lakecountrybeer.com

By Terry Cartwright

Accounting software is a system of recording financial transactions on a computer across a full range of accounting options almost invariably dependent upon the size of business being catered for. Accounting software can vary from multi million pound solutions for major public companies to simple managed lists of income and expenses.

The requirements from accounting software are diverse with the most complex and comprehensive financial accounting packages incorporating financial reporting information and managed by teams of qualified accountants supported by accounts clerks, bookkeepers and substantial input from automated data sources. At the other end of the scale a self employed sole trader might use accounting software themselves and produce a set of financial accounts for the year in an afternoon.

Different accounting standards are required from accounting software dependent upon the fitness for purpose and client needs. Double entry bookkeeping automated through a database system and probably arranged in financial modules would normally be the choice of the majority of public companies. Single entry bookkeeping would not be an acceptable accounting solution for a limited company due to audit requirements and statutory obligations.

Single entry bookkeeping does however have its place in the market place for the smaller less complex businesses who maintain financial control through a close intimate knowledge of every financial transaction. The main objective of a sole trader is more likely to be the production of the tax accounts and complete the periodic and annual tax return forms.

The most sophisticated level of accounting software in the largest companies mirrors the accounting functions in those organisations with various financial modules for accounts receivable, accounts payable, stock control, general ledger and fixed assets. These accounting modules may also be integrated with non accounting functions such as production and dispatch functions and also divided into separate modules within the accounting function.

In larger companies the sales daybook and data entry of sales turnover would often be the responsibility of one department while the accounts receivable function might be split with a specialist credit control function within that accounting module. A further division may also include sales administration and customer records. Similarly the accounts payable function might be split between the purchasing department, accounts purchase invoice department and a legal function for overdue payments.

Accounting software for smaller companies and organisations is commonly a system of data entry of prime transactions which include sales income, purchase expenses and cash and bank transactions. The prime entry of these documents being to a database which automates the double entry accounting principles and produces both accounts receivable, accounts payable and general ledger databases.

Some accounting knowledge is usually required tom operate a database accounting software system and that financial knowledge is usually available within the company as most companies that use database accounting software also employ a bookkeeper or accounts clerks to input data and in slightly larger small companies also qualified accountants to manage the accounting function.

The need for accounting knowledge in a database system is partially to understand the data entry principles and the relevancy of the rules that need to be followed but essentially understanding of accounting principles is required to understand what is happening ton the information after input. And most important, a qualified accountant has the financial knowledge, training and experience to know what the system should be producing and how to query the database to retrieve that information.

In addition to inputting the prime income and expenditure details the most benefit of a database accounting system is the level of financial control the information it contains can provide the company management and financial directorship. The accounting function also has the security of producing trial balances, periodic profit and loss accounts, balance sheets and other financial and statements for tax and control purposes.

Accounting software packages requiring little or no accounting knowledge are available.

Small limited companies must obtain accounting software based upon double entry accounting principles as in addition to producing a profit and loss account and a trial balance to demonstrate accuracy and integrity of the financial records plus a balance sheet is required for reporting purposes. Accounting standards require the limited company to have a system of financial control and accounting software is an essential tool in achieving this.

Some accounting knowledge either from the management or outsourcing the bookkeeping services is usually required with even the simplest database accounting solutions eve3n if this requires the understanding of what accounts receivable ledgers, accounts payable ledger and control accounts mean.

There are other possibilities and those businesses with a minimum of accounting knowledge can consider spreadsheet based accounting software. Accounting software compiled from spreadsheets is less flexible and often does not have the range of options a database system has due to the lack of database queries available. These disadvantages of flexibility being compensated by the fact that all entries are visible, transparent and changes can be made more easily.

Financially at the sole trader and self employed end of the business spectrum then the requirements from accounting software may be completely different. Gone are the sophistications of control accounts, trial balances and many aspects of financial control. The most important aspect of self employed accounting software is often to produce a set of accounts for tax purposes.

