Although it may seem to be a mundane expression of aesthetic preference, a clean layout of the user interface in accounting software is extremely important. Most accounting software comparison will give a lot of time and attention to the user interface, so detailed analysis of the layouts of various pieces of software are pretty easy to come by.
How can a clean interface help you save time and money?
Having a clean layout is important because accounting is complex and difficult to understand – especially for individuals with minimal accounting experience. Even the terminology – credits, debits, assets, and so on get confusing to some and can be the kind of things that turn people off from accounting, despite the importance of it. This is why it is important to find software that makes entering information easy and possible without knowledge of what kind of transaction was just completed (in accounting language). Once the info is in the system, the software also needs to be able to generate reports that can be understood by someone without an accounting background.
People who work with accounting software aren’t dense by any means. Far from it. They simply want to spend less time working on things that can be automated so they can focus on the day-to-day aspects and complexities of running a small business. Accounting is necessary in order to look at the wider aspects of a business, but it is not (usually) particularly enjoyable.
Therefore, the best kind of small business accounting software for most businesses is an application that has an easy to use interface and does the complicated accounting calculations “behind the scenes.” In the end, decision makers want to be able to look at nice and neat reports the give them the information they need. They aren’t particularly interested in creating the reports or having others waste time creating them when software can do it for them.
It is also important to note that a clean interface does not imply software that is less powerful. In some cases it does, but it does not have to. Instead, a clean interface should make the software easier to use and translate in to more efficient analysis of costs and revenues.
An example of a clean interface is the invoicing feature that is common to all accounting programs. While some accounting programs will first start with the accounting ledger and will create a customizable invoice from there, this is not the most effective method for most people to invoice.
A more preferable method for handling the interaction between invoices and general ledger for a number of companies is software that has a simple invoice interface. From here, users can create an invoice and the software will automatically update the general ledger. Further, once the invoice is paid, a simple click will again update the ledger to reflect the change. Since most businesses deal with invoices on a daily basis, having software that automates the updates is much more preferable to having to update the ledger manaully.
If you’re searching for new accounting software, check accounting software review sites and look at screen shots of the software’s interface. You’ll be able to get a relatively good idea of how easy to use the software will be for you. If the interface looks complicated, chances are that it is and you should look for a better solution.
Since accounting programs are meant to save time, the least reasonable thing one can do in picking a financial program is to pick one that will take more time to learn than will be gained by the business in the long term.
Also consider who will be using the software. If a number of employees will be using the software, get feedback from them about their impressions of a new software packages usability and make sure that you account for the necessary training when budgeting for the investment.
New accounting software should add value to your company. Make sure that you choose a package that will be easy to use and will deliver the ROI that you’re searching for in terms of time saved.