Greig McGill wrote:
* Meeting the requirements of her accountant (any accountants on the list? What requirements are there? I don't know! :)
If her accountant demands specific software she should get another accountant. Of course some people are _really_ dependant on accountants because the seem to lack the basic understanding of Small Business Accounting to be able to do such simple things are filling in PAYE and GST returns. If she is one of these people then she would be better served financially by learning these skills via some course because if she doesn't she will be paying through the nose in Accountancy costs.
* As complete and featureful as possible.
* Runs on Windows.
Why is she looking at F/OSS software for Windows when there is ample non-Free good Accounting packages for Windows? Accounting software is very underserved in the F/OSS world.
This last one is really not a problem, as I have told her there will be no problem obtaining a Linux or *BSD workstation specifically to run her business applications, and she likes the idea of the separation, as her kids and partner are fiddlers! :)
Eh? This contradicts your previous statement. It must run on windows but will be installed on a Linux box?
Anyone done this? Olly? I vaguely remember you were playing with MYOB alternatives?
Older versions Quickbooks Pro (ie Pro 6) run under Wine/Cross-Over Office (what I use). Try running a more modern demo version of MYOB or sych under Wine/Cross Over Office to test it.
I'd be very interested in hearing from any accountants lurking on this list also as to how hard it makes your job if your clients aren't running something "standard" like MYOB?
Accountants can quite easily assemble yearly accounts from Balance Sheet & Profit & Loss printouts and other paper based artifacts. They do not need you to run specific accounting software. The other option is a server based solution like SQL/Ledger. SQL/Ledger has a shit interface though. There is a major need for a F/OSS Small Business Accounting package. No one except the SQL/Ledger people seem to have picked up the task. Pity really as it is one of the last remaining hurdles for serious adoption on Linux in the SOHO world. Regards