1. Review your current system
The first thing you should do if you are considering changing or updating your accounting system is to evaluate your current system – What do you like about it? What do you find difficult, frustrating, or even impossible? What additional features can you think of that would make managing your business easier, faster, more efficient? Try to involve as many staff as possible in this exercise, particularly those who use the system most, and keep a written record of the pros and cons as well as the wish-list you end up with as a result.
Before you go too much further, it’s also a good idea to take stock of your current hardware, network and operating system. If you are thinking of upgrading your computer system, it may pay to do this before installing a new accounts package. If you are not planning to upgrade, you still need to know details of your hardware, operating system and network configuration, as it is probably one of the first questions suppliers will ask you when you contact them for information about their products. You may find it useful to put this information in a table and/or diagram, which you can fax to potential suppliers to help them supply you with accurate advice and quotes.