Re: Accounting and customer management software for freelancing

[Susan W. Gallagher <sgallagher5 -at- cox -dot- net>]

Well, I use QuickBooks Pro for accounting, which is probably
overkill for a tech writing consultant, but I also keep the
books for my husband's small retail business. And TurboTax
Deluxe for Home and Business. Note, too, that I've had (paid)
experience as a bookkeeper -- you may want to hire someone.
I tried Peachtree Light and hated it. Intuit products are
much more sophisticated (i.e., have more "expected" Windows
functionality).

I've got a WinCE PDA that goes everywhere with me. It holds
all my contacts, all my appointments, all my tasks, a cool
little freebie timer program that I found on TwoCows that's
meant to be an add-on to a purchased system but I use it as
a stand-alone, ...and my grocery list! <g> (at least I think
it was TwoCows for the timer software). Of course, my 
contacts and tasks sync with Outlook when I get home.

And a cell phone.

And an old clunker of a notebook computer that will run 
Frame, Word, PowerPoint, and email for when I travel or go
to a customer's site. It networks into my desktop machine
when I return home (and makes me look like I've been in
business forever).

HTH
-Sue Gallagher



> 
> From: Madeline Bechtold <madeline -at- versatechs -dot- com>

> I'm starting a freelance technical writing business in Illinois/USA, and 
> I'm curious what software other freelancers use to manage functions such as:
> 
> - Accounting (e.g., invoicing, receivables, payables, 
> federal/state/local taxes, depreciation)
> 
> - Customer relationships (e.g., addresses for prospects and customers, 
> reminders for followup/appointments/events, time-tracking on projects)



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