Hi centure7,
Well, you might have to experiment a bit before settling on a set of
business templates or programs which suit you, it all depends on your
level of expertise and personal preferences. My guess is you've
already decided not to use feature-rich programs such as QuickBooks
but if not, you should consider them because they are designed to help
prevent making mistakes, something spreadsheets can't do.
What You Want vs. What You Need
"If you know bookkeeping, you can get along with the very simple
spreadsheet package such as Microsoft?s Excel or Lotus 1-2-3. These
programs replicate the paper ledger sheets while still offering
sophisticated capabilities for manipulating figures and values to get
a picture of what the company is experiencing.
When it comes to basic accounting software, two names are probably
familiar to everyone, Intuit?s QuickBooks and Microsoft?s Great Plains
Accounting. While offering all the basic modules and facilities, these
are not really the entry level; they are much more complex than that
and are the best starting point for nonaccountants."
http://www.thumbprintcpm.com/want_vs_need.html
>>> Microsoft Templates
That said, Microsoft offers free templates for Excel -
MICROSOFT BUSINESS TEMPLATE (free): Accounting and Reporting
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT062100761033.aspx
Tax-related templates
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010450961033.aspx
> For your specific requests:
Accounts receivable aging workbook
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC010460971033.aspx?CategoryID=CT062100761033
General Ledger
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC011684341033.aspx?CategoryID=CT062100761033
Income Statement
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC010744611033.aspx?CategoryID=CT062100761033
Expense Report [see main list for more themes]
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC010175081033.aspx?CategoryID=CT062100761033
Reality
Waterfall forecasting model
Financial professionals can use the Waterfall Forecasting Model
template to analyze key line items from the profit and loss statement
and balance sheet on a monthly basis. The user can enter forecast and
actual data in this template and determine monthly progress toward an
organization's financial goals.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC011589571033.aspx?CategoryID=CT062100761033
Year End Tax Plan
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC010421071033.aspx
>>> Other Solutions
As I already mentioned, although Microsoft's templates may be adequate
for getting the job done, it would be wise to consider choosing an
accounting program.
Bean Counter: We Count While You Manage:
"Believe it or not, there is some good free business software
available - it's just hard to find ! These sites provide you with
mostly free business software to aid you in the day to day operation
of your business."
http://www.dwmbeancounter.com/software.html
Quoted from Bean Counter's list:
ONESTEP ACCOUNTING
"This is one of my favorites. Simple to use. Only drawback is it
doesn't have a payroll module, but it's still a nice alternative to
some of the commercial programs with too many bells and whistles.
OneStep Accounting Standard Edition 4.0 is an integrated accounting
system. Modules include general ledger, sales processing (sales
invoice, credit memo, and cash sales), purchase processing (purchase
invoice, debit memo, and cash purchase), cash management, inventory
management, and report designer. It features customizable document
formats. Excellent OneStep User Guide (PDF) included to aid you in
making your bookkeeping hassle free."
One Step Accounting 4.0
Standard: free
Professional: $90 + $45 for additional user
http://www.enablecomputing.com/ShowPage.ec?page=OneStepFeatures&menu=OneStepFeatures&nofollow=y
LAZY8 LEDGER
"Free, open-source accounting system for Java. Runs on any computer
(Windows, Linux, MAC, etc.) which has Java installed. Accounting
program designed for people who have experience in bookkeeping. In
other words, this program is for those who can do their accounting by
hand but would rather have a program that will automate the process
and even perform some of the more complex calculations that would
normally be reserved for the accountant to do."
http://www.lazy8.nu/
BIG E-Z MONTHLY BOOKKEEPING
"For those wanting to update from their manual bookkeeping system.
here's a slick little program that tracks the ins and outs of your
money without all the bells and whistles. Big E-Z has lots of cool
programming that makes good use of your Excel program. It doesn't
matter what your skill level is -- anyone can use it. And it's so
affordable -- it's almost free!"
Big E-Z Bookkeeping
$29.95 / Free to Try
http://www.bigez.com/?AffIDC=AFL9484393868
JAXWORKS
"Provides all kinds of financial templates and even provides some
excellent tutorials on Excel. A site well worth your time to visit."
http://www.jaxworks.com/download.htm
OZGRID-EXCEL INFORMATION
"An excellent Excel site with free and pay for services is Ozgrid.
OzGrid's main business focus is Microsoft Excel ® and all aspects of
it. Their site has over 4000 pages (and growing) of information on
Excel."
Excel Templates - Excel Add-ins - Excel Training - Software
http://www.ozgrid.com/
Additional Links of Interest
Find Accounting Software Free Buyer's Guide
"Choosing accounting software can be confusing. Eliminate the
confusion with your own customized Buyers Guide! It includes
information on everything from Accounts Receivable to Work Orders. The
Buyers Guide saves you time and helps you make a better software
decision. Read it online or print it out. To get your Free, customized
Buyers Guide, simply complete the Software Search form. It only takes
a few minutes."
http://www.findaccountingsoftware.com/
COMPARE FINANCE & ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE
http://www.reviewcentre.com/products2030.html
SCORE Templates for Your Business
http://www.score.org/template_gallery.html
Excel Business Tools
http://www.excelbusinesstools.com/
Excel Spreadsheet Templates
http://www.agilecor.com/
Microsoft Money features
http://www.microsoft.com/money/info/comparison.asp
Excel-Related Product Links
http://www.j-walk.com/ss/excel/links/xllinks4.htm
I hope this helps to get you off to a good start. If you have any
questions, please post a clarification request *before* closing/rating
my answer and I'll be happy to reply.
Thank you,
hummer
Google Search Terms Used:
business templates excel tax
business accounting templates
business excel templates
financial reports excel |
