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If you’re a small business owner, you have likely already asked yourself what the best bookkeeping software out there is. As Xero and Saasu bookkeepers ourselves, we often get clients asking what accounting software is best to use. There is no simple answer to this question as each software package has different features, and each business has unique requirements. Two of the software programs that we use the most are Xero and Saasu. We’ve put together a Xero vs Saasu accounting software comparison to help you pick one.
Want to streamline your bookkeeping with accounting software and a reliable bookkeeping service? Drop us a line or call 1300 728 875 to learn how we can help you.
Both Xero and Saasu rely upon bank feeds to keep your company file up to date. This is probably their biggest selling point. The idea that you will save time and money by automating data entry is a huge drawcard for both programs. Both accounting software packages offer invoicing, payroll functions and can compile reports for you. They both also have multi-user access and being compatible with either Mac or PC.
The differences between Saasu and Xero bookkeeping software are where things get interesting. Below are some of the biggest differences you can expect, and how they might impact your business.
Having access to support is vital for many small businesses. This is an important factor to take into consideration when purchasing accounting software. If you do not maintain your company file correctly, then it becomes a more time consuming and confusing task. This increases the risk of ‘messy’ books and errors in reporting. These will almost always end up costing the business more in the long run.
Xero offers online support only, although you can request a call back for urgent problems by sending through a message via the usual communication channels. Regardless of your level of subscription, the response time for support queries is generally between 24 and 48 hours.
Saasu has no support at all in their lower pricing tiers. However, with the higher priced packages, they do offer telephone support. So, the more you pay, the better the support options available. Saasu also has online tutorials to help with the setup of the company file and for basic troubleshooting. You will have access to this regardless of which subscription package you have.
For both systems, a professional bookkeeper should be fluent enough with the accounting software to be able to do simple troubleshooting with you and offer some basic support in managing your company file anyway.
If you need support with your cloud software, the experienced bookkeepers at Darcy Bookkeeping and Business Services can help you out. Drop us a line or call 1300 728 875 to get started.
One of the larger differences between Xero and Saasu is the core design of their pricing schedule. Xero offers similar packages across the board, with pricing increases for the number of transactions and employees etc. Saasu’s pricing varies depending on what features you require. For example, a small business with few clients that need to be able to have access to support, maintain inventory levels or use multi-currency functions would pay much more with Saasu than they would with Xero. However, the Saasu's packages have a lower starting price and telephone support is an option at the higher levels.
The free trials also differ between the two systems. Saasu offers a time-limited trial of the complete program. Xero’s free trial stops after a fixed number of transactions, seemingly irrespective of how long you've been on the trial.
Both programs have capabilities to set up payments and export across to the bank to be paid for regular payruns. They can also calculate superannuation and other entitlements and cross reference Tax File Numbers with the ATO. This streamlines the payroll function, making the task of payroll more fluid and much easier to manage.
Both systems allow payslips and payment summaries to be produced and emailed to employees and for payment summaries to be compiled and easily sent to the Taxation Office at the end of the financial year. The reporting capabilities of Saasu, however, are much more limited than those of Xero. For a small business with few employees, this may not be an issue, but for a large corporation with many employees and a higher incidence of leave and more complex payroll requirements, Saasu may not provide the adequate reports required.
Xero has a process specifically created to track employee reimbursements, where employees have made purchases on behalf of the company. The employee uploads a receipt to Xero and the software awaits approval from management to finalise payment. Xero also has the ability to import invoices directly into your system from suppliers who invoice with Xero, saving time with data entry. These invoices simply require approval from a draft copy before they become active. Streamlining the purchase process like this makes keeping up to date with your payables much simpler than has been traditionally experienced.
Saasu has a feature whereby warranties, serial numbers and other paperwork can be filed electronically with the relevant receipts, making it much easier to locate important documents when the need arises. While not a bookkeeping related task as such, this will save administration time in not having to search through mountains of paperwork to find a single document.
Saasu vs Xero: both accounting software packages have the ability to adequately manage and keep record of your accounts payable. This makes the decision as to which software to use come down to differences in extra abilities as listed above.
Both Saasu and Xero have the ability to create automated recurring invoices for regular clients who are invoiced the same amount on the same date regularly. However, the creation of invoices in Saasu is a more complex process than in Xero. On the other hand, Saasu offers the ability to create quotes and easily convert these to invoices. Xero currently does not have this feature.
Saasu is geared more towards bookkeepers and accountants than to business owners when it comes to tax codes etc. On the other hand, Xero has been created with the business owner in mind in this area.
Both programs offer fairly basic level reporting capabilities, with Xero offering a wider range of reports available than Saasu. Both however, have the capability to export data to Excel in order to manipulate and create custom reports through Excel. This does require a broader than average understanding of business principles. However, this is fairly base-level knowledge for most good bookkeepers or accountants who have a reasonable grasp of Microsoft Excel.
In maintaining an unbiased opinion, we at Darcy Bookkeeping & Business Services like both programs. As you can easily see, both programs have their advantages over the other. It really does come down to the individual business requirements. The best advice we could give to someone deciding between the two systems is to discuss the requirements of your business with a bookkeeper or accountant who uses both programs on a regular basis. They can analyse your business needs and make a recommendation regarding whether Xero vs Saasu is right for you.
More information on Xero go to the Xero website and more information on Saasu go to the Saasu website. Alternatively you can take the time to speak to a professional bookkeeper at Darcy Bookkeeping & Business Services who can help you make the decision as to which accounting software would be best suited to your business. Drop us a line or call 1300 728 875 to get started.
Still wrapping your head around accounting software? Here’s a beginners’ guide:
