SAGE ACCOUNTS - Knowledgeable help appreciated

[skid]

Bonjour kids!

I'm in need of some help and assistance if possible, in Reading (Berkshire)

I have a performance engineering/motorsport and rolling road company, and I'm in the process of updating systems from paper to Sage. I previously have a Management Accountant background so have fired up a new basic Sage accounts package and started pumping in sales and purchase invoices manually, and got some kind of bank reconciliation going. However I am not familiar with Sage as a product.

I'd really appreciate some help and guidance basically to take this to the next level. I need someone with Sage knowledge to quickly check my input procedures so far, and show me how to close off month ends and extract monthly management reports, or output to excel and I'll write a report here.

It is a basic Sage package and I haven't the time or luxury to play email ping pong with Sage staff and learn over months. I work best with someone on my shoulder for an hour, calling me an idiot, and showing me once (twice at the most) how to do something, then I'm full speed ahead.

If someone can help I'd gladly swap some rolling road power runs, investigation or set up time with a skilled engineer in return?

Evenings or weekends may be preferable as the 'phone will be quiet and interruptions a minimum.....hopefully.

If you wish to volunteer your Missus' Sage skills in return for seeing your car on the rolling road, please check with the responsible adult first I don't want any frosty/reluctant volunteers.

Cheers folks
Skid

[Eric Mc]

Don't you use an external accountant?

[skid]

Yes but only for year end tax and payroll purposes.

To have him on site for a few hours would cost me a fortune especially this time of year as he's jam packed with year end tax returns.

I need a Sage knowledgeable person, so I can produce accurate management monthly accounts then hand over to the accountant for year end.

I need the right tool for the right job so to speak.

[The Ferret]

Are you asking for an Accountant to help with stuff like depreciation/accruals/prepayments, or are you just looking to move the month on in Sage, e.g. change the period from Jan to Feb, and print a few reports?

[HRH2009]

Have you considered using a qualified bookkeeper?

If you go to http://www.bookkeepers.org.uk/Find%20a%20Bookkeepe... and put in your post code it will give the names of local bookkeepers who could either do your books for you or show you how to do day to day invoices.

You could use them to do the bank reconciliations and vat returns, though neither of them is that difficult.

Probable cost £15-£20 per hour, a fraction of the cost an accoutant would charge for their time!

ps I am in Worcestershire, so too far from you otherwise I would have offered to help.

[Carsie]

Hi Skid,

I'll help you; don't need any favours.

I'm at Client's tomorrow morning but should be back after lunch if you want to call.

[skid]

The Ferret said:

Are you asking for an Accountant to help with stuff like depreciation/accruals/prepayments, or are you just looking to move the month on in Sage, e.g. change the period from Jan to Feb, and print a few reports?

The latter part. I'm fully conversant with Management Accounting processes such as depreciation/accruals/prepayments but don't know how to drive them through Sage.

I don't have the luxury of time to set up a dummy company in Sage and experiment with all the functionality as systems like this often have 3 or 4 different ways of doing the same thing. Plus I've already started loading a lot of live data so worried about corrupting it.

So I just need someone with knowledge to tell me the quickest and most effective way to do things such as VAT return, check my Bank rec procedure (I'm sure I'm going the long way about it and the system must provide a quicker function), month end reprts, depreciation and asset register etc.

Also some inside knowledge in Sage's weaknesses as every system has them.

[skid]

HRH2009 said:

Have you considered using a qualified bookkeeper?

Yes but they all want to do is the whole deal on X hours per week, and I don't need to bark and keep a dog myself.

I just need someone's time to point me in the right direction. None seem willing to do a short term bit of effort. Shame.

[skid]

Carsie said:

Hi Skid,

I'll help you; don't need any favours.

I'm at Client's tomorrow morning but should be back after lunch if you want to call.

MANY THANKS!!!!

Found your phone number on your website. Will be good to sound you out for advice.

Cheers