Choosing the right software for yourself and your business can be overwhelming. You’ve got a lot to deal with and a lot of options, and there’s no one-answer-fits-all. So we’ve reached out to some of the pros for their key advice that can help you through the decision making process. Without further delay, here’s another Q&A with Hubdoc:
 

What do you look for when choosing your bookkeeping software?

“The number one factor in my decision process is choosing a system that is cloud-based. That’s just where the future is. The software has to be easy to integrate with third party apps, ones like Hubdoc that are becoming a bookkeeper’s best friend. We can recommend QBO or Xero to our clients, also taking into account their familiarity with the software when we do so.” – Jelena Arkula, Books LA
 

"Virtual, cloud-based accounting is the future of the industry. Innovative software, like Xero, gives us the ability to collaborate in real time with an open API allowing for a diverse app marketplace. That has all the plugins we could need to leverage technology for our clients."
– Lauren Delk, Upsourced Accounting
 

“Our lives are complicated: I want a software that simplifies life with a beautiful user interface. You don’t have to read an iPhone instruction manual before turning it on. I want my clients and employees to log in to a software for the first time and say, ‘I get it.’ It takes planning, researching, and listening to provide that type of experience. If a company does that, then I can trust what’s ‘under the hood’.” – Joe Carufe, Two Roads

“I look for something that is scaleable to enable their growth, as well as compatible with industry specific apps that will enable their maximum success.​” – Kaydee Peterson, Peterson Business Services

 

What’s your favorite feature in bookkeeping software?

“The accessibility. I want to be able to securely access the goldmine of information in our bookkeeping software quickly. A decade ago, we had to drive to the office to print out reports for a meeting with a client. And now, were able to access that information from our mobile device while drinking a latte with them! Knowledge is power, so you want quick and easy access to it.” – Joe Carufe, Two Roads
 

“How the bank feeds download automatically and learn your habits. This is a great time-saver when recording transactions.”
– Sherrell T. Martin, Nitram Financial Solutions

 

“Anything that can automate manual processes. Whether it be bank feeds, auto-recurring invoices, or auto-fetching of bills, anything that can automate the process in an accurate fashion is spectacular.”
– Ryan Lazanis, Xen Accounting
 

“I have two favorite features. One is when my accounting software provides flawless integration with other apps. When they work brilliantly together it brings tears to my geeky bookkeeper eyes. The other equally important feature of any program or app is their customer service. If my client or I will be using the program non-stop, I want to know I will get great customer service when things go wrong or I have questions.”
– Jaime Rein, Rein Business Services
 

What features would you like to see in the future?

“I’m hoping to see better internal document management and client collaboration tools.” – Kaydee Peterson, Peterson Business Services


 

“We would love to see a direct integration of ACH invoice collection and bill payment and processing in the future.”
– Lauren Delk, Upsourced Accounting
 

“I would love to see more benchmark metrics and cash flow management. If we as accountants have the ability to automate benchmarks from within the accounting software, we can provide our trusted advisor services a little more efficiently.”
– Sherrell T. Martin, Nitram Financial Solutions
 

“I’d like to see more advances around mobile apps. We want to be able to say ‘you can run your entire accounting operation with Two Roads and a smartphone.’ There is so much freedom for a business owner to not be tied down to an office or laptop to scan receipts, pay bills, or view detailed financials. They’re very busy people, and this will help with capturing more accurate expense organization and speeding up bill payment, making vendors happy and giving crucial insights." – Joe Carufe, Two Roads
 

What advice would you give to a bookkeeper or small business owner choosing bookkeeping software?

“Instead of looking at the software, look at the end result. What’s your normal business operation, and what do you need to streamline? Is the check printing feature important, or do you need payroll? Once you have a clear vision of your needs, work with a bookkeeper. Work backwards and determine what’s best for you. This will make the decision 100 times easier.” – Jelena Arkula, Books LA

“The trend is leveraging the cloud accounting ecosystem. That means becoming an expert in apps and technology is really important. So you definitely want to start brushing up on this side of things.”
– Ryan Lazanis, Xen Accounting

“Make sure the software integrates with the other apps that you use. You don’t want to select a software for efficiency only to find that the systems do not integrate. If that’s the case, you’d just end up in the same stagnate position as before.” – Sherrell T. Martin, Nitram Financial Services

“The best advice would be to pick a software that your business can grow into, not grow out of. Start with a program that is scalable, has the ability to integrate with apps, and that can easily retrieve, report and analyze the information so you can make informed decisions to grow your business.”
– Jaime Rein, Rein Business Services

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What's important to you when choosing your bookkeeping software?
Let us know in the comments or tweet @Hubdoc!

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