Excel/Access assistance required
Discussion
Hiya,
I'm in a bit of a quandary and I need some expert assistance...
I invoice clients each month using Excel spreadsheets. I also keep an Access database of what's in, who it's for, how much they owe me, etc.
The problem is that this is a massively inefficient way of going about things, and I really need some kind of system whereby everything I input in Access can be linked to each Excel spreadsheet and used to generate invoices automatically.
Does anyone know how to do this, and would you be willing to help me out by creating the linky bits between Access and Excel? Obviously, I wouldn't expect a freebie.
Anyone who can assist will have my undying gratitude and a large
!
I'm in a bit of a quandary and I need some expert assistance...
I invoice clients each month using Excel spreadsheets. I also keep an Access database of what's in, who it's for, how much they owe me, etc.
The problem is that this is a massively inefficient way of going about things, and I really need some kind of system whereby everything I input in Access can be linked to each Excel spreadsheet and used to generate invoices automatically.
Does anyone know how to do this, and would you be willing to help me out by creating the linky bits between Access and Excel? Obviously, I wouldn't expect a freebie.
Anyone who can assist will have my undying gratitude and a large
!Would it not be simpler to create a report in Access to use as your invoice - if you are tracking everything through your database surely you'd have all the info you need in there?
[not very useful reply] Or use an book keeping package as this is what they do! [/not very useful reply]
[not very useful reply] Or use an book keeping package as this is what they do! [/not very useful reply]
Ali_D said:
Would it not be simpler to create a report in Access to use as your invoice - if you are tracking everything through your database surely you'd have all the info you need in there?
[not very useful reply] Or use an book keeping package as this is what they do! [/not very useful reply]
I wouldn't know, that's why I'm asking.[not very useful reply] Or use an book keeping package as this is what they do! [/not very useful reply]
I'm not all that up on Access - I can create databases and queries, and that's about it!
Not keen on the idea of using a bookkeeping package - I prefer to have complete control over what goes in and comes out, and to be able to modify things to suit current requirements. Besides which, I don't need the hassle right now of learning a new package from scratch and working out how to make it do what I want it to. I need a quick solution based on what I already know.
SGirl said:
Hiya,
I'm in a bit of a quandary and I need some expert assistance...
I invoice clients each month using Excel spreadsheets. I also keep an Access database of what's in, who it's for, how much they owe me, etc.
The problem is that this is a massively inefficient way of going about things, and I really need some kind of system whereby everything I input in Access can be linked to each Excel spreadsheet and used to generate invoices automatically.
Does anyone know how to do this, and would you be willing to help me out by creating the linky bits between Access and Excel? Obviously, I wouldn't expect a freebie.
Anyone who can assist will have my undying gratitude and a large !
MS Accounting ExpressI'm in a bit of a quandary and I need some expert assistance...
I invoice clients each month using Excel spreadsheets. I also keep an Access database of what's in, who it's for, how much they owe me, etc.
The problem is that this is a massively inefficient way of going about things, and I really need some kind of system whereby everything I input in Access can be linked to each Excel spreadsheet and used to generate invoices automatically.
Does anyone know how to do this, and would you be willing to help me out by creating the linky bits between Access and Excel? Obviously, I wouldn't expect a freebie.
Anyone who can assist will have my undying gratitude and a large
!surely 99 quid on something like Sage instant accounting might be a good idea. Though, yup it can be done in Access just fine - one thing to bear in mind is that if you are custom coding it to be more & more like an accounts\stock control package & paying someone to do it.. it's probably cheaper to just buy something which is a closer fit in the first place.
Thanks Richard, back atcha!
It's not really a cost consideration at this stage. I just thought I could build on the systems I already have in place in order to facilitate invoice creation. I'm reluctant to use a "proper" accounts package because I want to be able to reverse things without a world of hassle.
The plan is to input job details as the work comes in, but clients have this habit of moving the goalposts halfway through. So I want to just be able to update details for records without having to cancel jobs and re-enter them, or credit them, or whatever.
It's not really a cost consideration at this stage. I just thought I could build on the systems I already have in place in order to facilitate invoice creation. I'm reluctant to use a "proper" accounts package because I want to be able to reverse things without a world of hassle.
The plan is to input job details as the work comes in, but clients have this habit of moving the goalposts halfway through. So I want to just be able to update details for records without having to cancel jobs and re-enter them, or credit them, or whatever.
Eventually a time comes in the development of a business as to when a full-on double entry book-keeping system needs to be implemented. This is not a SOFTWARE decision. It is a BUSINESS decision.
Our Victorian forefathers had to make these decisions too 100 years before the advent of Sage and the like.
Our Victorian forefathers had to make these decisions too 100 years before the advent of Sage and the like.
Thanks Eric, but I wouldn't know one end of a double-entry bookkeeping system from the other. My system works for now, it just needs to be faster to use because I simply don't have enough time any more to keep up with the billing! So I'm going to stick with that until I've implemented a few more changes. Without revealing too much on here, there are going to be some major changes to my company structure within the next few months.
My system works for now, it just needs to be faster to use because I simply don't have enough time any more to keep up with the billing! So I'm going to stick with that until I've implemented a few more changes. Without revealing too much on here, there are going to be some major changes to my company structure within the next few months.Edited by SGirl on Monday 30th June 12:06
Your system may work but you are obviously finding that it is beginning to creak a bit at the seams. No doubt you will find that, no matter what tweaks and alterations you manage to make, the prtoblem will only get worse as the business continues to grow.
