software:
Posted by Commie B on October 7, 2010 at 11:31 am
Having run businesses in 3 continents now, I can safely say that UK businesses need to do some things differently. They seriously need to come out of the dark ages if they want to compete in the global market – especially if they want to do what Americans have done with global business. Devious tactics, haggling and delaying payments doesn’t particularly attract quality vendors and that’s something most businesses fail to see. If price is consistently going to be the primary denominator of choosing a vendor or service, that already poses problems, but even then there are rules of business that British businessmen and businesswomen need to follow, at least to gain our respect and get our services.
1. STOP ASKING FOR PAYMENT TERMS.
UK businesses have the deranged habit of asking for payment terms AFTER the work is complete. Look – let’s grow up. If you’re hiring someone for 15 months, it is fair to ask for 30 day payment terms on each monthly invoice. But if someone’s doing fixed price work for you, you pay after the work is done – it’s that simple. What the hell do you need 30 days for to pay AFTER the work is done? If you want that, NO good vendor will want your business, which is why there are just a HANDFUL of good vendors in the UK in every industry. So, make sure you have money before you want to buy and be prepared to pay upon delivery and, perhaps, a deposit upfront.
2. COMMIT TO WHAT YOU WANT
British entrepreneurs and businessmen have slim to none decision making abilities. They seldom know what they want, and even if they do, they’re so unsure of themselves that they don’t want to commit to a scope of work. It’s particularly true of the software industry here. If you don’t know what exactly you, then you can’t get a fixed price – it’s that simple. Stop wasting our time. If you can’t commit to a scope of work, we can’t commit to a price. If you want your product to evolve over time, you have to agree to open terms – possibly on a SCRUM or some other form of Agile project management model. Of course, locals have no sense of this – bureaucracy and the pitfalls of PRINCE2 run deep in the British business bloodline, and both of these things will ensure that British business NEVER takes the lead in technology.
3. HAVE THE COURTESY TO RESPOND TO EMAILS
The concept of not responding to your emails for days at a time is very foreign to me. It’s not like they don’t check it, they just don’t respond. And then, a week later, to save face, they have to lie by saying “oh it never arrived.” Bullshit. It’s only polite to tell someone you have received the email and are going to respond soon – for whatever reason. But ignoring emails or telephone calls is just plain rude. Have the courtesy to say no – it will save you time. If you think you need to be crafty about your response – then inform the other person of the time you will take to respond. The point is – don’t be a moron – it’s bad for your business and will drive away any vendor with some self esteem (there’s just a few of these around – so you’ll get on with like minded folks just fine).
4. SAY SOMETHING MEANINGFUL OR JUST SHUT UP
Before I moved to the UK, I had only witnessed this problem with American lawyers and some of my Muslim comrades in the Middle East and Indian Sub-Continent. However, in Britain, no one ever says or writes something that makes sense and no one ever tells you when something will get done. Let me give you an example – if you ask someone when they will be able to send through a signed document, they’ll start explaining the process of who has to sign and how many secretaries and assistants someone else has – 20 minutes later there will still be no date or time. What a waste of time. When I took up my first job in the UK, my superiors would try and force me to send ambiguous emails to HQ in the US. Why? No one wants to be accountable for the rubbish they do. It’s bad news, folks. Things will catch up – you ever wonder why Brtain is not still leading the world? Let’s try and fix that rather laundering meaningless prose.
5. STOP HAGGLING AT SUB-CONTINTENT RATES
The Americans had their sweep of outsourcing technology to the Indian Sub-Continent almost a decade ago. After a couple of years, they realized it was a major screw-up, so the bigger players settled for offshoring and the smaller and medium ones decided it was better to do it right and do it in the west. British businesses, however, are plain cheap. Their attitude toward negotiating and haggling reminds me of a poster I saw at a computer peripherals store in Dubai – it read “Quality is free.” Needless to say, I didn’t buy anything there. I can’t tell you how many times people in London have told me that I should work at Indian rates or they can go to India. By all means, you should all feel free to outsource to India or Pakistan or anywhere else – and then like most of them, when you’ve lost your money, you can come back to us and pay us more. We offshore, but we know what we’re doing and we charge for it. What part of you pay for what you get do British businessmen not get? The message here is clear: pay what we ask for – we’ll let you know if we can offer a discount – otherwise we don’t want your business. Britons who haggle a lot make for difficult clients and are professionals at all the debauchery mentioned sections 1 to 4 of this article. Best to steer clear of cheap folks – sometimes you can tell by the way they talk. Sorry, this is not meant to be a racist comment, but if you use ‘me’ and ‘my’ interchangably, you should never be allowed in international business.
