Accounting software

[Ronski]

Its that time of year again, has anybody tried Farm Ease Accounting?

http://www.farmease.ca/index.php/computer-programs/farm-ease-accounting-flex/

I used to use AgExpert but it was such a pain reversing an error and I don't need most of the information it provides so I made a hybrid spreadsheet to summarize income and most expenses for my accountant, capital purchases/sales and weird receipts (legal, land clearing, oil lease income) I let him sort out.
I really only want a General Ledger to print out and take the summary to my accountant, I'm wondering if I should keep tweaking my spreadsheet or try buying another program.

[fjlip]

I used to use AgExpert but it was such a pain reversing an error

They have kept tweaking AgExpert, no more pain, it's a great accounting software. Lots of reports for taxes and accountants and bankers. Glad I stuck with it since 1999.

[dfarms11]

For what you want, a spreadsheet will work the best and its cheap to use. You can make a spreadsheet do whatever you want. I used one for over 20 years and it worked great. Lately I've wanted more. I've wanted to reconcile bank accounts, keep track of all expenses business and personal. To find out where all my money is going so I switched to agexpert. It takes probably 5 times as long to complete my taxes now. BUT, I love all the info it gives me. I know exactly were all my money goes. Especially my personal expenses. It sure opens your eyes at how much you spend on yourself and for what! I now have 3 years under my belt with it and I wouldn't go back. I can use it to budget now. I love it. But like I said for simplicity of what you want Microsoft Excel will work perfect for you.

[farmaholic]

I use Ag-expert as well but not anywhere near it's full potential.

My accountant suggested, Simply Accounting or Quickbooks would have been good enough.

[kato]

Agexpert all the way here. I agree that the tweaking has improved things. It really shines at gst time. If you've got your books up to date it's literally a one minute job. Set up and used correctly you also get a tax statement that can be literally plugged right in to the tax program. I've worked for accountants and the people on this program were my favorites.

There is now a feature that makes an accountant's copy you can send to them. They do their adjustments and get their statements and send it back to you. Then the program integrates their changes.
I

[MBgrower]

Agexpert all the way. Reconciling bank accounts is a must have for me. Also really good on tracking inventory, and the option to report on accrual or cash basis.


It still has short comings though on their capital asset depreciation schedule. I find i need to track depreciation or capital gains outside of agexpert. Dont know why they havent improved this part over the last 20 or so years.

[rodedgar]

If you are a big BASF user, check out there Compass program. Great program and field records also.
It starts at $5000/year but discounts as volume of business increases.
I don't use it but took a good look at it. Way ahead of AgExpert. I'm not a big enough BASF customer to get it down to an affordable level.

[sumdumguy]

We still keep the big blue book, and no big name accounting firms. AgriStability is easy-peasy too, done in a jiffy, right at home. Not all farms are complex and complete records make sense on a simple farm. I have every blue book back to 1972. I'm just a simple dum guy and I like it, never had any problems with audits, though have had years of experience auditing all types of farm operations. I know it simple doesn't impress the big boys or accounting firms, but it has worked for us. Just saying.

[kato]

Whatever works is the right system. Except Simply Accounting. Lol I have a huge hate on for that program even though lots of people seem to like it. I worked on lots of accounts that used it and never saw one set up properly.

We had our get audited once, and when the tax lady called and found out I use Agexpert her response was "Oh good! Just send me the itemized report and we're good" that was the end of that.

[agchat]

I took Quicken 2007, and rebuilt it for farm income and expenses like accountants use. Awesome for GST also. Downloads transactions right from bank, all you have to do is categorize them. To dam cheap to buy expensive program, and accountant is also impressed with it.

[Richard5]

I prefer quickbooks because it is very easy to navigate through and data entry/balancing is easy. I have seen AgExpert and know they are continuing to make improvements but don't like the fact I can't change/correct an entry if its wrong.

Can export to Excel also if you want to do more analysis in spreadsheets.

The template chart of accounts was setup by my accountant so it is consistent with what they use for all their clients.

Regardless, you need to know what you are doing. Farm accounting is more than income and expense, especially if a corporation. If you balance to your bank things won't get missed which is the main goal of software.

[fjlip]

I have seen AgExpert and know they are continuing to make improvements but don't like the fact I can't change/correct an entry if its wrong.

You can fully edit an entry now, just has to stay a transaction type originally chosen. If that is wrong, you reverse it. Still very easy once used to it. The data base is now endless and all fiscal years are easily accessed. They used to be individual data files per year.

[kato]

Sgexpert exports to Excel now as well.