Self employed small business that do not require a balance sheet can use accounting software based upon single entry bookkeeping rather than double entry and with the reduced requirement for financial control then less financial queries to the system are required. In these respects the simpler an accounting solution the better and in this market an accounting solution written on spreadsheets that can produce the net taxable profit would meet the requirements.

About the Author: Terry Cartwright designs Payroll and Accounting Software

diyaccounting.co.uk

with UK payroll software for 1 to 20 employees at

diyaccounting.co.uk/payroll.htm

Source:

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Common Mistakes Made By First Time Buyers Of Used Caravans

by

anna14

When it comes time for you to buy your first used caravan you have been saving for months, or even years and you have scoured the web for the best models and brands it can be fairly easy for you to get carried away with the excitement of it all. And when this happens, a lot of these common mistakes are made that could make your caravan buying experience more of a nightmare:

Buying the wrong sort of caravan for your vehicle

Before doing anything regarding the purchase of a used caravan, you need to first make sure that you know how much weight your car can safely tow. Towing with an inappropriate vehicle is not only highly dangerous; it could result in a large fine, the loss of points on your licence and invalid insurance (if you re involved in an accident). Why take the risk?

Buying the wrong used caravan

The sales people in the used caravan industry are a ruthless bunch who use a range of shifty tactics in order to get a sale (whether the van is any good or not). Unfortunately for you, these sales people can spot a first time buyer from a mile away, so you need to keep your wits about you. Don t be talked into buying a lemon because it s a today only deal!

Buying a stolen or written off caravan

This can result in all sorts of problems the main one being that you can actually be charged for stealing (even though you bought the van off someone whom you truly believed own it)! Keep an eye out for suspicious behaviour when you go to view the used caravan, and ask for the service history and log books so that you can prove ownership.

Buying a caravan that is unsuitable for your lifestyle

With all of the layout and style options available in the used caravans on the market today, it can be very easy to make this mistake. You need to think about who you will be travelling with and what sorts of holidays that you plan on taking. Write a list of your top 3 must haves (for most people, it s a good night s sleep) and work around that.

Buying accessories that you won t ever need

Out of all the mistakes that a first time used caravan buyer could make, this one is the least of your worries you can always resell items that you are tricked into buying. Don t let the seller or dealer give you a list of all the accessories you will need take the time to decide on the ones you will truly use.

By avoiding the above mistakes when it comes to buying your first used caravan, you can help to ensure that the experience is an enjoyable one and that the reward is a caravan that will last you for many years. Good luck on your hunt, and happy caravanning!

In this article we have discussed about common mistakes done while purchasing

used caravans

or old caravans.so read this carefully to save your money at the time of caravan buy.If you want to know more about caravans or

caravans for sale

feel free to get in touch with us.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com

Software Application Development Best Practices

by

Stella Robinson

Over 80% of projects are unsuccessful because they are over budget, late, missing function, or a combination. Moreover, 30% of the software projects are so poorly executed that they are canceled before completion. Software project using modern technologies are no exception to this rule. This article is about the best practices for software development projects.

Development process

To have development process for your project is an important thing because all other activities are derived from the process. For most modern software development projects, some kind of spiral-based methodology is used over a waterfall process. There are several choices, including the Rational Unified Process (RUP), IBM Global Services Method, and eXtreme Programming (XP). In many cases it is less important on what process is used than how well it is executed. The commonly used methodologies listed above all contain guidance about how to execute the process and templates for artifacts.

Project Requirements

Gathering project requirements and agreeing on requirements prior to begin any project is must for its success. It s not necessary to collect all requirements before any architecture, design and coding are done, but it is important for the development team to understand what needs to be built. Generally requirements are broken into functional and non-functional. A good way to document functional requirements is using Use Cases. Non-functional requirements describe the performance and system characteristics of the application. It is important to gather them because they have a major impact on the application architecture, design, and performance.

