Anyone else here using Pandle for their bookkeeping?

[FreakShow]

As a new contractor, I'm learning a lot about how to keep records for everything. It took me a good week of googling, reading and trying but I finally figured out how to record my invoices and customer receipts in Pandle.

I'm struggling with putting through expenses for purchasing IT equipment though. The guides and tutorials are next to useless to me. Maybe it's the software, maybe it's just my lack of understanding, but is it not intuitive or just me?

I've back and forthed over email with my accountant but going to have to arrange a call next week to just get through it.

[northernladuk]

Why aren't you using FreeAgent? Top notch it is and I'd take a stab and say its best in breed for what we need. Certainly didn't take all that time to learn to do stuff in FA.

[GhostofTarbera]

As a new contractor, I'm learning a lot about how to keep records for everything. It took me a good week of googling, reading and trying but I finally figured out how to record my invoices and customer receipts in Pandle.

I'm struggling with putting through expenses for purchasing IT equipment though. The guides and tutorials are next to useless to me. Maybe it's the software, maybe it's just my lack of understanding, but is it not intuitive or just me?

I've back and forthed over email with my accountant but going to have to arrange a call next week to just get through it.

FreeAgent is the way to go


Sent from my iPhone using Contractor UK Forum

[ladymuck]

Never heard of Pandle.

Is this a solution you picked for yourself, or what your accountant recommended? If the latter then I would ask them to provide you with training.

[eek]

Never heard of Pandle.

Is this a solution you picked for yourself, or what your accountant recommended? If the latter then I would ask them to provide you with training.

I would run a mile from it - it's wrongly priced to begin with - Free and £5 a month just isn't enough to run a subscription business.

Rule 1 of running a internet software business is charge more.

I would get a Mettle bank account (it's Natwest's new brand) which gives you a free Freeagent account and change your accountant if he can't help you.

Accounting should be pain free nowadays and if Pandle isn't easy to use it's no use - and given their pricing model I don't hold out much hope for them surviving unless it's someone hobby rather than a business.

[ladymuck]

Maybe the pricing is really cheap to get people in and then jack up the price later.

Usually people are directed to FreeAgent, Quickbooks, Xero, Sage for online accounting. I've used Sage and recently moved to Xero. I used the desktop version of QuickBooks when I first started out and have trialled FreeAgent. All are decent systems. You need to do the trials and give them a really good go of all your expected use cases before choosing one to make sure it meets your needs. FA is the market leader as it is feature-rich. I just prefer the interface on Xero.

[FreakShow]

I use Pandle because my accountants recommended it. I don't pay for Pandle, but get the premium access through using them as my accountants.

I am asking to arrange a call for training because I do feel I'm missing some basics.

If I use freeagent I would need to pay more to my accountants.

[ladymuck]

I use Pandle because my accountants recommended it. I don't pay for Pandle, but get the premium access through using them as my accountants.

I am asking to arrange a call for training because I do feel I'm missing some basics.

If I use freeagent I would need to pay more to my accountants.

If the support from your accountants to use their software isn't great then you may want to reconsider using them.

You should check if you will retain access to your company's financial data if you move onto another accountant in a few years' time.

The good thing about the services described above is that you retain ownership and simply add / remove accountants' access as needed.

Cost should not be the only factor...

[northernladuk]

I use Pandle because my accountants recommended it. I don't pay for Pandle, but get the premium access through using them as my accountants.

I am asking to arrange a call for training because I do feel I'm missing some basics.

If I use freeagent I would need to pay more to my accountants.

To your accountant maybe, to a proper contractor specific one then no.

If it's not working out for you then leave. Don't stay just because of a potentially incorrect assumption when the service you are paying for isn't exactly what you need.

[FreakShow]

Well, I've messaged to see if I can get further support to set this up. Once I understand this bit, I think I'll be OK as I've figured out the rest. But if I don't get the right kind of support from my current accountant, I will look for a new one.

I will have a look around FreeAgent and see how it compares, thanks.