SJD Parties like it's 1999

[simondolan]

Hi,

As with everything there is definitely room for improvement with the spreadsheet and we are working on this at the moment. Is a fairly big job as we have now around 12,000 people using it, so we need to make sure that any changes we make give a real benefit to the vast majority. It'd be very easy to make changes which would incovenience as many people as they benefitted.

All suggestions would be very well received though

[simondolan]

Worth a look but not easy to achieve for the savings it would make, IMVHO. The download from HSBC, for example, is pretty rough ad ready. You 've always got the bank statement reconciliations to ensure the numbers you've entered are correct.



Dunno - I was too busy to take notice...

Actually one thing you could usefully (and very easily) add is a VAT calculator for billed amounts. Key in the gross, get the VAT element and the net cost separated out. I've got one of my own, obviously (that took me minutes to write), but it would be a lot easier to use if it were embedded in the main spreadsheet. Plenty of room in the bottom right-hand corner....

Thanks - the spreadsheet will work out for you the net and VAT amounts if you enter the gross in the sales bit

[malvolio]

Thanks - the spreadsheet will work out for you the net and VAT amounts if you enter the gross in the sales bit

Yes, but it won't do that for line items under expenditure. And since some of those don't attract VAT, you don't want to automate it there anyway It's just that a handy three cell (four if you inclulde the rate) calculator would be useful. For example, what's the VAT element of a £59.20 parking fee?

[simondolan]

Yes, but it won't do that for line items under expenditure. And since some of those don't attract VAT, you don't want to automate it there anyway It's just that a handy three cell (four if you inclulde the rate) calculator would be useful. For example, what's the VAT element of a £59.20 parking fee?

Ah Gotcha - OK, will put that on the list - thanks,

[xing]

b) An individual's computer can go down more often than an online portal;
c) You can only use a speadsheet when you're at your computer; (and internet connection is almost available everywhere)
d) Online system is more secure because the provider can often afford to implement proper security policy in their server rooms;
e) What's the validation in speadsheets?
f) What if your hard drive is dead?
g) Same as f)

Hi,

Probably a couple of points then to answer from this

1. Why don't we offer an on line portal? These have been around since around 1997 and every so often we revisit the idea, and every time we do we come to the same conclusions, which are

a) Whether you do your bookkeeping on line or on a local drive, you still have to enter the data - from the tests we did we found that there is no time saving to be had either way
b) On line systems go down.
c) You can only use on line systems when you have internet access
d) On line systems are less secure
e) There are lower levels of validation required when preparing year end accounts
f) Your data is held by a third party company - what if they go bust?
g) You are dependant on a third party to maintain their systems - again what happens if they suffer financially?

From our point of view having an on line system would make things easier for us, but in my opinion, and judging by the research we've done, it is not the best thing for the client. Having said that, if you wish to use an on line portal then we can of course support them.

2. Can we offer an easy upload from bank statements to the spreadsheet via CSV? Be happy to take a look and see

Speaking of 1999, that was a pretty cool year in contracting wasn't it

[TheFaQQer]

b) An individual's computer can go down more often than an online portal;
f) What if your hard drive is dead?
g) Same as f)

If you work in IT and can't manage to keep a backup of your spreadsheet, then you're in the wrong profession.

[ilovehr]

I know Mr SJD frequents these boards

I have a feeling they own the site.....

[pjclarke]

All suggestions would be very well received though

Hi Simon.

Well, I guess losing the one-tab-per month and having separate all-year tabs for Invoices, Bankings and Expenses as I mooted above is probably a step change too far, so here is a more modest wish list, off the top of my head, my Company Secretary could probably give you a few more:-

1. More internal validation. E.g. that an amount in 'Bankings' against an invoice number matches the corresponding entry for the same number in 'Invoices'. Alerts for invoices with no corresponding payment, duplicated payments. Check that dates entered are actually dates and fall in the correct month. Etc.

2. Make the list of expenses categories a dropdown list, rather than having to scroll a bejillion miles over to the right to find the 'stationery' (or whatever) column. Failing that, freeze the pane so that the amount you entered in cash or bank is still visible. Some of us have severe short term memory. Although, as everything for the same month is on a single tab, that would mess up the rest of the sheet, see above.

3. Some import/export macros would be nice, output into other packages or spreadsheets, import from bank downloads.

4. Try and get all the summary information easily visible on a single pane at legible magnification.

5. Update the colour scheme from 1970s pub carpet to some nice modern subdued pastel blues and greys.

HTH.

[northernladuk]

b) An individual's computer can go down more often than an online portal;
c) You can only use a speadsheet when you're at your computer; (and internet connection is almost available everywhere)
d) Online system is more secure because the provider can often afford to implement proper security policy in their server rooms;
e) What's the validation in speadsheets?
f) What if your hard drive is dead?
g) Same as f)

I think you are grasping at straws here I am afraid. I wouldn't agree that your PC fails more than an online portal at all and as for a dead hard drive... like 1 in 20 odd years and it was backed up.

[malvolio]

I think you are grasping at straws here I am afraid. I wouldn't agree that your PC fails more than an online portal at all and as for a dead hard drive... like 1 in 20 odd years and it was backed up.

Mj copies of the SJD Sheet are parked on a Raided array with daily backups

Plus the quarterly VAT versions of course, that I wll have in my Gmail folders and that SJD will have copies of, so worst case is you have to re-enter three months data. And I can get that from the bank...