Introduction
Cloud accounting software in South Africa helps business owners keep a finger on the pulse of their finances.
There are standard tasks that all accounting software can help business owners with, including recording transactions, sending invoices, storing receipts, and tracking sales taxes, cash flow management, as well as a tax management feature that makes the filing of tax a tad easier.
Cloud accounting has major advantages such as increased convenience and productivity. Entrepreneurs are not only able to access their business’s finances at any time and place but can eliminate repetitive tasks like data entry and the calculating of tax, revenue and cash flow forecasts, among others.
Using cloud accounting software in South Africa can also help reduce your business’ monthly expenses by going paperless – you save costs on printing and paper.
Several major banks now offer cloud accounting software as an integrated service to their business clients, giving them the option to import and reconcile their bank account transactions and complete tasks such as invoicing clients.
Main Features
Accounts Payable
Record and keep track of what the company owes to its suppliers or vendors for products or services received on credit.
Accounts Receivable
The recording of money owed to a company by a customer who received products or services on credit.
Bank Reconciliation
Software is able to match the cash balances on the balance sheet to the corresponding amount on your bank statement and resolve any discrepancies.
Billing & Invoicing
Invoicing of clients and billing to suppliers.
Budgeting/Forecasting
The budgeting feature allows you to see the company’s expected revenue and costs, market trends, cash flow and more. Using the cash flow forecast feature you can predict revenue and expenses associated with your business, as well as adjustments you plan to make to create the projection.
Expense Tracking
This feature helps you stay up-to-date with your expenses. It records your expenses by tracking receipts, invoices and other outgoing expenses.
Financial Reporting
Detailed reporting of your business’s finances, which includes your financial statements being provided to disclose the business’ financial data.
General Ledger
This process includes a journal entry or logging every business transaction as it occurs. The accounts recorded in a general ledger include assets, liabilities, equity, expenses, and income or revenue.
Inventory Management
Deals with the process of ordering, storing and using a company’s inventory.
Tax management
The management of tax, including managing sales tax (VAT).
Pricing
Monthly subscription – Cloud accounting software can cost from as little as R150 per month for small businesses. The majority of cloud accounting software packages offer a free 30-day trial.
You can opt to pay monthly or annually. Most providers allow you to change or upgrade your plan at any time.
Your subscription includes features such as invoicing, quotes generation, income and expense tracking, and integration with your bank accounts and other management systems.
Additional features – There are additional features that you may have to pay for separately, such as payroll management, inventory management – you may also have to pay for additional users on your account.
Buyer's Guide
There are several accounting software options available on the market. Here are a few tips to help you choose the right one for your business.
Consider the following:
24/7 Access
One of the biggest advantages of using cloud accounting software is that it can be accessed from any device, location, and at any time of day. To facilitate this, many of the options available come with a mobile app where you can manage essential tasks such as invoicing and payroll. This can help small businesses run more efficiently and flexibly.
Ease of use
It has never been easier to get yourself up and running so you can start invoicing and balancing your books right away. For business owners it is important to choose the option that provides an easy-to-understand dashboard with access to all your important financial information. Also ensure that you can easily manage tasks such as track and pay bills on time, claim expenses, connect to your bank feed, as well as accept payments.
Your budget
There is little doubt that accounting software has greatly reduced the costs of accounting services while also offering incredible value. However, it is still a good idea to carefully examine your budget to determine how much your business can afford to spend. Before you commit, also consider your business operations and what tools and functionalities you really need. Most providers offer tiered packages making it easier for business owners to only select packages that suit their needs and budget.
Security
Accounting software offers more security over your data than any other options. Most cloud computing services backup your data hourly and they use the latest in security software. Other additional safety measures that can be implemented are two-step authentication to log into your account.
Accounting Software benefits
- Flexibility – Can work from anywhere, not limited to a single PC or device.
- Efficiency – Saves small businesses time and money.
- Clarity – Can see your current financial position at any time.
- Accuracy – Able to automate and speed up the calculations of business expenses such as tax and payroll, etc.
- Tax compliance – Able to track and manage sales tax (VAT).
