From: Federico Sevilla III (jijo@free.net.ph)
To: plug@lists.q-linux.com
Subject: Re: [plug] Accounting Software
Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 22:07:53 +0800

On Thu, Nov 28, 2002 at 08:38:46PM +0800, Joon Guillen wrote:
> We're looking around for an open-source (business) accounting
> software, and I was wondering if there are any popular choices among
> the ones who've already used one.
>
> So far, we're keeping our eye on SQL-Ledger
> (http://www.sql-ledger.org) since it boasts a large number of users
> (one of them is the Cebu GNU/Linux User's Group, Inc.) and uses a
> database we prefer, PostgreSQL. Any comments regarding this product?

My proposal last year for SQL-Ledger got turned down in favor of Quickbooks, but I did set this up locally for evaluation. It is very simple to get up and running, which is cool considering it's a fairly complex piece of work. I recommend you give it a shot and get your accounting people to give it a spin. That's the only way you'll know whether it'll suit your needs or not. I am not an accountant, but from what I remember it supposedly has pretty comprehensive GL and inventory functionality.

You may also want to try NOLA[1] out. I haven't evaluated this (no use now that we have our system set up), but it's worth a shot.

[1] http://nola.noguska.com

--> Jijo

--
Federico Sevilla III : http://jijo.free.net.ph : When we speak of free
Network Administrator : The Leather Collection, Inc. : software we refer to
GnuPG Key ID : 0x93B746BE : freedom, not price.

[More recently, SQL-Ledger went temporarily proprietary, giving rise to a number of forks of the last open source version. One is LedgerSMB. Some while later still, SQL-Ledger went back to GPLv2 open-source licensing. For a very revealing recounting of that history, please see: http://www.purple.dropbear.id.au/sql-ledger-license-changed-no-longer-gpl-when-gpl-software-goes-bad]

Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 11:42:04 +1100
From: Adam Crow (acrow@dcnut.com)
Subject: Re: MYOB and the future
To: luv@luv.asn.au

A young mother of three in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne thought that MYOB was too complex and expensive, so she has developed a Web-based accounting package that runs on a Linux server using PHP. A good example of how Linux can assist peoples book keeping.

http://www.kisa.com.au
(2007 note: Seems to have vanished.)

Greg Folkert's comment:

AppGen
Appgen Business Software, Inc.
http://www.appgen.com/

Appgen Custom Suite...
Starting @~$995US somewhere ~$4000US for all functionality and 25 users.
http://www.appgen.com/products/appgen_custom_suite.html

Appgen MyBooks Professional
Starting @$249US for 2 concurrent users. $799 for 10 users...
scalable to Custom Suite with 100's of users...
http://www.appgen.com/products/mybooksprofessional.html

Appgen MyBooks
Starting @$99US Single user small business wth limited needs.
http://www.appgen.com/products/mybooks.html

Comparison of MyBooks Pro to Quickbooks and QB Value pack
http://www.appgen.com/products/mybooks_quickbooks.html

Greg follows up:

Yes... it does work.

Order the $7 CD and look at it. ($$$ Mainly for shipping 2nd Day FedEx.) Well worth the $7.

Three customers have looked at it now, three are switching to it. Every companies accountants like it a lot. Easy to use, easy to check (audit), easy to backup... There are options. It connect vis ODBC if you want therefore it should connect or work on any DB supporting its requirements... (obviously MS-SQL isn't the DB of Choice).

I have looked at it on Windows95, Windows98, Windows2K, WindowsXP, Linux (three distros so far)...

It just worked so far...

From: Kevin Philp (kphilp@cybercolloids.net)
To: ILUG ilug@linux.ie
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 09:57:10 +0000
Subject: [ILUG] Accounting packages

There was some debate earlier this week about accounting packages and the lack of decent ones for Linux. Have a look at www.accpac.com they have just released the new version of their "advantage" and "pro" accounting packages and they both run on Linux. From the blurb it looks like a serious accounting package that runs natively on Linux. Maybe it's only usable in the USA..but its a start. They also include some pretty pictures of it running on a gnome desktop.....if an accounts package can be called pretty!

Kevin.

From: Adam Brown (adam@freestream.com.au)
Subject: Re: Linux Accounting
To: luv@luv.asn.au
Organization: Freestream
X-Mailer: KMail [version 1.3.2]

Missed most of this thread but if you are looking for industrial grade accounting software for LInux have you checked out sql-ledger http://www.sql-ledger.com/ or NOLA http://nola.noguska.com

Ad

From: Rich Bodo (rsb@ostel.com)
To: linux-consultants@softorchestra.com
Subject: Re: [linux-consultants] billing/invoice software
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 14:02:41 -0800 (PST)

I have sql-ledger installed and I like it a lot in principle. I definitely want my data in a database I can deal with and I definitely want my accounting system open source and I definitely want a Web interface.

Having been involved a couple large open source projects, I understand why docs and support suck for this project, but they still suck. I see comments on the list from the development team that decry basic ease of use features. There is a fork called ck-ledger[1] that seems an improved Web interface, and seems to have a slightly more open minded community, albiet a little less active.

These projects just feel very beta to me. So I'm still looking and I'm still using Quickbooks.

