Myob vs quickbooks

October 1, 2009 2:19 AM

Deciding on an accounting software: MYOB vs Quickbooks

Hi there,

I am planning to open a landscaping business soon and am wondering to use an accounting software to keep my accounts running smoothly.

I am still deciding on either MYOB or Quickbooks. I have googled the features for both respective products but I still could not make the decision.

My business is a landscaping business and am wondering also if which certain software (MYOB/Quickbooks) would work better.

For all the people who are using either one of these 2 programs.. feel free to give your thoughts regarding my issue. Thanks.

posted by red_rika to computers & internet (6 comments total)

I've used both in small-business bookkeeping and found QB to be easier and more intuitive. I also found that the accountants I've worked with prefer QB. With MYOB I had to print reports and send them because none of the accountants I've worked with used MYOB. With QB, I just e-mail them a backup and that's it.

Are you going to do all of the books yourself or are you goung to have an accountant check your books quarterly? If you're using an accountant, see what they prefer and see if you can get an hour or so of training from them. It really makes a difference at year-end if you and your accountant have set everything up beforehand. A couple of clicks and you have all the info you need to do your taxes.

And good luck with your new business!
posted by dogmom at 5:30 AM on October 1

I am not familiar with MYOB, mostly because I began using QuickBooks over a decade ago when I started my business.

The additional fees for the payroll tax table updates, the "sundowning" of older versions, and the ever present shilling of additional products / services is annoying.

Having said that, I love QB. My accountant loves QB. It is pretty darn easy to use.
posted by Classic Diner at 6:26 AM on October 1

I don't know MYOB and have never heard of it. That said, the accountants I know all hate QB (backwards compatilbility issues, upgrading issues). But they all know how to use it, and lots of other people use it, so it's better than MYOB.

Are you hiring an accountant to go over your books and/or prepare your taxes? If so, ask them what they suggest, and pay for someone to make sure the setup is right and train you.
posted by jeather at 6:35 AM on October 1

Not familiar with MYOB -- been using QB for a year or so now.

I'm on a Mac using QB Pro 2007, accountant is on PC, but we can pass backups back & forth. Comforting to know that she can fix any horrible mistakes I might make!
posted by omnidrew at 8:40 AM on October 1

Just converted this year to QB Enterprise from an old DOS app (Accpac Plus) that we used for the past 20+ years. I looked at virtually every major software package from $99 to $25k+.

My decision to get it was based on the huge user-base, 3rd party applications, regular updates (that's a good thing folks, when a company that pays attention to their software and userbase), ease of use, up to 20 concurrent users (Enterprise only), seems that virtually everyone in accounting trains on it these days (read - don't have to train anyone to do your accounting), Intuit's been around for a long while, Intuit and non-Intuit help forums, accountant support, excellent upgrade path as you grow, excellent price, user installable/upgradable, etc etc etc

Go for it. You won't regret it. For the price, it beats doing the books manually.
posted by jamesalbert at 9:16 AM on October 1

The big question is are you familiar with bookkeeping. Have you done it before? Are you familiar with the whole process? Do you understand the double-entry system?

I ask this because my former boss, the 20+ year CPA, used to say that clients doing their own Quickbooks would be just about guaranteed to double their bill at the end of the year.

If you're hiring a bookkeeper and you know s/he is competent on some particular software, get that software. If you need software beforehand, QB will probably have the most qualified users.

If you're planning on doing all of this yourself and you don't have prior experience with bookkeeping, STOP. Contact your CPA. Ask them what you should use. Ask them what they can train you on. Ask them how you can keep records to best assist them in your year-end process.

This could literally save you several thousand dollars each year. I don't know MYOB, I love Quickbooks, but any major accounting software in the hands of somebody who doesn't actually know how to use it can result in far more difficulty than just keeping a basic check register in Excel and turning over your bank statements and such at the end of the year. We used to routinely have clients who were great at their own businesses, but with their own books?

We had clients who could take 40 hours or more just to clean up their Quickbooks. At $50/hour, that's $2000 right there. For the same amount of hours, some of those people could have had us do all their monthly books the whole year and not spent their own time on it. I'm sure my boss didn't mind the business, but I hate seeing people waste money like that.
posted by larkspur at 12:50 PM on October 1