Whether you already own your own business or you are in the planning stage, accounting is something that may be on your mind. Keeping track of the money that flows into and out of your home – based business is important for many reasons, not the least of which is making sure that you (and your bills) get paid. Choosing an accounting system or method does not have to be painful. In fact, small and home – based businesses now have more options than ever for meeting their accounting needs.
Some people prefer to keep traditional records with pen and paper, but most people use their computer. If you use your computer to keep track of your business finances, you have the option of buying software for your desktop or subscribing to a cloud – based accounting service. Today I will discuss what cloud – based accounting software is, and why you might want to give it a try.
Cloud based accounting software is available twenty four hours a day, anywhere there is an internet connection. Most programs take accessibility even further with apps designed for smartphone users so you don’t even need to be near your computer to access your information. You can even set up your cloud based accounting software to receive data from your bank accounts in real time. What’s more, you do not have to serve as the middleman between your accountant (if you use one) and your accounting software. Simply give them login privileges on your account and you’re good to go.
As odd as it may seem, data sent into the cloud is more secure than data stored on your home computer. This is because data is backed up automatically, off site. If your data is on your computer, backing up your information is your responsibility and sometimes it just does not happen.
The deciding factor for many businesses about which accounting solution will work for them is, of course, price. With software, there is an up front cost as well as costs to update it. With subscription based services, there is usually a monthly fee. Often, monthly fees are easier to work into your budget than a larger chunk of change like you would need for buying software.
There are a variety of cloud – based accounting programs available to home – based professionals. Check them out and see for yourself whether one of them may be the right accounting solution for you.