-Rich

Rich Bodo | rsb@ostel.com | 650-964-4678

[1] http://ck-ledger.sourceforge.net/

Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2003 22:29:25 +1000
From: Andrew Greig (AndrewLGreig@netscape.net)
Subject: Linux Accounting
To: luv@luv.asn.au

Hi all,

Just had this link passed to me by someone who knew of my frustration at being locked into MYOB. I have also looked at quasar, the Canadian accounting package (www.quasar.org), but a quick look over this one indicates it is worthy of a look. 444,000 downloads from Sourceforge in a year! Includes time tracking, which seems to be a current thread as well.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/compiere/

Cheers
Andrew Greig
Thanks to Chandra Amarasingham for this one.

Date: Tue, 01 Apr 2003 14:56:45 +1000
From: Brian May (bam@snoopy.apana.org.au)
Subject: Quasar (Linux Accounting)
To: Andrew Greig (AndrewLGreig@netscape.net)
Cc: luv@luv.asn.au

On Mon, Mar 31, 2003 at 10:29:25PM +1000, Andrew Greig wrote:
> Just had this link passed to me by someone who knew of my frustration
> at being locked into MYOB. I have also looked at the Canadian
> accounting package Quasar (www.quasar.org), but a quick look over this
> one indicates it is worthy of a look. 444,000 downloads from
> Sourceforge in a year! Includes time tracking, which seems to be a
> current thread as well.

Its a pity Compiere seems to require Oracle and can't use mysql or postgresql...

I can't help but think that 6 gigs to install a database that is required for an accounting package is extremely excessive (source http://www.compiere.org/support/install/installOracle.html)
--
Brian May (bam@snoopy.apana.org.au)

[Database independence is being worked on for Compiere, a/o 2003-04. It should be noted that this package is primarily focussed on asset tracking, ERP, and CRM, although it includes full accounting functionality.]

Compiere: Optimize your Inventory, Enter Sales Orders, Receive Orders from the Web, Create Invoices and record Shipments, Collect Receipts (cash, credit cards) & match with Bank Statements, Generate or enter Purchase Orders, Record Supplier Receipts and Invoices, Pay your Suppliers, Enter manual Journals, Print reports and statements.

Kapital from The Kompany (http://www.thekompany.com) is a proprietary personal-finance program for Linux with full QuickBooks compatibility.

Check register, Calendar, Check and report printing, Basic and advanced searching, Predefined categories, New account wizard, Import/Export features for Quicken QIF file format, Budget Tracker, Check Designer, Online Banking.

Quasar, http://www.linuxcanada.com/ fast/easy data entry, quick error correction, financial statements, vendor billing, vendor claims, customer quotes, customer invoices, accounts receivable, accounts payable, cheque writing printing, mailing labels, bank reconciliation, multiple taxes, selling discounts, purchasing charges, Backup and Restore, fast and easy reporting, multiple companies, departments and sub-departments, purchasing and receiving, advanced price management, superior cost management, true landed cost, full margin control, container deposits, create kits, physical counts, multiple case sizes, multiple lookup numbers, multiple vendors per item, sales history, item adjustments, active and stocked status, powerful reporting.

MyBooks, http://www.appgen.com/, Powerful features address the needs of both service and inventory-based businesses and provide everything you need to track and control your sales, customers, vendors, purchases, bank accounts, employees, and inventory items.

Gnucash, http://www.gnucash.org/, easy to use, account grouping, split transactions, reconciliation window, stock tracking, Quicken compatible, internationalization, reporting/graphing, powerful search, double entry, general ledger, stock quotes, check printing, postgres SQL integration.

Moneydance, http://www.moneydance.com/, Online banking, Dynamically loadable extensions (aka plug-ins), Budget management and tracking, Stock portfolio and investment management, Transaction auto-completion, Transaction search, Check Printing (regular checks, or checks with stubs), Multiple currencies (you can even define your own!), Support for multiple accounts and true double-entry, An easy to use checkbook register-style interface with many shortcuts, Custom 3D and 2D graphing with ability to print or export to GIF files, Report generator with export to HTML and printing capabilities, QIF (Quicken Interchange Format) file import and export, Cleared vs. actual account balances updated as you work, Multiple languages (Italian, German, French, Brazilian/Portuguese, UK and US English) and number/date formats, Scheduled transactions and reminders, Reconciliation tool to simplify checkbook balancing, Automatic notification when upgrades are available, Extensive transaction sorting options, Support for multiple dates per transaction, Support for split transactions, Currency fields support math expressions, and automatic currency translation.

Date: Fri, 05 Sep 2003 13:44:23 +1000
From: Richard Keech (rkeech@keech.cx)
Subject: Re: Accounting
To: Linux Users of Victoria (luv@luv.asn.au)

a number of large Australian firms use Pronto on Linux for their financials. see http://www.pronto.com.au/

Pronto is, I believe, based in Melbourne.

Date: Fri, 05 Sep 2003 09:48:50 +1000
From: Robert Browne (robb@alphalink.com.au)
Subject: Accounting
To: LUV mail list (luv@luv.asn.au)

Hi all,

Had a look for commercial accounting, found these:

Muli Management Pty Ltd
www.muli.com.au/

FoxOnLinux financials
www.foxonlinux.com/fox/

Century Software financials - could not view Web site in lynx
www.centurysoftware.com.au/century
Think they do foxonlinux

The free ones, but do not handle GST:

Gnucash
www.gnucash.org

Linux Canada quasar accounting
www.linuxcanada.com

Or run Windows software in VMware