Architecture

Selecting appropriate architecture for your application is key to success. Tried and true practices are called patterns and they range from the classic Gang of Four patterns, Java patterns, to EJB design patterns. Sun\’s equivalent is the Core J2EE Patterns catalog. Most of the projects are failed. The study of these failures has given rise to the concept of antipatterns. They are valuable because they provide useful knowledge of what does not work, and why.

Design

Many applications are either over-designed or under-designed. The two basic principles here are \”Keep it Simple\” and information hiding. For many projects, it is important to perform Object-Oriented Analysis and Design using UML.

Coding

Construction of the code is a fraction of the total project effort, but it is often the most visible. Other work equally important includes requirements, architecture, analysis, design, and test. A best practice for constructing code includes the daily build and smoke test. Martin Fowler goes one step further and suggests continuous integration that also integrates the concept of unit tests and self-testing code.

Stella Robinson is working with an eminent and professional Offshore Mobile and Web development agency named Peerbits. At present she is writing on

Software application development

. If you want to know more

contact us

for further inquiry.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com

By Tom Horvath

In the news media the typical expert describes addiction as a disease. Often these experts work at addiction treatment facilities. It would be easy to conclude that experts agree that addiction is hereditary, incurable and lifelong. In the addiction field this view is referred to as the ‘disease model.’ In fact there is significant disagreement about the disease model, but the scientists and professionals who view addiction in other ways do not receive the same media coverage. Why alternatives to the disease model (there are several) do not get more publicity is a story in itself. However, this article will focus on two reasons not to understand addiction as a disease.

The first disadvantage of the disease model is that, for individuals with addiction problems, it is distracting. If I drink too much alcohol, my attention would best be focused on what I need to do about this behavior. By focusing on reducing or stopping my drinking, perhaps I can be successful on my own, or realize that I need to get outside help. However, if instead I spend my time wondering about whether I am an ‘alcoholic,’ I am not doing anything constructive to address my problems. Wondering whether I am an alcoholic distracts me from actually resolving my drinking problems. Although it may seem foolish (if you don’t have drinking problems) to spend your time wondering about this issue, many individuals who drink too much do so. Unfortunately, the conclusion reached is something like this: ‘Even though I drink too much, I’m not really an alcoholic, so I don’t need to worry about it. Only alcoholics actually need to make changes. I’m just someone who drinks too much.’

This perspective does not make any sense, but it is very common. The heavy drinker can hide behind the conclusion of ‘not being a real alcoholic,’ and avoid change. It seems that no matter how heavy my drinking, there are others who drink more or have more problems from alcohol. I can think of them as alcoholics, but not me! In reality, whatever amount I drink might cause problems, depending on circumstances. I would do better to address my drinking directly, and not be concerned about whether the label alcoholic (or addict) is the right one for me.

A second disadvantage of the disease model is that it can be depressing and de-motivating: ‘I have this disease that I can never get rid of.’ The idea itself is enough to drive me to drink! Rather than motivating me to improve my behavior, the disease model could lead me to feel hopeless. If someone believes in the disease model, and starts drinking, it is easy (and common) to think ‘I can’t help this, I have a disease.’ Rather than moderating (drinking at a low level that does not cause problems) or reducing (drinking too much but less than a binge), a full-blown binge (of alcohol, drugs, or both) can occur. Once the binge occurs it can be taken as more evidence that I really am hopeless, so what is the point of even trying to change? It would be better for me to think that I need to stay focused on my drinking, and not expect complete improvement immediately. I could learn to moderate or stop my drinking, just as I have learned many other things.

Although the experts quoted in the media are likely for a long time to continue to describe addiction as a disease, we each still have the freedom to understand addiction any way we want to. For many of us, not using the labels addict or alcoholic, and having a hopeful perspective on change, will be more helpful.

About the Author: A. Tom Horvath, Ph.D., ABPP, is a board certified clinical psychologist and president of Practical Recovery

non-12-step alcohol addiction treatment

, an addiction treatment facility in La Jolla (San Diego), CA, focusing on collaborative care and self-empowerment.

Source:

isnare.com

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