An off-the-shelf mainstream accounting program works well for micro and small businesses. Large companies are much better off with customized enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems that integrate supply chain, customer relationship management, human resources and all other data systems. Whereas a dedicated accounting software is all you need to run your medium-sized business.Assessing Your Business NeedsRequirements vary by industry so make sure whatever you look at works for your industry! Regaradless, your accounting software must provide income and expense tracking and report generation.Before you start sending RFPs, take some time to figure out exactly what you want from your accounting system. Products vary from simple checkbooks and cash-accounting systems to more complex financial management, payroll, inventory management, tax accounting and job costing. Many software offerings are modular so you buy what you need now and then add additional functions when needed.Accounting software should provide the following tools:
Generate balance sheets and profit and loss statements
Track accounts receivable/payable
AR/AP aging
Job costing
Quarterly tax payment estimates
Income tax preparation
Sales tax preparation
Payroll
Quarterly and year-end reports
Available inventory
Inventory aging
Purchase order creation
Compute cost of goods sold
Some of these features are standard on all accounting programs. Others are exclusive to ERP systems. Remember, that software created specifically for your industry may be the best solution, especially if you are dealing with complex processes or regulation.Other ConcernsYou may also want to consider other features, such as customizable reports, check printing and electronic invoices, to name a few. A service business will likely require an hourly billing function too. You may wish to consider a Web-based or “hosted” solution, which offers faster implementation, easier upgrading, lower costs and avoids technology infrastructure expenses.Ease of UseYou should include input from the primary users of your accounting software. This will ensure that you get the right product based on their needs. It will also minimize complaints and buy-in when you make a final decision.When you give any software a trial run, test the software publisher’s technical support and sales team. The ideal accounting software publisher should be a business partner. If they aren’t willing to go the extra mile for you, then look somewhere else.Choosing accounting software for your business might just be the most important decision you make. Choose wisely. If you need help, feel free to contact me for help. That’s why I’m here.

What are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime? So asked my 9 year old grandson.

As I thought of the question the local Green Grocer came to mind. Because that is what the greatest change in shopping in my lifetime is.

That was the first place to start with the question of what are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime.

Our local green grocer was the most important change in shopping in my lifetime. Beside him was our butcher, a hairdresser and a chemist.

Looking back, we were well catered for as we had quite a few in our suburb. And yes, the greatest changes in shopping in my lifetime were with the small family owned businesses.

Entertainment While Shopping Has Changed
Buying butter was an entertainment in itself.
My sister and I often had to go to a favourite family grocer close by. We were always polite as we asked for a pound or two of butter and other small items.

Out came a big block of wet butter wrapped in grease-proof paper. Brought from the back of the shop, placed on a huge counter top and included two grooved pates.

That was a big change in our shopping in my lifetime… you don’t come across butter bashing nowadays.

Our old friendly Mr. Mahon with the moustache, would cut a square of butter. Lift it to another piece of greaseproof paper with his pates. On it went to the weighing scales, a bit sliced off or added here and there.

Our old grocer would then bash it with gusto, turning it over and over. Upside down and sideways it went, so that it had grooves from the pates, splashes going everywhere, including our faces.

My sister and I thought this was great fun and it always cracked us up. We loved it, as we loved Mahon’s, on the corner, our very favourite grocery shop.

Grocery Shopping
Further afield, we often had to go to another of my mother’s favourite, not so local, green grocer’s. Mr. McKessie, ( spelt phonetically) would take our list, gather the groceries and put them all in a big cardboard box.

And because we were good customers he always delivered them to our house free of charge. But he wasn’t nearly as much fun as old Mr. Mahon. Even so, he was a nice man.

All Things Fresh
So there were very many common services such as home deliveries like:

• Farm eggs

• Fresh vegetables

• Cow’s milk

• Freshly baked bread

• Coal for our open fires

Delivery Services
A man used to come to our house a couple of times a week with farm fresh eggs.

Another used to come every day with fresh vegetables, although my father loved growing his own.

Our milk, topped with beautiful cream, was delivered to our doorstep every single morning.

Unbelievably, come think of it now, our bread came to us in a huge van driven by our “bread-man” named Jerry who became a family friend.

My parents always invited Jerry and his wife to their parties, and there were many during the summer months. Kids and adults all thoroughly enjoyed these times. Alcohol was never included, my parents were teetotallers. Lemonade was a treat, with home made sandwiches and cakes.

The coal-man was another who delivered bags of coal for our open fires. I can still see his sooty face under his tweed cap but I can’t remember his name. We knew them all by name but most of them escape me now.

Mr. Higgins, a service man from the Hoover Company always came to our house to replace our old vacuum cleaner with an updated model.

Our insurance company even sent a man to collect the weekly premium.

People then only paid for their shopping with cash. This in itself has been a huge change in shopping in my lifetime.

In some department stores there was a system whereby the money from the cash registers was transported in a small cylinder on a moving wire track to the central office.

Some Of The Bigger Changes
Some of the bigger changes in shopping were the opening of supermarkets.

• Supermarkets replaced many individual smaller grocery shops. Cash and bank cheques have given way to credit and key cards.

• Internet shopping… the latest trend, but in many minds, doing more harm, to book shops.

• Not many written shopping lists, because mobile phones have taken over.

On a more optimistic note, I hear that book shops are popular again after a decline.

Personal Service Has Most Definitely Changed
So, no one really has to leave home, to purchase almost anything, technology makes it so easy to do online.
And we have a much bigger range of products now, to choose from, and credit cards have given us the greatest ease of payment.

We have longer shopping hours, and weekend shopping. But we have lost the personal service that we oldies had taken for granted and also appreciated.

Because of their frenetic lifestyles, I have heard people say they find shopping very stressful, that is grocery shopping. I’m sure it is when you have to dash home and cook dinner after a days work. I often think there has to be a better, less stressful way.

My mother had the best of both worlds, in the services she had at her disposal. With a full time job looking after 9 people, 7 children plus her and my dad, she was very lucky. Lucky too that she did not have 2 jobs.