We understand that accounting can seem like a very daunting – and often dull – prospect for any growing business.
Invoices. Tax. Expenses. It can seem a little overwhelming for even the most numerically astute business owners. That’s why keeping it all in one user-friendly platform is key to managing company finances efficiently. However, when it comes to user-friendliness, which platform will work best for your creative business venture?
Typically the two most popular platforms in this instance would be Xero and Quickbooks. Fresh accountancy innovation vs the reliable old guard. Both vying for the title of best accountancy software.
Accountancy shouldn’t be a drag or a hassle, and these tools let us work with you in a manner that allows you to crack on with excelling at your craft. At Raedan, we are devout Xero fans through and through. It’s something we integrate into our way of working, and one of the core components of our success trifecta.
We are often asked by our pool of creative clients – is Xero easier than Quickbooks as an accounting platform?
In short, yes. Absolutely. 100%. And here is why:
Xero is a beautiful platform
Founded in New Zealand in 2006, Xero uses the tagline: ‘beautiful business’. And it does exactly what it says on the tin – it’s a powerful accounting app that makes business, well, rather beautiful.
Combining a stunning interface with information that is specifically relevant to your business, it helps both us and you organise and prioritise finances in a manner that suits you. The platform set out to gamify the accountancy side of companies. And boy did they succeed.
By condensing all the accountancy facts, figures and jargon into one single point of reference, Xero helps make the indigestible… digestible! Even if you don’t know the first thing about accounting. Your finances are right there in front of you, laid out in a logical and visually appealing manner.
The crisp colour scheme combined with simple, easy-to-follow controls makes money management an enjoyable experience (we think so anyway).
When we compare this to Quickbooks, it’s easy to see what makes these beautiful visuals stand out. Xero is a cloud platform built for the cloud. Quickbooks was built for the desktop and has since adjusted to sit in the cloud. While it does succeed at doing this on many fronts, it doesn’t provide the same seamless experience as its more contemporary counterpart.
And to think, basing Xero in the cloud was considered a silly idea by the likes of Sage and Quickbooks. Nowadays it’s considered a trend setter in the market. Funny how often innovation is originally considered madness…
Using Xero is a doddle
One of the biggest draws of using Xero is the platform’s easy-to-use interface.
Take the expenses feature for example. Simply take a snap of your receipt, plonk it into the expenses app and hey presto – your Xero accountant or bookkeeper takes care of the rest. It is this sort of detail that really helps the user stay on top of the money coming in and out of their account.
But don’t just take our word for it – the GetApp website gives Xero usability and functionality a 4.2 out of five, as opposed to 4.1 for Quickbooks.
Xero is also mobile-friendly, so you can see your balance and what needs to be reconciled on the go via your smartphone or your tablet. Just think – you’ve just paid for dinner with a client, you snap the receipt and already your expenses are sorted. Gone are the days of rooting through your wallet or purse in search of old VAT receipts.
Furthermore, your landing page is fully customisable, so you can set it up with the elements and functions that you use – and need to use – most.
Another element Xero has going for it over Quickbooks is its integration with other services that help even more to make the whole accounting process easy. Xero provides around 1,000 options within its app thanks to third-party integration. That means everything you need to make sure you’re on top of things is in Xero, from payroll capabilities to analytics.
Want to see how it works? Here’s a short from the Xero website, giving you an introduction to the app’s dashboard.
Not just more info – smart info
When we work with a new creative, we really like to push them to do regular work on their accounts. And because we like to do daily bookkeeping for all our clients, this means that they never get caught up – or out – when it comes to making decisions about different projects or business decisions.
Daily bookkeeping means our clients can get a real-time view of what’s going on in their business. And allied to our hands-on approach, Xero boasts easy-to-track audit trails and safety measures within the program and allows you to enter information – whether it be new invoices or expenses – at the touch of a button.
The absolute key for us as an accountancy company that work with creatives like you, is the more information the better. It allows us – and you – to keep on top of things and make sure that your business is running smoothly… and growing.
So is Xero easier than Quickbooks? We reckon so.
Want to know more? We’ve got a whole page full of tutorials and introductions to Xero. Otherwise you can get in touch with our friendly team today if you have any questions about how to get started.
