts has an integrated payroll system which can post accounting entries direct to the accounts.
Processing your payroll in Liberty is simple, quick, and efficient and it allows you to file your PAYE year end returns online, direct from Liberty (NB Online filing will be mandatory for all businesses by 2010).
Mobile Users
Problem...
Your work means that you are mobile, you want access to your accounts while you are on the road but you don't want to risk losing your business records along with your laptop if it should get lost or stolen.
Solved!
Liberty Accounts works over dial-up speed networks so if you have access to 3g data services or a wi-fi link you can use Liberty while you're on the road and be confident that your business data is secure, whatever happens to your laptop.
Fraud Protection
Problem...
You are concerned that traditional PC installed accounts packages are susceptible to fraud.
Solved!
You are right to be concerned. With traditional packages the data is held on the PC or on a server in the business. A determined and knowledgable person with criminal intent will be able to manipulate the data to cover their tracks.
With Liberty Accounts you can be secure in the knowledge that there is a full transaction audit trail and it is not possible for a user to manipulate the audit trail in any way.
Finding and Keeping a Good Bookkeeper
Problem...
You have found a skilled and reliable bookkeeper and you want to hang on to them.
Solved!
Circumstances change but with Liberty Accounts it doesn't matter if the bookkeeper moves, or the business moves, you will have the flexibility to continue with the same bookkeeper if that is what both parties want.
Equally, if the personal circumstances of your bookkeeper change and they cannot commit to '9 to 5' hours in the office you will have the option to let them work from home at times that suit.
