Figures and Sums keeps landscape accounts neat and tidy

Colin Steele-Perkins had tried all sorts of accounts packages to manage his landscape practice when he found the Figures and Sums web site and downloaded the software for a free 30 day trial.

"I don’t need a fancy accounting program and prefer Figures and Sums for its ease of use," says Colin, "After the free trial, I paid the £45, which is good value for such a neat program."

Specialising in tropical plant culture for indoor and outdoor landscapes, Colin Steele-Perkins operates as a sole trader, providing services to hotels and sports venues from his base in Llanrwst, North Wales. He uses the blue - monthly - version of Figures and Sums to keep his business accounts up-to-date.

"I like to bill on a monthly basis and with Figures and Sums I can add unpaid bills and invoices into the equation, so I always know where I am.

"It has all the categories I need - cheque payments, bank payments, invoices due for the month - and slots everything into the right one.

"It saves time having to work out figures for the tax year and at the end of the year, I can just print everything out for the Inland Revenue. It’s quite suitable for what I need."

Figures and Sums takes the stress out of small business accounts

Andrew Spence had been using "The Best Small Business Accounts Book" since establishing his personal development practice eight years ago, so when Figures and Sums translated the books into interactive PC software, the move was a natural progression.

"I was used to the book format, which is simple, concise and easy - most other books were too complicated," comments Andrew, who has now used the software for over 18 months.

"The move to using the software has been fine - there were some teething problems with the original version, but the Windows version works well. The support is also good."

Based in Hove, East Sussex, the Andrew Spence Practice (Tel: 01273 509793 Web: www.hypnostressmanager.co.uk) provides three main types of service - therapy for stress and anxiety, stress management for companies and performance coaching. It uses the blue - monthly - version of Figures and Sums to manage its accounts.

"My accountant suggested using a program that was way over my head," concludes Andrew. "I couldn’t understand it, because you needed to have accounting knowledge to use it.

"Figures and Sums is very simple to use - for someone running their own business as a sole trader, it’s perfect."

page top

Figures and Sums supports A Helping Hand

Malcolm Soulsby, who runs his domestic property maintenance business, A Helping Hand, in South Leicestershire, finds Figures and Sums very useful for doing his accounts, especially as he does not describe himself as computer literate.

"I came across "The Best Small Business Accounts Book" and used this for four years, then heard about the software," says Soulsby.

"I am using Figures and Sums for the first time this year and am finding it good - it’s a very natural and pleasant progression from the book.

"I like the monthly print-outs - I can take a print-out each month and keep it. The support is also very friendly on a personal level."

Like most small business owners, Soulsby needs to concentrate on running his business and requires straightforward, easy-to-use software that can be used quickly with little training and support.

"I looked at other packages, but they were way above what I needed," Soulsby adds. "I’m very happy with Figures and Sums - it suits my purposes very well."

page top

Figures and Sums offers alternative remedy for small business accounting

Progressing from hand-written bookkeeping to computerised accounts can be a major step for small businesses, but Figures and Sums enabled Mark Church Aromatherapy to make the move easily and with no problems.

‘Figures and Sums is very simple - everything is straightforward and it suits my business perfectly," says proprietor and complementary therapist, Mark Church, whose aromatherapy and reflexology practice is based in Southwold, Suffolk, telephone 01502 722144.

Previously Mark used the yellow version of "The Best Small Business Accounts Book" on which the Figures and Sums accounts software is based: "I played with the Figures and Sums demonstration CD to get the hang of the PC program. Then I went straight into it and learned as I went along. Everything I need is there and all the calculations are done for me.

"I have a daily worksheet that I work from and enter it into the PC at the end of the week. I’m not technically minded, so I print off the records I need and just hand them to my Tax Consultant and he takes what he wants from it - it couldn’t be simpler."

Mark’s business is non-VAT registered and uses the yellow - weekly - version of the software to record its business accounts.

"I would have no problem recommending Figures and Sums to anybody else with the same requirements - it really has been excellent."

page top