4 ms·

Ask HN: Why can't I use Google Sheets for my accounting (as a startup)?

9 points by johntiger1 3y ago

Seems like it has all the features for double entry accounting for a startup. Don't see why we need some expensive business software

coderintherye 3y ago
It's not that you can't. You can use vim for your accounting if you want. But these tools save you time for a tiny amount of money. You don't need something expensive, any startup should be able to afford $10/mo for Xero ( https://www.xero.com/us/pricing-plans/ https://www.xero.com/us/pricing-plans/ ).
- johntiger1 3y ago
  Interesting, what about Quickbooks or Deel? Seems like there's a billion of these payroll startups
  - doublemint2202 3y ago
    Unrelated, but on a different thread you mentioned you'd be interested in hiring for your health tech startup. I've gone ahead and removed that thread as I'd gotten the advice I needed, but I'd still love to chat. Thanks.
- kehrin 3y ago
  > It's not that you can't. You can use vim for your accounting if you want. I hate to be that guy, but Emacs org-mode has (un)surprisingly lots of spreadsheet features: https://orgmode.org/manual/The-Spreadsheet.html https://orgmode.org/manual/The-Spreadsheet.html
fsflover 3y ago
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36392802 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36392802
- johntiger1 3y ago
  Google concerns aside, why can't I just use a spreadsheet
  - kojeovo 3y ago
    You can
alexlash 3y ago
[dead]
wsh 3y ago
You could also use memorandum, journal, and ledger books, just as Pacioli taught in 1494, but why waste your limited time and attention on a problem for which you have a choice of good, off-the-shelf solutions at modest prices? (Think QuickBooks, not SAP.) As your startup grows, you’ll engage an accountant and hire a bookkeeper or business manager, who will expect to work in the traditional accounting cycle. You’ll also need to produce the usual reports and financial statements for your bankers, investors, or a potential acquirer’s due diligence team. Using software designed for the purpose makes all this easier and more reliable. It also conveys that your company is serious about its business: investors want to take a risk on your technology, market, and execution, not on whether your homebrew accounting system can generate an accurate cash flow statement.
ian0 3y ago
Because you have a tonne of work to do to make your startup succesfull and dedicating time to re-inventing a wheel will detract you from it. It also means you waste future-you's time too. For example when you want to integrate apps into your books (sheets is not reliable at scale), when you want to train a junior accountant to look after your books. When you want have to send a copy of financial statements to banks/tax-offices/investors whatever and they are used to a particular format.
ano88888 3y ago
because there are many open source or very low cost basic accounting software availabe. Sharpen your saw.

9 points by johntiger1 3y ago

Seems like it has all the features for double entry accounting for a startup. Don't see why we need some expensive business software

coderintherye 3y ago

It's not that you can't. You can use vim for your accounting if you want. But these tools save you time for a tiny amount of money. You don't need something expensive, any startup should be able to afford $10/mo for Xero ( https://www.xero.com/us/pricing-plans/ https://www.xero.com/us/pricing-plans/ ).

johntiger1 3y ago
Interesting, what about Quickbooks or Deel? Seems like there's a billion of these payroll startups
- doublemint2202 3y ago
  Unrelated, but on a different thread you mentioned you'd be interested in hiring for your health tech startup. I've gone ahead and removed that thread as I'd gotten the advice I needed, but I'd still love to chat. Thanks.
kehrin 3y ago
> It's not that you can't. You can use vim for your accounting if you want. I hate to be that guy, but Emacs org-mode has (un)surprisingly lots of spreadsheet features: https://orgmode.org/manual/The-Spreadsheet.html https://orgmode.org/manual/The-Spreadsheet.html

fsflover 3y ago

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36392802 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36392802

johntiger1 3y ago
Google concerns aside, why can't I just use a spreadsheet
- kojeovo 3y ago
  You can

alexlash 3y ago

[dead]

wsh 3y ago

You could also use memorandum, journal, and ledger books, just as Pacioli taught in 1494, but why waste your limited time and attention on a problem for which you have a choice of good, off-the-shelf solutions at modest prices? (Think QuickBooks, not SAP.) As your startup grows, you’ll engage an accountant and hire a bookkeeper or business manager, who will expect to work in the traditional accounting cycle. You’ll also need to produce the usual reports and financial statements for your bankers, investors, or a potential acquirer’s due diligence team. Using software designed for the purpose makes all this easier and more reliable. It also conveys that your company is serious about its business: investors want to take a risk on your technology, market, and execution, not on whether your homebrew accounting system can generate an accurate cash flow statement.

ian0 3y ago

Because you have a tonne of work to do to make your startup succesfull and dedicating time to re-inventing a wheel will detract you from it. It also means you waste future-you's time too. For example when you want to integrate apps into your books (sheets is not reliable at scale), when you want to train a junior accountant to look after your books. When you want have to send a copy of financial statements to banks/tax-offices/investors whatever and they are used to a particular format.

ano88888 3y ago

because there are many open source or very low cost basic accounting software availabe. Sharpen your saw.