How to navigate the accounting software landscape
The industrious team over at AccountingWEB has created an indispensable guide to accounting software.
Given the packed-to-the-gunnels marketplace and the looming demands of making tax digital, Software Reviews couldn't have arrived at a better time for those wanting/needing to get tech savvy.
And, as the content is very much connected to user experiences, it's likely to become one of the profession's go-to online manuals.
Trustpilot for accounting software
AccountingWEB has dubbed the guide: "Trustpilot for accounting software".
Editor Tom Herbert says: "We went live in September with guides to practice management software, data and expense management apps and forecasting planning and analysis tools.
"We're just about to publish a set of accounts production software reviews and are then moving on to two big categories - small business accounts and MTD for VAT software."
Product ratings
Tom adds: "The reviews are based on more than 7,000 individual product ratings in 10 categories within our ongoing Accounting Excellence Software Awards questionnaire.
"We compile their ratings and responses into a set of product reviews that gives a user's-eye view of what each application can do, its strong points and where it can be improved.
"The rating questionnaire remains open, and all of the individual product pages will be regularly updated with new reviews and insights from users.
Too many new products
"The project came about in response to the common complaint - frequently heard at Accountex events - that "there are too many new products coming into the market to keep up with".
"The year-on-year insights AccountingWEB has collected give us a clear view of what's changing in the marketplace and now we are able to share those insights with members and vendors.
"To ease the searching process, we focus on products that have established a meaningful presence in each application category - though we are also able to pick up evidence of new entrants as they arrive on the scene.
Lack of complete information
"We’ve researched how accountants buy software and found that one of the main problems they encounter is a lack of complete information.
"A Google search leaves so many part-answered or unanswered questions: what does the software actually do? Who is it for? Does it have the features I or my clients need, or is it way too complex? And, most importantly, how much does it cost?"
Sounds like a great project, Tom. Good luck!
Tracker is miles better
MyFirmsApp, developer of custom apps for accountants and bookkeepers, is set to launch a powerful new 'Mileage Tracker'.
It will automatically and accurately log business trip mileage for tax purposes and reimbursements.
The Mileage Tracker is one of the most popular tools in the app and this new version has features that have been introduced as a result of feedback from over 1,200 accountancy firms with over 250,000 end users.
Improve user experience
MyFirmsApp works with customers, partners, and industry drivers like Apple, accounting institutes and legislative bodies, to develop solutions that improve user experience, deliver better performance and continually innovate.
The new tracker uses the most advanced GPS tracking to deliver best-in-class accuracy.
Based on feedback that users were forgetting to start the mileage tracker at the beginning of a journey and failing to capture all their trips, the new tracker auto-detects a trip using a state-of-the art algorithm so the App tracks in the background.
Number of journeys
It is expected that this will increase the number of journeys that the user records and will result in less chasing by the accountant for the client’s business mileage when completing the end of year tax return. If the user prefers to switch this off, they have the option to choose a manual start.
The company says: "Even in manual mode, the Mileage Tracker is simple to operate. The user simply taps 'start' to ensure the App tracks the journey (even when minimised) and presses 'stop' to end the tracking.
"The App automatically prompts the user to name the journey and gives the user a choice of selecting whether it is a business or personal trip. Details of the trip can be sent to the accountant at the click of a button or as an email attachment, wherever there is internet connectivity.
Important details
Mike Page, head of product management at MyFirmsApp says: “In addition to background tracking, we have streamlined both the list screen and the manual trip entry interfaces to remove unnecessary distraction and to focus the user on the important details, first and foremost.
"The way in which trips are stored and synchronised has been changed to improve the accuracy of the recording and syncing across multiple devices so that any trips recorded when the app is off-line will be sent to the cloud* and will appear the next time the user visits the mileage tracker. Any trips logged while the app is online are synchronised in real-time.”
"The Mileage Tracker is a valuable tool that has been developed for the latest OneApp platform and adds value to enhance the digital client experience. Every single App built is bespoke and is of the highest quality, fully endorsed and compliant with industry professional bodies and is constantly updated to include the latest technology so practices save time and money.
"Being the only company in the App space to have ICAEW accreditation helps to show the company’s commitment to putting accountants first."