Article written by Pam Pitt for MYOB.

“Hey, boss, the ATO is on the line for you…they want to come out and do a TAX AUDIT!!!” Do you have nightmares about a phone call like this? Make sure you keep your accounting in check with these five tools:

1. Organising receipts

How good are you at collecting, recording and keeping all receipts for tax deductions? If you do get audited, then having proof of every expense claimed is essential.

If you are time poor then Shoeboxed is a brilliant tool to help you organise your receipts, dockets or invoices. All you need to do is send them through, and Shoeboxed will scan, do the data entry and send back a file containing all the information ready to be imported straight into your MYOB file.

2. Keeping records the right way

Are you keeping your records in accordance with ATO requirements? Not sure? Well, here is a Record Keeping Evaluation Tool from the ATO to help you understand your responsibilities.

3. Tax calculators

If your accounting package doesn’t help you figure out how much tax to withhold for your staff then see the ATO’s PAYG Withholding Tool. If you are terminating a staff member then this calculator will help you calculate their benefits and final payments.

4. Benchmarking your business

The ATO has published industry data on ATO Benchmarks to help you compare your business with others. They also help you calculate your own benchmark figures. These figures are great for comparing your business performance against your historical data and against your competitors, to enable your business growth, not just for tax purposes.

5. Accounting software

You may need to upgrade your Accounting Software to benefit from the latest tax tables and auditing tools. For example, MYOB AccountRight Live accounting software range has a number of tax tools to help, such as:

• Payment Summary wizard,
• Employment Termination print outs,
• Payroll tax calculation tool,
• Company Data Auditor, and
• BASLink (the ability to reconcile any account)

If you need to upgrade your accounting software then contact us now.

There are many popular Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools today ranging from Cloud solutions such as Salesforce.comand SugarCRM to software such as Microsoft Dynamics and ACT!. So how do you select the CRM that’s right for your business? Here are seven things to consider.

1. You need to clearly understand your objectives
   To implement the right CRM you firstly need to understand what you want it for. Do you want to better manage your sales pipeline and processes? Are you looking for a better way  to track marketing campaigns? Perhaps you want to be able to automate your time-sheeting and client billing? Be very clear of your goals before you start looking for a solution.
2. Understand the “scope” of your CRM
   Ideally, your CRM can support your entire client relationship from prospecting to invoicing, but this is not always the case. Your accounting software is likely to be more powerful than your CRM for invoicing and payroll. Likewise your Practise Management software is customised for your industry and might do a much better job managing your calendar and timesheets. Before you roll-out a new CRM make sure you understand the scope (e.g. recording and tracking client interactions) and then look for a CRM solution that can integrate seamlessly with your other client management tools.
3. To Cloud or not to Cloud?
   Installing CRM software on your server and PCs is still the most common approach for CRM deployments and this usually involves an upfront license payment followed by annual maintenance renewal fees. Big business might claim that the data is better stored in their secure datacentres than in the Cloud.Many will argue that data security is just as good, if not better, in the Cloud. Cloud-based software gives you access anytime, anywhere (provided you’re connected to the Internet) and it works no matter what device you access it from (PCs, Macs, tablets etc.). You never own the software but instead you lease it by the month. Cloud-based software stays up-to-date without any hassle because features & bug fixes are managed by the Cloud provider while you are sleeping.
4. Consider your staff
   Don’t invest in a small business CRM if you might grow out of it this decade. Seven years may seem a lifetime away but CRMs are very “sticky” and upgrading can take a lot of effort from your staff. Look for a CRM that can grow with your business.If your staff work remotely then a web-based (Cloud) CRM makes a lot more sense than on-premise software because it will synchronise when they are on the road.
5. How will you migrate from your current system?
   Migrating data to your new CRM can take a lot of work especially if your current system has been around for a long time. Migrating to your new CRM might take days, weeks or even months. You will need technology and a proper transition plan to import your client information from legacy CRMs such as Act!, Excel, Outlook or Google contacts. Look for a CRM that can help you automate data migration.
6. Consider the cost of customising your CRM
   The cost of customising your CRM to suit your business can dwarf the upfront costs of licensing the technology. CRMs that appear more expensive to buy or rent can end up costing you much less if they are easily customisable. Established Cloud CRMs such asSalesforce.com tend to have an advantage here because there is a large community of developers who have already built thousands of customised modules for you to choose from.
7. Choose an established brand
   The key to buying a CRM is to consider brand reputation before price. Some disruptive start-up CRMs like “Zoho” are cheap and feature-rich but these technologies are not yet mature and you’ll read pages of blog comments about their obscure bugs and spelling mistakes. We suggest you choose a well-established CRM brand with years of development behind them and one that can offer you the quality of technical support that you may need.

