Help required

[mcgaw81]

Although i only left my fulltime job to concentrate on building my business, things are growing faster than I first thought, maybe too fast!!!

As i work 100 mile from home on a large contract, i have very little time to do my paperwork just now and was wandering if any of my fellow members have any spreadsheets that they could share with me to make things easier.

I don't really have anything set up just now as I didn't expected to grow as quick, just the basics (invoices, spreadsheet with expenditure) not much else.

I have had to employ someone, and my accountant deals with all that but i want to do as much myself, or the wife to do it, to keep his bill down, but don't have spreadsheets to calculate things out.

To make things worse for myself, due to my recent and forecast turnover, i have had to register for VAT, which is complicating things even more.

And with another 2/3 contracts pending, i may have to expand further.

Any help is most appreciated,

 

[Andy™]

i have made my own program in access. it uses a form to enter data and a report to print directly to paper as an invoice. also use this to keep track of all jobs done.

more simply, for accounting purposes, i have an excel speadsheet with incoming on one side, and outgoing on other. this contains basic info - date of invoice, invoice number, totals. for outgoing, just date, details of outgoing (wholesaler, fuel etc), and totals. PM me your email if you want a copy of this (and what version of excel you have)

 

[Evans Electric]

Can't help with spreadsheets etc as I'm not not much of a computer wizz, but would offer this bit of advice, Don't let the paperwork slip behind, I'm sure you are well aware, but keep those invoices going out , make sure payments are coming in and most important of all, don't let anyone ,and I mean anyone, run up a big debt . I've seen it too many times ! Some years ago a fellow sparks,s business escalated, suddenly had about 15 sparkies subbing to him , business booming, but by not pushing for his payments from the main contractor, found he was owed

 

[mcgaw81]

I'm not much off a computer 'wizz' either. I don't want to build too quickly but the work just keeps coming in, my main contract pays tax thru the CIS scheme which is a help as well as i know my tax bill will be kept down due to my payments already made. Another good thing with them is they pay weekly!!!

Andyc gave some good info, so thanks andy

 

[batty]

Mcgaw I use quickbooks for my invoicing and other accounting have done for years. You maybe better getting a program like this as it works your VAT out and simplifies things. Get someone to set it up for you and then you could probably do it yourself. I am no computer wizzard but I cope.

Batty

 

[Apache]

McGaw there was this thread

Any use?

Took a bit of finding

 

[dougal]

how about this

 

[batty]

how about this

To expensive.

 

[Apache]

how about this

do you use it craig? what's the catch?

 

[Subneural]

I use microsoft accounting, its free in basic form and does just about everything I need. You only need to pay for the upgrade when you get bigger.

 

[dougal]

do you use it craig? what's the catch?

I have down loaded and had a look at it and it seems to be very good, I will be using it when I start getting money in. the only catch is that they are trying to get me to buy a better version with more things on it. I will be staying with the free version for now

 

[batty]

I use microsoft accounting, its free in basic form and does just about everything I need. You only need to pay for the upgrade when you get bigger.

Subbie stay off KME'SGuiness Drink and you should not get any bigger.

Batty

 

[kme]

Do you mean I might have some left for myself, mate??

 

[Blue Fox]

I wrote my own Excel sheet, it does all the calculations you should need and itemises all your spending using drop down menus, send me your email address and I'll send it over to you. Its working really well for me and didn't cost a penny just as importantly!

 

[mcgaw81]

Thanks to all who have posted, emailed with their suggestions.Applaud SmileyApplaud Smiley