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Posted by Commie B on March 8, 2010 at 12:02 am
I have previously written articles on small business accounting software: http://www.asifism.com/accounting-finance/small-business-accounting-software-quickbooks-vs-sage-vs-peachtree-vs-microsoft-office-accounting-%e2%80%93-part-two/ and http://www.asifism.com/news-about-this-site-and-me/accounting-quickbooks-sage-peachtree-or-microsoft-office-accounting-part-one/.
These articles primarily discussed desktop based accounting software: they pitched quickbooks against sage and microsoft accounting. Clearly, many small business owners and accountants alike preferred microsoft accounting and quickbooks to sage (which sane person wouldn’t, right?). However, in light of the small business accounting market not being so profitable, microsoft has deserted the small business community, handing over the management and future development for microsoft accounting to partners (mamut software) in the UK. We had been using microsoft accounting to manage everything, including payroll, so it was a bit of a pain when microsoft chose to ditch the not so cash rich software over ‘some’ of us dedicated customers (or partners, as we’re both).
Now, as an application development company ourselves, we have been integrating with some of the new breeds of accounting software. Since we are now based in the UK, you may see that this article is restricted in its coverage of the US market, but then, I am afraid that was bound to happen at some point. Two of the most successful SaaS (Software as a Service) generation accounting applications in the UK market today are Kashlow and Xero.
The History
I have personally used both, although the pleasure of integrating other software applications with an accounting system has been restricted to Kashflow, and I must say, that it was quite an easy task to do so. Their API is pretty comprehensive and if they don’t have a particular function, they’ll create one really quickly if you need it, unless you’re asking for something too complex. Nonetheless, Kashflow’s customer service is pretty good, with management getting involved actively across discussion boards in the UK to help answer any questions or queries. The owner of Kashflow is one Duane Jackson, a poster child for the Prince’s Trust. Long story short, Duane went from being a not so ideal citizen to building a £10 million company in 5 years or so, with a little help from the Prince’s Trust and one of the UK’s prized lords.
Xero, on the other hand, is a software that originated in New Zealand and has now grown internationally across the UK. We now use Xero as our defacto accounting system, and that is for one of several reasons. The fact that Xero is not UK based doesn’t cause any damage to the actual application; they have an API, integrate with similar products and other applications just like Kashflow and the software complies equally well with UK law. But it is in Xero’s roots that it is the 2nd most successful accounting SaaS in the UK. Their management and sales teams are not as active on UK small business forums, whereas Kashflow, I imagine, picks up quite a bit of business from them. Nonetheless, Xero is a British Telecom recommended product (BT is pathetic, so their opinion only carries political weight, nothing that actually matters) and is also recommended in partnership with some of the bookkeeping franchises across the UK.
The Techie Stuff
I run a software development company in London and our primary area of expertise is SaaS. It is quite clear (well, at least it is to me), that Xero has been developed by far more capable developers than Kashflow has. Kashflow is build on Microsoft asp, which I am quite against. It’s older technology, although it’s just as functional. Their use of URL cloaking, etc. is limited (which is not a technical drawback) and their interface is very CSS and HTML as opposed to AJAX driven. Now I’m personally against using Jquery and AJAX for functions that are simpler to use with simple HTML. For example, ajax tabs with a submit button on them are plain wreckless because the interface does not work according to generally understood internet behaviour. However, I think Kashflow lacks the use of AJAX even where it would be appropriare. In my personal opinion, I find it a much more soothing experience to use Xero than Kashflow. Xero generally runs faster too (it did for me) and I think it is, from an overall standpoint, a much more thought our application than, perhaps, Kashflow. However, this is probably my tech bias talking and has absolutely nothing to do with the use of the software if you’re an accountant as you’re most likely used to the scum of the earth (also known as Sage) – but I don’t practice accounting anymore (and I’m about a million times happier)!
