|
"We're developing an application that provides a full end-to-end solution for lead tracking, opportunity and delivery management, time and expenses, billing, reporting and collaboration," explains Annika Robinson, finance director at Kimble Applications, a start-up company based in London.
The innovative application is flexible, designed to be used from smartphones and slate devices like the iPad.
Aimed squarely at professional service businesses, Kimble's product intends to make its users more efficient. "It's to help people manage their business more easily," confirms Annika.
Online accounting for a cloud computing company
Kimble's product runs 'in the cloud'. Instead of installing the software on their own computer, Kimble customers log in to access it through their web browser. Because the company's whole philosophy is about doing things this way, it wanted to find a cloud-based accounting system too.
"We wanted to use a cloud accounting system, if we could," confirms Annika. "I looked at a few, but some were really expensive. We didn't need or want to pay that much money to start with."
However, after some further searching, Annika found QuickBooks Online, which at the time had only just been released. "We had trouble finding software to run on a Mac," she continues. "QuickBooks Online solved that problem for me. I registered for it, and just started using it online."
According to Annika, for a start-up company like Kimble, making a small payment each month is a better option than having to fork out hundreds of pounds up front for a new piece of software: "The payment structure is really good, just to pay monthly as you go along. It helps with cash flow, especially in a start-up company."
Cash flow tracking for a start-up business
Kimble relies on QuickBooks to create invoices, track VAT and more. "The interface is nice to look at," enthuses Annika, "It works well, and you can move things around depending on what you want to see."
"We use it for invoice tracking, for VAT," she continues. "And because we're going to be selling in the States, the multi-currency facility will be very useful for us." With the ability to convert between currencies using exchange rates downloaded from Wall Street on Demand, Kimble will always know whether it has gained or lost as a result of rate fluctuations.
According to Annika, invoicing is a breeze with QuickBooks Online: "Once you've set up the initial customer or whatever, it's easy to put in another invoice, or to repeat invoices."
"I can use it anywhere," she concludes. "At home, in the office, or even when I'm away." For a small, agile start-up company, that kind of flexibility is key.
|