Want to know more?
If you’re considering a new CRM for your business then please get in contact with us.

Here are five mobile apps for your smartphone or tablet that will help make any work trip more productive:

1. TripIt

Travel usually involves bookings for flights, accommodation and rental cars. Add to that scheduled meetings, dinners, directions to the hotel and you end up with a lot of information, often in separate emails. TripIt puts all that together into one itinerary. You simply email TripIt your confirmation emails and it automatically compiles it for you. The basic version is free, while the paid one includes mobile alerts, complimentary memberships and the ability to share your itinerary with others. Travel managers can also use TripIt Teams to build itineraries on behalf of their staff.

2. XE currency

How do you know if two million Vietnamese dong is too much to pay for a soft drink? This app converts about 180 global currencies using the real-time rates. And when you are stuck on a 14-hour flight from Sydney to Los Angeles and want to know how that acquisition looks in Australian dollars, the app uses the last downloaded figures to make the conversion offline. And yes, two million dong is quite a pricey drink at a tick over $100 Australian dollars.

3. Dropbox

This online storage app allows you to share presentations, reports and minutes of business meetings quickly and easily when you are on the go. Simply upload the file and those back in the office or at home are able to download it via PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. The app also allows users to put files in their favourites list for offline viewing.

4. Smart Office

This app is perfect when inspiration strikes just before an important presentation, requiring a last-minute change to a PowerPoint slide. The Smart Office app allows you to edit PowerPoint, Word, Excel and PDF files on the go and also connects to storage services such as Dropbox and Google Docs.

5. WhatsApp

The popular instant messenger program allows you to send text messages to other mobile phone users via both Wi-Fi and a cellular network. Texting over Wi-Fi is a big cost-saver when overseas. The app, developed by two former Yahoo! Employees, includes nifty features such as group chats, location and contact sharing and the ability to send and receive pictures and audio notes.

Remember, overseas data charges can result in astronomical phone bills back at home, so take care and try to use free wi-fi or buy a local sim card.

Half-laptop-half-tablet devices, better known as “hybrids”, are the latest craze. However, they may not be for everyone. We regularly receive inquiries from our customers who are trying to decide whether or not to upgrade, and this is what we tell them:

There are many benefits of switching to a hybrid, such as:

1. Moving from laptop to tablet is seamless - The power of a hybrid is of course that your laptop IS also your tablet. There is no need to synchronise files or connect to the Internet to access your Cloud. You can start writing a sentence in the office and finish it on the train. There are many productivity benefits of using the same device in both laptop and tablet format.
2. “No compromise” performance - So long as you buy a premium hybrid you won’t sacrifice performance for convenience. When in laptop mode your hybrid performs just like any other laptop, and when in tablet mode it out performs any iPad or Android tablet.
3. Don’t carry around two devices - Your sales staff will love you for it. There is no need to carry around a bulky laptop and a sleek tablet. They’re one and the same!
4. Save cash - Instead of buying a tablet and laptop outright you will save hundreds of dollars when you combine them into one device.

There are also a few considerations for making the switch:

1. Screen size - If you are used to a 15” laptop and a 7” tablet then a hybrid will come as a bit of a shock initially. The screen size for your laptop & tablet is of course now the same size. So it’s likely you’ll end up with an 11, 12 or 13” device.
2. Go for a “snap off” model or it might be too heavy - Some hybrids swivel and others spin but you don’t want to be holding the weight of a screen and keyboard in your hand while you use it as a tablet. “Snap off” models solve that problem by disconnecting the screen from the keyboard so you don’t end up with forearm strain.
3. Smudge marks on your screen - Smudge marks don’t bother me, but they might bother you. Consider the fingerprints that may occupy your laptop screen after you’ve spent hours using it as a tablet.
4. Remember, your laptop IS your tablet - You might be used to letting your kids play around with the tablet at home without it impacting your work. You need to be careful lending them your hybrid because if they break it then they break your work computer too!

Interesting in finding out more about hybrids? Drop us a line or complete the form on the right hand side and we’ll get in touch.