Contractor Accountant + Freeagent?

[Funkywood]

I doubt I'm the only contractor whose ideal accountant would be one that specialises in contracting and also supports Freeagent, preferably included in their fee since it makes their job easier.

I've been with SJD before and I have done a search which suggests that SJD supports it if you really insist on using it but do any of the specialists see it as a good thing instead of competition?

[Advocate]

Re: Contractor Accountant + Freeagent?

I use SJD and freeagent although my previously assigned SJD accountant was better with it than my current one.

Sent from my tweeting foot massager.

[Clare@InTouch]

For a lot of accountants you'll find that Freeagent (or any other software for that matter) doesn't make their life easier as it doesn't integrate with their own systems and processes in the same way that their own solutions do. It's also very easy to get into a mess if you don't really know what you're doing, which makes everything an awful lot harder. I've seen more than a few Freeagent accounts where the balance sheet doesn't balance and there's a big suspense account!

There are accountants who support it, but many of the usual suspects don't because it makes life more difficult.

[Funkywood]

Has anyone compared it to the specialist online portals (InTouch)? I'd like a summary of what it does that they don't (and vice versa)

[NimbleJackAccounting]

Don't agree.

For a lot of accountants you'll find that Freeagent (or any other software for that matter) doesn't make their life easier as it doesn't integrate with their own systems and processes in the same way that their own solutions do. It's also very easy to get into a mess if you don't really know what you're doing, which makes everything an awful lot harder. I've seen more than a few Freeagent accounts where the balance sheet doesn't balance and there's a big suspense account!

There are accountants who support it, but many of the usual suspects don't because it makes life more difficult.

Hi Claire,

You have written some great posts on here, well done.

I have to say I disagree, if you read all the happy customers on our website they are really embracing Free Agent, why?

Because it allows you to keep a real time track of your accounts,gone are the days where your accountant gives you a bill at the end of the year and telling you how much tax to pay.

It combines the best of a personal dedicated accountant, who can keep an eye on your accounts in real time. As contractor and freelancers you will have an average of 30 items per month so with the auto recognition it take 5 minutes a month.

Its the way forward, we must embrace new technology. Although I admit, it may not suit people are not tech savvy!

Indeed my view is slightly biased but at least try the free trial.

Thanks,

[NimbleJackAccounting]

I doubt I'm the only contractor whose ideal accountant would be one that specialises in contracting and also supports Freeagent, preferably included in their fee since it makes their job easier.

I've been with SJD before and I have done a search which suggests that SJD supports it if you really insist on using it but do any of the specialists see it as a good thing instead of competition?

There are some great ones on here, I would post a link to our website (not allowed). Ensure your accountant reconcile's the accounts and your FreeAgent regularly.

Thanks

[northernladuk]

There are some great ones on here, I would post a link to our website (not allowed). Ensure your accountant reconcile's the accounts and your FreeAgent regularly.

Thanks

No other accountants on here use veiled advertising, they just let their posts do the work for them.....

[administrator]

No other accountants on here use veiled advertising, they just let their posts do the work for them.....

Agreed. You have been warned, NimbleJack!

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

Poor effort Nimblejack. I know to my cost that being in the slightest bit "fly" on this site will get you nowhere. Nor will poor use of apostrophes.

[Clare@InTouch]

Hi Claire,

You have written some great posts on here, well done.

I have to say I disagree, if you read all the happy customers on our website they are really embracing Free Agent, why?

Because it allows you to keep a real time track of your accounts,gone are the days where your accountant gives you a bill at the end of the year and telling you how much tax to pay.

It combines the best of a personal dedicated accountant, who can keep an eye on your accounts in real time. As contractor and freelancers you will have an average of 30 items per month so with the auto recognition it take 5 minutes a month.

Its the way forward, we must embrace new technology. Although I admit, it may not suit people are not tech savvy!

Indeed my view is slightly biased but at least try the free trial.

Thanks,

I'm not against technology, quite the opposite in fact, but it has to save time not create more work. For us, clients using other software means we cannot integrate their bookkeeping with our accounts, VAT, tax and payroll systems - therefore it takes more of our time to be able to do the same work we would do for clients who do use our systems.

Software solutions can offer all the information available in a set of management accounts. But then so can a set of management accounts, which many accountants can provide too.

Don't get me wrong, accounting software has it's place and it's great if you build you business model around it. But we don't, which is why we don't tend to use it in preference to our own.