Keeping Track?

[Kasey]

How does everyone keep track of financial stuff with clients in their studio and their own bands and etc. etc.?

I'm just starting, but I have all this money coming in from clients in the studio and money with my band from shows, and merchandise sales... I can't keep track of whats what! (I suppose i could be in worse situations though).

Where do you guys start?

[LewKellogg]

I use Quickbooks and a PC. Still tough to keep up.

[cgarges]

I make invoices for all my studio clients and write down information in my yearly calendar when I book gigs. A few years back, I made an Excel template for doing my taxes and I put everything in there-- money that comes in, expenses, mileage, etc. It's still a huge pain in the ass at tax time.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[@?,*???&?]

Invoicing regularly and using Quicken.

[Rodgre]

I've always used paperwork in each client's individual file folder (where I keep track sheets, etc) and trusting my memory on who might still have an outstanding balance. I use a "Session Log" sheet with the client's contact info and entries for each session, hours, balance, payments, etc.

However, I am just now trying to decide on a new system that will make things easier to keep track of things as I get busier and busier.

Since I use TurboTax every year, I want to integrate Quicken or some other financial bookkeeping program to keep track of invoices, purchases, etc. I've yet to purchase it, but it seems steep that the version of Quicken that is right for me is $80+ and I will have to buy this every year, correct?

As it is now, I've started an Excel file with records of clients' balances and payments, but since I can't integrate it into other software like I would like to, it's no better than the paper method.

Anyone have a suggestion? I know I posted on here a while ago asking about the Apogee/Clearmountain software for studio bookkeeping, but since that's way too expensive and probably not offered anymore, I need a new solution.

Roger

[Johnny B]

Since I use TurboTax every year, I want to integrate Quicken or some other financial bookkeeping program to keep track of invoices, purchases, etc. I've yet to purchase it, but it seems steep that the version of Quicken that is right for me is $80+ and I will have to buy this every year, correct?

That depends on whether you use the online features. The old versions of Quicken still work, you just can't download transactions from your bank, you have to enter them by hand.

[DupleMeter]

I use a program called 'Billings', but it's for Mac OS X only. It's geared for creative business owners (musicians, designers, web developers) who have a lot of info to keep track of and multiple ways of billing (by the hour, flat fee for project, taxable, non-tax, retainers, mileage fees, et al).

It works really well, integrates with all the other Mac technologies (Address Book, Mail, iCal), prints reports of all kinds (A/R, A/P, outstanding invoices, et al).

Before that I used excel to keep track of monthly inflow/outflow but that was a lot of manual labor. Much happier with this method.

I did try QuickBooks, but I simply don't need a double-entry accounting system for my business. As a sole propretor/LLC I only need a simple, yet effective method for tracking who owes what & a cumulative run of invoices, payments & all.

I do also use Quicken to keep track of bank accounts (personal & business) which helps too, since I can print a report from Billings & a report from Quicken at the end of the year and give it to my accountant for my taxes.

[garysun]

There's also TinyBooks which is super simple and easy to use but only for a mac
http://www.winograd.com/

[asylumdigital]

My clients get an invoice (I keep a duplicate) based out of excel.
Outstanding balances go into an excel spreadsheet in my blackberry.
I came across this software called studioease http://www.rootsolutions.de/studioease/ a few months ago & it is pretty cool for keeping up w/ inventory + all allocated towards individual pieces... pretty cool! It does billing as well, I just simply haven't had the time to cross that bridge yet...