[GTALUG] Question

Alvin Starr alvin at netvel.net
Thu Jan 12 22:09:52 EST 2017



On 01/12/2017 08:15 PM, o1bigtenor via talk wrote:
> On Thu, Jan 12, 2017 at 3:00 PM, CLIFFORD ILKAY via talk
> <talk at gtalug.org> wrote:
>> On 12/01/17 08:16 AM, o1bigtenor via talk wrote:
>>> Greetings
>>>
>>> Am trying to find (for need in the not to distant future) some of what
>>> is normally called 'accounting' software (its really record keeping
>>> software but that's a different argument!).
>>>
>>> What are you using that is, or could be, multi-user and has room for
>>> some complexity?
>>> (I am presently using 10 digit account numbers to get the granularity I
>>> want.)
>>
>> Wave <https://www.waveapps.com/> is another Toronto-based web accounting
>> software provider. I know the people behind it and they know what they're
>> doing. I would trust their security more than the security on the average
>> small business network. As for the "What happens to my data if they go out
>> of business?" question, I'd check with the vendor to find out how to export
>> data and do it on a regular basis.
>>
>> One of the criterion to what you should be using is to find out if your
>> accountant is familiar with what you're using. If they are not, which is
>> more important to you, your accountant or the software you use?
> Ah yes - - - the 'wonderful' accountant.
>
> Well, I dropped using an accountant when I went to a major firm and gave
> them my docs (which were laid out by GIFI codes) so only needed transferring
> to whatever they were using and explained that I saw three scenarios. That was
> to a junior member. About 2 weeks later I arrived for my appointment and was
> now told that due to the complexity of my stuff (one business, farming and a
> personal return) a senior member of the firm was required. He told me
> that I had
> 3 different scenarios to consider (my bill had also gone up by 250%). Told
> that (expletives deleted) that what he had told me was almost exactly what
> I had told the junior member I had started with. Told him as he didn't provide
> any value for fees that I thought that I didn't really need his services.
> Paid the useless sucker and left.
>
> Didn't use another until a bank forced me to use an accountancy firm (which
> made an error (you are responsible for any errors even if someone else makes
> them on your behalf you know)). So now I'm much more likely to ask them if they
> would prefer to deal with Enron or me (Enron was managed by accountants
> and lawyers!) and leave.
> Have found a few other things that I couldn't get advice on from them so now
> I have a few trusted advisors - - - - but NO accountant!
>
> Revenue Canada has reams of documents available. Often answer complex
> questions too. Got one senior advisor to change some stuff by using logic
> - - - that sort of surprised me. Hadn't run into too many thinking bureaucratic
> types before!
>
> YMMV
>
When we started our first company we used an accounting firm the first year.
YEP. That was a waste of money.
We now use an accountant who lives in Simcoe.
He does our taxes and year end statements but the book-keeping is done 
by us.
He does a fine job and does not have the overhead of some guy on Bay St.
He has provided lots of good advise on taxes and other issues but we are 
both happy for him to keep away from the book-keeping parts.


-- 
Alvin Starr                   ||   voice: (905)513-7688
Netvel Inc.                   ||   Cell:  (416)806-0133
alvin at netvel.net              ||



More information about the talk mailing list