[richywilts]

for the last year or so i havent really kept any proper accounts i use window cleaner pro to see how much iv taken etc and i keep reciepts but dont actually do profit and loss record as the last year iv just been concentrating on building up the round from nothing really, im hoping to start 2010 writing everything down ins and outs etc and use an accountant im just wondering what systems everyone else uses.

im now at the stage where i need to start running it more like a business and not just a job any help would be appreciated.

cheers in advance richy

[mark dew]

I use excel for my monthly, yearly accounts and expenditure.
I trialled wcp earlier this year and was quite impressed with it. So might go with that when the tax year ends.
Wcp pro can give you breakdowns of various items. Can't remember whereabouts now. But it covers most if not all i do with my comprehensive excel accounts.

[DaveG]

Although i use George, i also keep a "hard copy" on paper, in a ledger, which i give to my accountant at the end of the year.

Once a week i fill in money in and money out etc (motor expenses, tools and equipment, insurances, phone etc etc)

[Sean Dyer]

reply i use wcp

i have let it slip last month or two so will catch up over crimbo but i pretty much try do all business spending through account and then just transfer the relevant things onto wcp expenses from my bank statement any bits of petty cash spending i have receipts for

and any money in is in the bank or at least accounted for in wcp

[leapstallbuildings]

for the last year or so i havent really kept any proper accounts i use window cleaner pro to see how much iv taken etc and i keep reciepts but dont actually do profit and loss record as the last year iv just been concentrating on building up the round from nothing really, im hoping to start 2010 writing everything down ins and outs etc and use an accountant im just wondering what systems everyone else uses.

im now at the stage where i need to start running it more like a business and not just a job any help would be appreciated.

cheers in advance richy

I use two spreadsheets on MSWorks).  I prefer to keep income and expenditure on separate sheets.  On the expenditure sheet, if there is an item that is part business/part personal, I set it up to show the business part of it for tax deductible purposes.  E.g.  my van is my only vehicle so I show it as 85%/15% split because it gets a bit of personal usage.  The interest on the loan for buying it was a bit more complex though.  I had to calculate 85% of 8 grand but the system (part of the same loan) was 2 grand.  So it's 85% of van cost but 100% of system cost.  Spreadsheets make stuff like this a lot easier once you've set them up.

[mci services]

i throw everything in a drawer and come after xmas i panick like mad and spend hours at night sorting it all out for my tax terurn

last year i was fined for being late :

[daz1977]

what ever system you use , keep a written copy in a book, because if one goes missing you are ok, ahve one copy and that vanishes you can be up the creak with out a paddle

[mlscontractcleaner]

Stu-mac, you sound as organised as me; though I have the wife to sort mine out after Christmas; you don't get a wife and bark yourself do you

[leapstallbuildings]

what ever system you use , keep a written copy in a book, because if one goes missing you are ok, ahve one copy and that vanishes you can be up the creak with out a paddle

I keep accounts backups online in hopefully secure web space.  So I can always reprint if needed.

[pingu]

Have been transfering all my old george data over into wcp...

Now being a bit of a George fan I thought I would try WCP and I tried it when it first came out and to be honest I thought it was pants....at that time.

So a year on I am now re-trialling it and I really, really like it and it now seems to be just the ticket for my current needs.

Cheers
Dave.

[bumper]

no problem i do it myself i just use the quick tax return form but it as to be 15,000 or under.
gross/outgoings/net/thats all send it off and they send you your tax bill which is Usually  big fat 0.
easy pezzy.

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

wcp.

trialing it just now and even though i am having to spend a few hours here and there inputing the data i do actually like the thing...strange really for me......but yep, i can see at a glance how much i have taken in this week and how much has gone out........and i reckon i wont need to spend anywhere near as much time come april calculating as i will have 5 months done for me on wcp.

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

Stu-mac, you sound as organised as me; though I have the wife to sort mine out after Christmas; you don't get a wife and bark yourself do you

lol
I have been fined 3 times for late tax returns in 5 years, my other half is now doing them in January lol



Matt

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

for the last year or so i havent really kept any proper accounts i use window cleaner pro to see how much iv taken etc and i keep reciepts but dont actually do profit and loss record as the last year iv just been concentrating on building up the round from nothing really, im hoping to start 2010 writing everything down ins and outs etc and use an accountant im just wondering what systems everyone else uses.

im now at the stage where i need to start running it more like a business and not just a job any help would be appreciated.

cheers in advance richy

ritchy its gav fr wrexham father in laws an accountant ,m8 he'll sort u out

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

does anyone know if wcp can be used with signature app?...my pda has it installed and i reckon it would be a good thing if the custie just signed it and it filed it and accounted for it....ie sign here missus....then its stored for the accounts.

