Q. We are growing rapidly and need a new accounting system with more users. However I am more concerned with the number of different separate applications we run which all seem to work on different information. Can I get a system that will work with the same information across my whole company and will it be expensive?
Rod King of Liber8 Limited replies: Yes, this is a common problem. Growing companies will often respond quickly to particular administrative needs by creating separate systems in spreadsheets or word processing. Such systems have the advantage of being quick to set up but then become more expensive and time consuming to manage and administer. In addition because information is not common or synchronised it can be out of date and give rise to poor management decisions.
The answer is that whilst your "financials" (sales and purchase ledgers, bank records, etc) are necessary in keeping track of transactions, it is just as important that an integrated system should take account of such diverse functions as sales administration, supplier relations, human resources, documentation control, project management and internet communications.
The good news is that the better "mid-market" systems do now provide such integration and at the same time can link to familiar office tools such as Microsoft Excel and Word. Whilst such "business solutions" may appear to be expensive compared to entry level accounting systems they provide the very firm administrative platform for growing companies who can then drive up their administrative efficiency to produce increased sales, better control of costs and better profitability.
However, do not think of this as a simple case of changing accounting systems. Remember that you want to get the real benefits of increased efficiency and better reporting. Approach it in a phased manner :-
1. Choose an appropriate solution 2. Implement your core systems well with attention to setup, training and tailoring 3. Develop efficiency by introducing additional modules
Q: I designed my website a year ago and I've not had any business from it. Am I doing something wrong?
Nick Holland of Edian Consulting replies: The answer is not that you're doing something wrong, more like you're not doing something. If you imagine printing 10,000 leaflets, you wouldn't leave them sitting in the corner of your room, you'd post them out. The same applies to your website. Once you've designed it you need to market it. This can be done using traditional methods such as advertising, or more cost effectively achieving good rankings on search engines, a service your web designer will be able to help you out with.
Q: What is web hosting and do I need it?
Nick Holland of Edian Consulting replies: Web hosting is necessary for every website. Your website needs to be stored on a computer that is permanently connected to the internet with an extremely fast connection, and permanently switched on so that browsers can see your website at any time.
Q: I am thinking of getting Broadband for my business. Is there any difference between Freeserve & BT? What would you recommend?
Tim Isherwood of BDO Stoy Hayward replies: There is little, if any difference between BT & Freeserve. However, Freeserve will use a BT ASDL connection and we would as a matter of personal preference use BT.
PLEASE note that questions will normally be answered by our experts within three working days. The advice provided will be generic and should not be taken as a definite guide to investment or other financial decisions. You may wish to contact the expert directly for detailed advice based on your specific circumstances. Questions may be edited for reasons of style or grammar