The Interface
I’ve already covered this above (although the only thing I should’ve said in the techie stuff was AJAX, .Net and ASP). I like the general layout, colours, look and feel of Xero much better than that of Kashflow. They’re both free to try out, so knock yourself out and disagree with me all you want (and see if I care!).
The functionality
This, in my experience, is the same in both Xero and Kashflow. They both have simiar irritating flaws just like Quickbooks, Microsoft Accounting, Peachtree, MYOB and Sage do. There’s no IDEAL way to match off a receivable against a payble without doing credit notes (there really should be, it’s a damn simple journal entry). However, both applications are promising in the arena. A common contacts database which can both become customers and suppliers is a good start, so a secnario where you could simply write off a receivable from the same person against their payable with a single click is fast approaching! One of my favourties with web applications is the flexibility you have of customising your invoices, receipts, etc. within the application and sending them off to customers with PayPal integrated. Both Kashflow and Xero do this beautifully (although more customisation can never hurt), but it saves us from drafting pretty looking invoices on letterheads before sending them out. We can be greener, although British customers tend to ignore email invoices!
Pricing and Cost
Well, I honestly think Kasflow wins here: fair and square. They offer a FULL service demo for 2 months, and then they charge £179 (I think so) a year. That’s not bad, considering you don’t have to worry about upgrades, etc., and everything is always backed up.
Xero, on the other hand, gives you a FREE demo for upto 5 invoices (without a time limit). That’s enough to help you get a feel of the software, after which you have to pick from what i think is a restrictive, almost non workable £12 per month option. In most instances, you’ll have to go with the £19 a month option, which makes it about 30% or so more expensive than Kashflow, but it means you can split the payment out on a monthly basis.
I think Kashflow definitely wins on a pricing model.
Integration with 3rd party applications
Really, both companies have pretty robust APIs and they integrate with virtually all the same applications. I think Kashflow is more aggressive with finding businesses in the UK to integrate with, but if you need to integrate with a custom application, I would think they are both equally good.
So, why did we choose Xero?
OK, this is it. Really, almost all accounting software is the same and other than some of the cosmetic stuff and user interface, they all accomplish the same task. Here is why we chose Xero. I’m involved in one too many businesses, much to the point where this blog has become second priority lately and it has taken me over 3 weeks to complete this article (and it is still mighty hurried). So, as with all businessmen that have growing businesses, you delegate. That’s what I wanted to do with our accounting function, and as an accountant myself (in my past life), I struggled with handing over full control to a third party accountant or bookkeeper. I wanted somebody else to do all the gruntwork, but I still wanted to login and see that things were being done the way I wanted to so the GL reflects what it should for tax and funding purposes. I’m not suggesting that Kashflow can’t do this, but with Kashflow, if I hired a third party bookkeeper, I would have to share my password with him / her. Now I’ve already got 30 passwords (as I’m sure you do) and I like to conslidate them from time to time, so I didn’t want to remember another one for our accounting system. With Kashflow, I would have to. With Xero, I didn’t.
To cut the confusion: Xero allows for multiple users with varied permissions while Kashflow has JUST ONE username/password per company account, so if you’re the owner and hire an external bookkeeper or accountant, you all need to share the same login credentials. To me, that’s what sealed the deal with Xero. I can revoke someone’s access at the touch of a button or limit them to just seeing or using a certain part of the accounting system.
There’s a whole lot more to discuss, but really, I must get down to business. Thanks for tuning in, folks.
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Posted by Commie B on May 20, 2009 at 11:09 am
As most businesses start to make the transition from a one man show to becoming a growing enterprise, owners are faced with the difficult but crucial task of identifying information systems and processes, a major part of which today is procuring the right software and hardware. Even all large corporations are consistently faced with this task of improving the systems, redefining processes and procuring the correct hardware and software to either support the growth of the business or deliver efficiency in times of downsizing.
