General ledger accounting software helps to maintain and store complete and accurate records of all your business transactions in one place. Businesses with a double-entry bookkeeping system will find that choosing the right general ledger application software makes preparing financial statements and monitoring budgets more convenient and time-efficient.

There are numerous accounting programs available on the market, which can make choosing the right one for your business rather difficult. Therefore, if you are looking to buy general ledger accounting software, you need to know that not all programs are the same. You will have to consider more than just the initial purchase price of the accounting software. General ledger pricing and costs should also reflect the installation expenses and the market value for consistent top-notch customer support.

1. Think about how you will use the general ledger software in your business and which features are most important for compliance with your business accounting needs.

2. Examine the interface of each general ledger accounting software program to determine how user-friendly it is to operate.

3. Consider the amount of technical support you will receive with each application in the event you encounter problems with the software.

Action Steps for Small Business Accounting Software Success
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Select general ledger software that can accommodate your accounting department

Depending on the size of your business, the program you choose will potentially need to support more than one user at a time who will need to access it from completely separate workstations. Make sure the program you choose can accommodate all your employees as well as provide all the features you desire.

I recommend: NetSuite is great for large companies because the innovative dashboards allow you to customize employee access by department and job function. It typically ranges from around $100-$500 per month, depending on which application you choose. Simply Accounting Premium 2009 is ideal for small business because it offers features normally only included with more expensive applications for only around $300 to purchase. It allows simultaneous access for up to four users.

Determine the usability of general ledger software packages

You will want to pick a program with a user-friendly interface and comprehensive features in order to eliminate unnecessary confusion and wasted man hours spent training your employees on how to use the application.

I recommend: Peachtree by Sage Complete Accounting 2009 has excellent resources such as instructional demos and a simple setup wizard to provide users with a very effective software program that is also easy to learn to operate. It retails for around $150. Intuit QuickBooks Pro Edition 2009 allows you to import and export data in order to link your business applications together. It typically ranges in price from $200-$600.

Consider the availability of customer support with general ledger accounting software online

Good customer service and strong technical support are vital to keeping your accounting program functioning properly, so you need to confirm that it is included with your software purchase.

I recommend: Intacct is a good choice for small businesses due to their "buy with confidence guarantee," which provides complete software support. You pay a reasonable monthly fee that varies depending on your selected program features. MYOB FirstEdge general ledger software for Mac offers great help tools to teach you how to use the program, as well as continued service plan options for a purchase price of approximately $100.

Tips & Tactics to Get the Most from Small Business Accounting Software

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Check to ensure the general ledger software you choose is compatible with your current system.
• •  Remember to ask about the installation services included with the software.

Accounting software general ledger programs necessary in any business, large or small. Record every transaction your business makes so you can clearly see profit and loss. If your business ever comes under scrutiny of the IRS, you must produce your general ledger books for review. Make no mistake, this is the single most important document within your business, so decide carefully which program is right for your business.

When starting your business, consider purchasing general accounting software that includes a general ledger module. Although you may not need all of the facets of the software yet, it will grow with your business and make future purchases unnecessary. Ask whether upgrades are free, or if there will be a charge for them. Consider the following when purchasing software general ledger:

1. Select general ledger software as a stand-alone product.

2. Use all-purpose accounting software with a general ledger application included.

3. Find special accounting software: general ledger for your particular business needs.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate general ledger application software for your business

If your present system is working for you, consider adding general ledger software as a stand-alone product. Make sure the program you buy will integrate with the program you already have in place.

I recommend: CYMA offers general ledger software that will integrate with your other programs. Upload your spreadsheets, import your budgets, and automatically delete inactive accounts and more with this general ledger software. Coda offers stand-alone general ledger software that fully integrates with your other programs. This software incorporates all of your ledgers in one place to simplify reporting.

Choose general ledger software packages for all accounting needs

Look for all-purpose accounting software that contains general ledger. These programs integrate the information within the program, thus avoiding duplication. Look for programs that will grow with your business.

I recommend: Linux Ledgers offers complete accounting software that includes general ledger. All programs cross-reference each other so data transitions smoothly across the modules. Intuit Quickbooks offers a complete software program that includes general ledger. All facets merge information to avoid duplicate entries and make this product faster and more efficient.

Pick general ledger small business for the special circumstances of your business

Many businesses have special accounting needs, so software exists that focuses on certain kinds of businesses. If you operate a construction business or manage a church, consider software that already addresses your unique needs.

I recommend: RDS Advantage provides software for the special needs of churches. The software separates fund and commercial accounts, while it also interfaces the accounts payable system. Foundation Software provides general ledger software programs with a focus on construction companies. Make audits and reviews easy with this software that captures equipment, unit price, and time and material information, and then integrates this into the general ledger without separate entry.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure you back up your general ledger accounting software online frequently. If your system crashes you will lose any data you did not back up, so make it a point to perform this task regularly.