With all these amendments you need to constantly inject into your "system" to keep on top of things, you are, in effect, reinventing the wheel regarding principles of book-keeping and accounting.
Why bother putting off the inevitable?
If you look at some basic books on book-keeping and accounting you will find that an awful lot of it is absolute logic and makes eminent sense. You will probably find that you inately understand a lot of it already - without realising it at the moment.
Some of the terms used in traditional book-keeping can put people off as they seem to have an opposite meaning to how they are used in the "real" world. However, once you get your head around the terms you will be surprised how straightforward a lot of it is.
Make use of the company accountant if you can.
With all these amendments you need to constantly inject into your "system" to keep on top of things, you are, in effect, reinventing the wheel regarding principles of book-keeping and accounting.
Why bother putting off the inevitable?
If you look at some basic books on book-keeping and accounting you will find that an awful lot of it is absolute logic and makes eminent sense. You will probably find that you inately understand a lot of it already - without realising it at the moment.
Some of the terms used in traditional book-keeping can put people off as they seem to have an opposite meaning to how they are used in the "real" world. However, once you get your head around the terms you will be surprised how straightforward a lot of it is.
Make use of the company accountant if you can.
Eric Mc said:
Your system may work but you are obviously finding that it is beginning to creak a bit at the seams. No doubt you will find that, no matter what tweaks and alterations you manage to make, the prtoblem will only get worse as the business continues to grow.
This is precisely the problem. The present system simply isn't up to the job any more - it works fine when I can just work an 8-hour day and do the invoicing in my spare time, but that's not been the case for some 3 years now and it's getting worse. It's only the "incentive" of the VAT man telling me off that keeps me on top of the invoicing at all. Ultimately it's very inefficient and causes cashflow problems. Not to mention at least two days' downtime while I do the number-crunching.I actually fired the company "accountant" (and I use the term very loosely!) a couple of years ago now for being incapable of providing advice or assistance. So there's a vacancy if anyone wants it.
Actually, finding a new accountant is my priority at the moment - after completion of the VAT return!SGirl said:
Eric Mc said:
Your system may work but you are obviously finding that it is beginning to creak a bit at the seams. No doubt you will find that, no matter what tweaks and alterations you manage to make, the prtoblem will only get worse as the business continues to grow.
This is precisely the problem. The present system simply isn't up to the job any more - it works fine when I can just work an 8-hour day and do the invoicing in my spare time, but that's not been the case for some 3 years now and it's getting worse. It's only the "incentive" of the VAT man telling me off that keeps me on top of the invoicing at all. Ultimately it's very inefficient and causes cashflow problems. Not to mention at least two days' downtime while I do the number-crunching.I actually fired the company "accountant" (and I use the term very loosely!) a couple of years ago now for being incapable of providing advice or assistance. So there's a vacancy if anyone wants it.
Actually, finding a new accountant is my priority at the moment - after completion of the VAT return!Where I work there used to be an invoicing system that was creaking at the seams. It was called "Sage"
The invoicing part was taken away from Sage which was then reduced to purely nominal accounts. The invoicing is now on an Access/SQL system with a function to import nominal data into Sage, eliminating duplication of work and allowing the FD to do his thing.
RichardD said:
SGirl said:
Eric Mc said:
Your system may work but you are obviously finding that it is beginning to creak a bit at the seams. No doubt you will find that, no matter what tweaks and alterations you manage to make, the prtoblem will only get worse as the business continues to grow.
This is precisely the problem. The present system simply isn't up to the job any more - it works fine when I can just work an 8-hour day and do the invoicing in my spare time, but that's not been the case for some 3 years now and it's getting worse. It's only the "incentive" of the VAT man telling me off that keeps me on top of the invoicing at all. Ultimately it's very inefficient and causes cashflow problems. Not to mention at least two days' downtime while I do the number-crunching.I actually fired the company "accountant" (and I use the term very loosely!) a couple of years ago now for being incapable of providing advice or assistance. So there's a vacancy if anyone wants it.
Actually, finding a new accountant is my priority at the moment - after completion of the VAT return!Where I work there used to be an invoicing system that was creaking at the seams. It was called "Sage"
The invoicing part was taken away from Sage which was then reduced to purely nominal accounts. The invoicing is now on an Access/SQL system with a function to import nominal data into Sage, eliminating duplication of work and allowing the FD to do his thing.
Eric Mc said:
It's all about the size of the business and the quantity and quality of invoicing required. Sage and other "simpler" systems can cope perfectly adequately with incorpoarting the invoicing function into the overall double entry system. However, depending on the specialist requirements of a business, this is not always the case.
Agree - a question of keeping it simple whilst making sure you get everything that you want In my earlier example it was few years worth of doing 50 invoices a day on the standard Sage database engine over a network resulted in serious sluggishness.
Also having external sales staff who would benefit from more information when on the phone to customers meant that they would then get pricing, purchase order and stock information as this was replicated to their offices.
My usggestion is also to go for a simple accounts package. Sage, Quickbooks or MYOB will do the job with ease. Its probalby a faster solution than glueing together what you currently have. This is from someone who has a lot of experience of glueing together Excel, Access and various other applications.
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