So what really should you consider when investing in systems? There’s a plethora of factors you will need to consider, and most of them will be driven by your organization, its structure, your employees, the culture and above all, your budget. With the technology world making leaps of progress every year and business and corporate strategy evolving with time (especially given the economic crisis of today), it can be difficult for executives and business owners to choose between what is available to them in the current marketplace. Business technology is evolving to bring more flexibility, better functionality and higher return on investment to most businesses, but getting this right means more than just going with a big name brand.
First and foremost is the illusion that businesses have about technology: it will solve their problems. It won’t. What technology will do is make available to you tools which when used properly will solve your business problems. However, the idea that spending money will result in problems going away is simply false. Getting the right technology that supports your business will certainly do this, and such technology does not necessarily need to be expensive or backed by a big-name brand.
When businesses starting thinking about procuring ERP or enterprise class solutions they often turn to the likes of Oracle, JD Edwards (now Oracle), SAP or Microsoft for answers. Whilst this is not a bad thing (given the experience these companies have with developing such software), it’s not the most efficient or effective way of going about getting a comprehensive information system. Since these companies develop solutions that are generic in nature and applicable to all businesses, they need customization that will tailor the solution to your business. What happens when business invest thousands of pounds in such software is that they expect it to start producing results from day one, an error that many major corporations today are guilty of. What you must essentially realize is that buying an off the shelf solution in this category with a powerful brand behind it will cost you an arm and a leg and will require further customization, time and money before it will start doing what it is supposed to do.
Add to this the cost of remote functionality and licensing, and you may very well be paying a lot more than your vendor originally told you it will cost. It’s all part of the game of selling technology solutions: everyone is trying to sell you their product and will undermine any other cost you may incur in getting the entire solution. You can avoid this by planning ahead. So whether you’re a business owner, an IT manager or a CIO, here are some helpful tips.
Do you really need the ‘best’ solution in the market?
Most businesses make technology and information systems decisions based on the intel they get about their competitors. Especially in times like these, many think that if a competitor is doing well it’s most likely because of their technology. That’s not always true. You should never simply invest in or buy a product or service because your competitor uses it. Neither should you make a technology investment because it is the ‘latest and greatest’ in the market.
Each business operates in a unique way with its own culture and model, and each business decision requires thinking along those lines. It is this business model that, along with what the requirements of your particular project are, should drive your technology decision.
Getting the Numbers Right
When calculating costs for a particular technology or information solution, you need to split it up between the 6 phases of the Systems Development Lifecycle. So, in essence, you need to budget the cost of:
- Planning – Must use external help for this to get a better view of the situation and your business.
- Analysis – External help over here is a must. It will help a third party clearly interpret what you need, thereby making the requirements of the entire project or solution clear.
- Design – Contrary to the popular belief that you won’t need this if you buy an off the shelf solution, you will always need this. Software does not design a system or vice versa.
- Development – For most complex pieces of software that you procure, the will need some customized development. So don’t forget to budget for this whether you’re costing.
- Implementation – You always need a contingency plan. What if implementation does not go right? What can go wrong and how will you tackle the situation. Not planning for this can be very expensive.
- Maintenance – You’ve heard that prevention is better than the cure. Well, it’s true of systems and software. Reactive maintenance is very expensive. If you’re proactive and stay on top of this, you’ll save millions in the years to come.
I’m not going to get into the details of each one of these phases, but it is absolutely imperative that businesses seek some external help or consultancy whilst involved in the first 2 phases. The reason for external involvement is necessitated by the fact that an external view to your problem can greatly aid in creating a better solution or coming up with a better proposition for business or particular situation. Planning and Analysis is imperative and this is essentially what will drive the other four phases and, in essence, the cost of the entire product or solution.
I’ll discuss a brief example of the typical defect a service-based company will make in its cost planning for procuring and implementing a new software system. For the sake of simplicity, let’s assume that this business needs a comprehensive financial management system along with project management and CRM functions to get a complete solution which can help manage projects from start to finish.
