Cloud Accountancy Systems

**Kenny@MyAccountantFriend** · 14 April 2015, 22:11

I can't say for sure but imagine they have a way of downloading a backup for you in an excel or similar format as most of the cloud solutions have this capability.

I believe there software is created in house, however Craig who posts on here often can confirm for you.

**alphadog** · 15 April 2015, 08:08

My ltd does most of its own accounting - no fangled cloud software around here. I get the old school accountant to do the annual accounts and my personal tax return once a year and that's about it.

I don't think I would particularly benefit at all from cloud accounting software at the moment. I might be mistaken, but last I heard, there aren't any cloud software packages that can prepare and submit annual accounts and tax returns yet. When that happens, I might take another look at it.

**Craig at Nixon Williams** · 15 April 2015, 10:54

We do not currently have the facility for you to download your data – however if you did decide to move away from Nixon Williams then we would of course compile your data and send it to you or another accountant.

Using different cloud software in parallel with Vantage will result in you needing to spend more time on your accounts and incurring unnecessary cost.

**JonNorris@Crunch** · 15 April 2015, 12:03

Originally posted by alphadog View Post

I might be mistaken, but last I heard, there aren't any cloud software packages that can prepare and submit annual accounts and tax returns yet. When that happens, I might take another look at it.

We can

RTI PAYE, VAT & Annual accounts are all generated and filed automatically through HMRC's API (although they're still manually checked and signed off by accountants).

We can't do Self Assessments yet but we're hoping to build that at some point. In the meantime I've heard very good things about gosimpletax.com

**Maslins** · 15 April 2015, 15:11

Originally posted by zacpack View Post

I use Nixon Williams as my accountant. They have an online system which I use for tracking my business. However I am concerned that if I leave them, I don't know if I could take my data with me.

Is it worth setting up another cloud based system, as well as Nixon Williams?

What do you all do?

I wouldn't bother running something else in addition to NW's offering...just means you're doubling your bookkeeping work, and of course paying for an independent bookkeeping package unnecessarily.

If the above is a big concern to you, might be worth looking at a generic package like FreeAgent. That way you'll find dozens, if not hundreds of different accountants who work with it. You can therefore potentially change accountant without changing bookkeeping software.

**alphadog** · 15 April 2015, 16:09

Originally posted by JonNorris@Crunch View Post

We can

RTI PAYE, VAT & Annual accounts are all generated and filed automatically through HMRC's API (although they're still manually checked and signed off by accountants).

We can't do Self Assessments yet but we're hoping to build that at some point. In the meantime I've heard very good things about gosimpletax.com

Let me know when your robot figures out how to do Self Assessments and I'll consider sending my business your way

**SunnyInHades** · 15 April 2015, 17:14

Cloud accounting seems to gaining momentum now.

Not used them myself, can't give any opinions, but 'heard of':
1) Xero (www.xero.com/uk/)
2) crunch (www.crunch.co.uk)

From the small business (SewLomax Ltd) video on the Xero web site:
"Xero has totally changed how we do our accounts, it's simply, you don't need to have any background in accounting, it means we
have reliable figures to look at, we also use it for invoicing, projecting cashflow, see the figures in a very simple way"

I suspect some (many?) accountants are reselling the Xero service. Just watched the 'for accountants' video on the Xero site
... "Work collaboratively, build relationships with clients to grow their business, and bill not for your
hours but for your skills, you're accountants, now get out there and make it happen"

**tractor** · 15 April 2015, 17:36

...

Originally posted by SunnyInHades View Post

Cloud accounting seems to gaining momentum now.

Not used them myself, can't give any opinions, but 'heard of':
1) Xero (www.xero.com/uk/)
2) crunch (www.crunch.co.uk)

From the small business (SewLomax Ltd) video on the Xero web site:
"Xero has totally changed how we do our accounts, it's simply, you don't need to have any background in accounting, it means we
have reliable figures to look at, we also use it for invoicing, projecting cashflow, see the figures in a very simple way"

I suspect some (many?) accountants are reselling the Xero service. Just watched the 'for accountants' video on the Xero site
... "Work collaboratively, build relationships with clients to grow their business, and bill not for your
hours but for your skills, you're accountants, now get out there and make it happen"

I use Xero. One touch VAT Returns, no CT returns yet but then I always have the accountant produce those and make the returns simply because I am not qualified. I do all the day to day accounting and VAT, accountant answers the occasional question and does the returns.

Xero is great for me and the customer service is pretty good and quick too.

**Alan @ BroomeAffinity** · 15 April 2015, 17:45

Xero is great. But for the typical contractor probably FreeAgent is better. I'm certified in both and so deal with both day-to-day. Xero has more bells and whistles which may be more relevant to more complicated businesses. Freeagent on the other hand is exactly what is required. Uniquely it has a real time CT predictor and also has a tax timeline which gives an at-a-glance overview of what's due and when.

That said, if you're going with Nixon Williams you'd be as well to stick with their system. If they're as good as they appear you'll not leave them anyway.

Cloud Accountancy Systems