[ianhannaford]

does anyone know if wcp can be used with signature app?...my pda has it installed and i reckon it would be a good thing if the custie just signed it and it filed it and accounted for it....ie sign here missus....then its stored for the accounts.

WCP does not currently integrate with the sig app on the PDA. We were going to add it in but was not a high priority on the list.

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

thanks for answering that ian......i reckon that in a few years this will be the way forward.....as it is though i reckon wcp is as good as you can get for value......it is really easy to get to grips with....after a night of pulling your hair out lol....but mostly its common sense stuff...and perseverence

[Sean Dyer]

does anyone know if wcp can be used with signature app?...my pda has it installed and i reckon it would be a good thing if the custie just signed it and it filed it and accounted for it....ie sign here missus....then its stored for the accounts.

WCP does not currently integrate with the sig app on the PDA. We were going to add it in but was not a high priority on the list.

ian can i get a debt list on pda yet ??

want a pda for wcp but without this function its not worth it, im having printer probs at minute and this culd be the answer!!

[Sean Dyer]

Have been transfering all my old george data over into wcp...

Now being a bit of a George fan I thought I would try WCP and I tried it when it first came out and to be honest I thought it was pants....at that time.

So a year on I am now re-trialling it and I really, really like it and it now seems to be just the ticket for my current needs.

Cheers
Dave.

Ive found that george is ok to a point but then wcp seems a step forward in the right direction probably until you have a multi million operation and need something more but how many are gonna ever out grow it?

not many

[richywilts]

cheers for all the replies guys seems a few of you out there are as unorganized as me hopefully going to get this sorted in the new year!!!!!

[matt]

a A4 book

i put the date and what work is done

[AuRavelling79]

Once a month I print off a monthly profit chart from zero upwards in £100 segments.

The first day of the month that I work I draw a line at where I finished, so lets say I did £200 - well then I draw a line at £200 with a line to the side with the day and date and I write in (eg) Friday 1st Dec £200.

The next day I work I add that amount to the previous (eg Monday 4th Dec £212) and I add it above the line on the rising scale and draw a line that will now read (say) End of 4th Dec £412.

I do this all the way to the end of the month and so at say 29th £185 - End of 29th £2890.

So the month figure is my gross turnover before expenses. This is a figure "earned" not collected or received through the bank.

On the back I have an expenses scale in and I add up any costs that I have spent cash on and I clip receipts as I go. (Only a few bob for "on the run subsistance food" or some gaffer tape from B@Q usually)

Monthly expenses - fuel, poles, spares, van costs etc are bought on a credit card. (Van lease is DD from the bank.)

My wife's costs (As bookkeeper - are set in line with making them tax effective) and worked out retrospectively at the end of the year.

Any canvassing done for me or a rare bit of subbing is either cash or  cheque and gets recorded on the monthly expenses sheet.

So how do I know when a custy has paid? I have a landscape page for about 20 custies and lets say I cleaned one today and got paid - well then 23/12Y gets put by their name. If they were out then 23/12N is put by their name. When a cheque, or rarely a s/o or cash through my door with a payslip then that 23/12N is changed to 23/12Y.

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

thanks Gold....you have made even paper work sound complicated

[Frankybadboy]

thanks Gold....you have made even paper work sound complicated

lol

scrimmy only just understood how to use a pen.lol

after years of using chalk.

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

 

[AuRavelling79]

  If I knew how to show a picture you'd see that it's just two pieces of paper!

[Frankybadboy]

gold
i see from another post you are down shriehampton way.what parts off bristol do you cover.??

[Niall McAllister]

thanks for answering that ian......i reckon that in a few years this will be the way forward.....as it is though i reckon wcp is as good as you can get for value......it is really easy to get to grips with....after a night of pulling your hair out lol....but mostly its common sense stuff...and perseverence

keep kissing you might get that discount

[Gleaming windows]

Diary records what I earn.

Receipts go in a jiffy bag til my accountant asks for them.

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

thanks for answering that ian......i reckon that in a few years this will be the way forward.....as it is though i reckon wcp is as good as you can get for value......it is really easy to get to grips with....after a night of pulling your hair out lol....but mostly its common sense stuff...and perseverence

keep kissing you might get that discount

discount?......i was hoping for a payment from Ian as a kinda thank you scrimmy for biggin us up

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

nope no discount as yet......maybe ian has not seen this post yet..hence the reason YOU are now reading it....coz i the scrim decided on it...ian, take note mate