The options available to such a business are Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle, Quickbooks Enterprise or SAP. None of these solutions are cheap. Quickbooks is probably the most low-cost solution here, with annual licensing fees for 10 employees topping US $ 12,000. For each additional user you will end up paying an extra annual. Unfortunately, the same goes for Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle to SAP. Then, you’ll need to customize the interface and processes within each system to suit your business model, hire staff to manage the servers and user licensing and for maintenance. Add to the $12k additional cost for CRM and Project management modules (which may or may not work to your requirements and may or may not be available depending on which solution you choose) and you’re fast looking at an annual bill of US $50,000 a year plus initial costs and fees for deployment and any other updates and upgrades as they become available. Basically, at every point in time, you will need to spend money: whether it’s adding an extra user, adding an update for a bug fix or getting an update.
So, in this example, even though the numbers may not be fully accurate, you’re looking at a cost of around US $50,000 a year with a growing business, not US $12,000. Plus, if you are company that requires its employees to work remotely, you’ll need to pay licensing fees for Citrix or GoToMyPC, which can add up in thousands pretty quickly for multiple users.
Think Web 2.0
The world of systems and software is changing. Leading businesses and technology professionals need to think in innovative ways to bring new solutions into their business that cut cost, increase productivity and make their businesses more competitive.
With the advent of web 2.0, businesses that do smart, intelligent thinking can avoid the cost of paying for a brand name, user licensing, or extensive server management costs. From a business standpoint, it would be great to not be penalized for growing your business by having to pay extra for each license every time you hire a new employee, or drop $10,000 every time you need an additional module or add-on to your software.
If you’ve run through your planning and analysis properly, you could spend your annual licensing and maintenance fee just once (that’s right, ONLY once) and get exactly what you need, with remote access from anywhere at any time, anywhere. You won’t have to customize this. It will be built to specification. It’s also documented and you own it, so you can add as many users you want, make whatever changes you want and get internal staff to help improve or add functions at their regular salary as opposed to paying an Oracle or Microsoft certified consultant over $1,000 per day.
That’s right. When you move into the realm of complex systems and business management enterprise class software, customized web 2.0 solutions can be a cheaper and more effective option for many businesses. They’re better suited to the business model and can save businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars in the years to come. Best of all, open-source web 2.0 technology is scalable and can grow with your business. Server and hosting costs will be minimal in most cases compared to other solutions, simply because, if built right, web 2.0 software should require nothing more than what your browser needs.
That’s right, you could run your entire business from a web browser. It is the way all software is headed, so you need to consider this.
Think Open Source
I work for a firm that’s been a Microsoft Partner for years. Microsoft products are generally very dependable and they offer great support and unparalleled documentation, but they have their place. Open source software is becoming effective and powerful, and with the pool of technological talent out there and investment in open-source technologies by some of the world’s largest private equity firms, it comes as no surprise that open source software can very well support enterprise-class functions today. Whether you are a small or large business and depending on your business model, you can save thousands in licensing fees by simply using OpenOffice and Mozilla Thunderbird. Microsoft Office has its place, its user base and its functionality, but this is a cost many businesses can save with the right consulting and implementation.
Make your Own Decision
With the economy taking a plummet, sales teams across the globe have become far more aggressive than before. Businesses are fudging statistics and some are outright lying to get your business, so there’s all the more reason for you to do your homework, consult a business technology consultant and make your own carefully considered decision as opposed to believing what sales consultants tell you.
However, technology is useful if its timely and effective; so you do need to move fast.
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Posted by Commie B on March 25, 2008 at 1:31 am
The first part of this article discussed the things that needed to be a part of a small business accounting package, and what help the existing software in the market typically needs, and whether or not a small business can actually do without the help of an accountant or book-keeper. Let’s put all of that aside, and now simply talk about the accounting software available in the market as is. The packages I have used, and most of my clients use, and ones that are available almost globally will be the subject of discussion here.
Of the four packages mentioned here, QuickBooks and SAGE are scalable from small business to medium business. So before I dwell into which is superior and which is not, if you think you have a business that will grow or develop at a rapid pace, and will outgrow the circa definition of a Small Business, maybe you’ll have to stick to one of these. That’s not to say that Peachtree or Microsoft Office accounting cannot support medium size business. It can, with intelligent, creative (but legal) accounting.
