How long have you been using ABC?

[abctech]

Tell us when you first bought ABC. Have you tried any other accounts software? Does your accountant like ABC?

[halftone]

1987, I think. On an Amstrad PC1512-MM-DD (mono monitor, dual flopoy disk drives) with DOS 3.1. No hard disk even, for the first 3 years.

I'd looked at several accounts packages, but ABC was simple enough that I could relate it to the cashbook and biro I'd been using up to that point, and also the database and typing stuff was a huge bonus. Sage etc existed even at that early date, but frightened the life out of me. I ran across ABC and author Chris Hicks at Which Computer show and bought a copy. Later I wrote a review of ABC for Computer Shopper. I'm still using ABC 20 years on. And Chris is still once in a while answering the occasional daft question from me; usually what is my package number (again) please.

From time to time I've looked at other sole-trader software such as MYOB and Quickbooks, but despite their gloss have never seen any reason to want to change. ABC does the job simply and I know it inside out. I'm still using the DOS version, under XP. Though I looked at the Windows betas occasionally I and imported data I could not find the time to maintain both. I will change to the Win version, for sure. Is it finished yet? !

Some of the things I did with ABC have changed beyond recognition. From 1987 I used the Filing to maintain a database of photographs (I'm a photographer), print out caption and copyright labels for the backs of prints - I even had a dedicated dot-matrix printer with continuous label stock. That has all gone, although the database still gets used for finding old negs it was replaced by Extensis Portfolio (which I really didn't like) and eventually iMatch, a monstrously powerful visual relational DB. Nor do I use Typing or Reports, long ago replaced by MS Office. But where ABC does the best job - and the ability to create ad hoc reports from accounts and database files is fantastic - it's the obvious and superior tool for the job. Though I wish I could add some of the custom reports to the Month End regime so they got run without my having to remember them. Likewise a Year End report, which dumps all the heading totals. I forgot to do that one year.

The one thing that I have trouble with now is the rigidity of monthly reports and closing books before I can start a new month. This used not to be a problem, but payments and accounts are diverse and statements come in whenever, and worse, digital photography jobs have a different workflow that often drags out over weeks for some projects. The result is that I am usually 3-4 weeks behind with accounts as I have to leave the month open. I only just closed October at the end of November. That then creates a backlog of bookeeping for the current month. Is the Windows version any more flexible in that regard? I never persisted with it for long enough to get to a Month End!

[halftone]

Oh, and to answer the second part of your question : I am the accountant now, I do my own year accounts and tax returns. After self-assessment came in, my pro (and very good) accountant just got more and more expensive, despite ABC making things easy for him. He'd moved upmarket and I'd seen revenues slide in the opposite direction.

In the end I figured I'd be no worse than a cheap local accountant. I decided I'd DIY, which took a lot of reading up of Inland Revenue guff and especially the rules and workings of depreciation. I spent about a week doing it but constructed an Excel workbook that makes it very easy and accurately prepares the statement of income for Sched D, from ABC totals, and then used that as input to another sheet that spits out tax return figures. I did make a small error in the sheet the first year, but picked it up later and claimed the resulting overpayment back. I've now DIY'd for 3 years, and saved about £4k.

Next April I'm going to make some changes to my ABC headings that will make totalling everything up a bt easier, at present I need to run ABC heading totals through an intermediate spreadsheet to bung amounts into the required classes of expenditure for tax calculations. They're basically the same headings I set up in 1987 when I had little idea what I was doing, and I created way too many. Great if I need to know how much I spent on batteries or B&W film in the last year,but I don't and it's too much information.

[abctech]

I wish I could add some of the custom reports to the Month End regime so they got run without my having to remember them. Likewise a Year End report, which dumps all the heading totals. I forgot to do that one year.

The one thing that I have trouble with now is the rigidity of monthly reports and closing books before I can start a new month. Is the Windows version any more flexible in that regard?

I think you'll love ABC6 now. I will add the Custom reports to Month End if a few people want it (though with ABC6 I have stopped printing things at Month End because I can go back anytime and print reports for any range of days or months). And there is a new Opening Balance method (Heading O/Bals are now separate from the accounts; can be edited any time; you can even have several sets which allows you to go back and reprint Headings reports for a previous year -- an undreamed of luxury with old ABC5).

And with ABC6 you can carry on entering transactions when the calendar month end has passed -- items with next month's date do not appear in your accounts until you run the month end.

The primitive little "calcsheet" of ABC5 has grown into a SpreadSheet which is Excel compatible (though much cut down -- until you ask for some feature to be put back) and has links to the Headings (Nominal Accounts for our new readers ) But if that's not enough, you can export any report as a .CSV or .PDF for importing into other software.

[LiverGrease1]

The post mark on the "Super Exec" carton IS 18 Aug 1985.
We used a Commador Pet forget if it had the tape or the floppy disks.
There was no 2K problem and we still continue to ask silly questions of the guru from Chorley.
Good luck Chris

[dazedandconfused]

I've been using ABC since 1987 or 1988, can't quite remember. I looked at lots of packages, but ABC fitted my needs the closest at that time. Haven't taken the plunge with ABC6 yet. I downloaded the prototype ages ago to play with, but haven't found time to delve into it in any depth. I will upgrade at some point.

My accountant every now and again drops subtle hints, suggesting that I should consider moving to Sage. This is purely to suit him - his other clients on Sage just send him a disc with their accounts (or email a file to him) and he just works through their accounts on his computer. I've suggested that he could either buy a copy of ABC himself, or download an evaluation copy, so that he could do the same thing with me, but he's not interested. Wants all clients to be clones.

And with ABC6 you can carry on entering transactions when the calendar month end has passed -- items with next month's date do not appear in your accounts until you run the month end.

That sounds great. Does that work with Payroll too - can I run our December Payroll and tell it to update ABC, even if ABC is still in November?
Secondly, I like to keep an accurate eye on how much is in our current account (F9, view, view heading, current account). If ABC is still in November, but I have entered some December payments and deposits, what figure will be shown in "view heading"? Will it be an up-to-date figure, or will it ignore all December entries? If it doesn't include the following month's entries, is there (or could you please make) an option to view the up-to-date heading figure?

[abctech]

Does that work with Payroll too
Secondly, what figure will be shown in F8 "view heading"?
Thirdly; could you please make an option to view the up-to-date heading figure?

I've copied these questions to the appropriate sub-Forums, eg Payroll, and answered them there.
(But in summary: Yes; Current Month only; and ABC6 already has this)

[dazedandconfused]

Many thanks for your replies, abctech - and for copying my queries to the various corners of the forum!