QuickBooks – The Good
In my opinion, QuickBooks is probably the most comprehensive of out of the four packages (QuickBooks, Peachtree, Sage & Microsoft Office Accounting). It provides relatively efficient functionality, with a standard interface, customizable reporting, and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Feature-wise, it probably contains more than any of the other three pieces of software; it will do the basic accounting, invoicing, payroll subscriptions, credit card transactions, GL, PL & SL, prepaid (well, sort of), customer statements, financial reporting, etc. etc. etc. Quickbooks ALSO has some concept of drill down functionality, which can be relatively insightful at the click of a button.
Another area that QuickBooks has a big plus in its wide market area and availability of support. It is relatively easy to find QuickBooks consultants (certified or not). The support network is out there, and their own web site can guide you on where and how to find support. Plus, if you’re in the US, QuickBooks is the software of choice for many US Universities, making most accounting graduates QuickBooks literate, if not experts.
In addition to the friendly interface, QuickBooks is relatively self explanatory. The titles in the menus, the screens, the interface, the ease of use, all makes it a very efficient piece of software, especially if you’re a computer literate accountant. Even if you’re not, the learning curve is not too high.
QuickBooks – The Bad
From my position, I really don’t have much bad to say about QuickBooks. I’ve been using it for several years, and functionality wise, there’s really not much wrong with it (in comparison with other accounting / bookkeeping software in the market). The only possible drawback is that it’s ultra feature richness may make it confusing for the not so computer literate accountant/bookkeeper.
Technically, QuickBooks has one pitfall. From year to year, newer versions come out, and compatibility has been an issue in the past. If you upgrade, you have to convert data, and although it’s not that tedious with the new version, it would be much simpler if Intuit simply made Quickbooks backward compatible, which it probably doesn’t for reasons of profitability.
Sage – The Good
Really, I don’t have much to say here. In the near future, you will see me as both a QuickBooks Pro Advisor and a member of the Sage Accountancy Club, and that’s because it is good for business, and the UK is infested with Sage Line 50. It’s an okay piece of software. The interface is relatively standard, and it can pass off as a bookkeeping / accounting software, although all the others will give it a run for the money, and probably beat it.
Sage – The Bad
There’s a lot to say here, but I won’t bad mouth them too much. No drill down functionality, unfriendly interface, unfriendly usability, restrictive, poor layout, etc. etc. Clearly, you can tell that this is my least favourite software, so I’m going to stop talking about it now.
Peachtree – The Good
Peachtree is a fantastic piece of software. Although I trained on QuickBooks Pro in university, the first piece of accounting software I used on the job was Peachtree Accounting 2006. I was pretty reluctant about it first, but as it turns out, Peachtree is a wonderful piece of software.
It’s a less dull, less serious looking version of Quickbooks, and offers virtually all the functionality of QuickBooks. There’s less gray (unlike Quickbooks & Sage); the interface and layout are very clean, the different templates are customizable (as they are in QuickBooks), and it offers all the supplementary functionality (credit cards, good journal layouts, invoicing, POs, SOs, etc. etc.). All in all, this is a great piece of software, and is a wonderful place to start for any small business. It’s not to heavy on the pocket, and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out how it works. Oh, and Peachtree offers some drill down functionality like QuickBooks (unlike Sage).
Peachtree – The Bad
Peachtree is only US compliant. The software is not available for purchase or use outside the United States, and it doesn’t support multi-currency. What’s worse is that Sage has bought Peachtree from Best Software, and it has become Sage’s way into the US market. As long as they don’t make drastic changes to Peachtree, it is a fantastic piece of small business accounting software.
Microsoft Office Accounting – The Good
Okay, this is Microsoft’s first step into the Accounting domain. Originally termed Microsoft Small Business Accounting 2006, the software was renamed to Microsoft Office Accounting, and rightly so. It’s a sharp mixture of QuickBooks and Peachtree functionality the Microsoft Way. What’s good here is that this is one of the very few small business Accounting Packages on the market that will support multi currency without any issues, and it can probably pass off as a software that doesn’t necessarily require you to be very accounting literate. Why, you ask? It shares a striking resemblance to Microsoft Office, hence the name Microsoft Accounting. The idea here is that if anyone can use Microsoft Office Products, they should be able to use Microsoft Accounting.
Frankly, I have been impressed with Microsoft’s first try at Accounting Software. It may need some bug weeding, but all in all, this is a good starting point for Microsoft, and after months and years of using QuickBooks, Peachtree & Sage, it didn’t make much for me to get comfortable with Microsoft Office Accounting; just a couple of hours. This is a very affordable software for most small businesses, and provides the BASIC functionality of Quickbooks & Peachtree, without passing off as a complex, confusing or difficult to use accounting/bookkeeping package.
Microsoft office Accounting – The Bad
At this point, since this is something that is actively being developed my Microsoft, credit card processing, payroll etc., though existent, are slightly limited. Although most small businesses don’t use these features from within the software, they are useful considerations, as a small business truly sees the use and efficiency of the software if functions like payroll are managed from within the software. This software is certainly scalable, but at this point it’s a very good basic package for small business, and scalability is yet to be seen.
I’m sorry I’ve had to cut this article short. I had intended to write very detailed reviews, but I just haven’t been able to find the time to do it.
If you’re in the UK and looking for help with any of the above products, feel free to contact me or VAFTA Solutions Limited. Ultimately, what’s best for you depends on your business habits, practice, requirements, and your accountant/bookkeeper.
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Posted by Commie B on March 3, 2008 at 1:38 am
Okay, I’ve been asked this question in several comments and via email quite a few times, so I’m going create a post.
QuickPlay is a piece of software, like Windows Media Player, that runs your videos and audio. To use QuickPlay or QuickPlay for Windows, you have to logged into your Windows installation, and it runs like any other normal piece of software. Say you’re browsing the internet, and you’re done, and want to watch a movie, you either choose QuickPlay from the start menu or you use the Quick Launch Button (QLB) for hp QuickPlay on your laptop. It will launch QuickPlay for Windows.
QuickPlay Direct, QuickPlay Direct 2.3, specifically the edition available on this website for download, makes a separate installation on a different partition on your hard drive. You DO NOT have to be logged in to your windows installation or user account to use QuickPlay Direct. Here’s how it would work. Your laptop is turned off, but you want to watch a movie or listen to music, but without using any other feature in your normal windows installation. You hit the QLB DVD button on your laptop, and whala, QuickPlay Direct boots and you can pop in your DVD and start watching.
Here’s where it’s confusing. QuickPlay for Windows installs like any normal piece of software. QuickPlay Direct requires installation on a separate partition, and QuickPlay Direct 2.3 automatically installs Windows XP separately on that partition JUST FOR THE USE OF QUICKPLAY DIRECT. So, if you launched QuickPlay Direct 2.3, you’ll see a Windows XP logo flash on your screen before you go on to HP QuickPlay Direct. Before QuickPlay 2.3 and 2.0, the QuickPlay Direct versions made a linux installation on your Hard Drive Partition instead of Windows XP.
QuickPlay Direct 2.3 can be installed whether you use Windows Vista or Windows XP on your PC, because it will automatically do its installation of XP. QuickPlay 2.3 for Windows is Windows 2.3 Compatible. All QuickPlay for Windows Versions 3.0 and above are only Windows Vista compliant.
Still have questions? Comment and post them.
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Posted by Commie B on February 17, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Okay, so I think uploading md5 checksums would pose a bit of a challenge because I don’t have a copy of the uploaded QuickPlay files on my HDD. I only have the full version, and if I slice it and generate md5 checksums, well, it won’t quite serve the purpose. But here’s what I am doing: I’m also putting up a copy of the same version of WinRar (v3.6.2) that I have used to compress and slice the HPQPDP file. So, without further adue, here is the download information for HP QuickPlay:
QuickPlay Direct 2.3 Sliced into 20 Parts:Â a7f5491b354f5e2097a05fc6fdecc546
QuickPlay for Windows 2.3, 3.0, and 3.6:Â c3bf435116982236bbf79c25eb0b73c6
QuickPlay TV:Â 94896b37b1222277220ed02ecb32e520
WinRar 3.6.2:Â f1aa0c242be2f31c28dc0a3c6b6998d5
The magic free download URL: http://downloads.asifism.com
Hopefully this will solve the problem for several of you.
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