Doing Words: It had to be said: MYOB is a worst-case in software design
Bronwen
· 3 years ago
Don't even start me on the crapness of this product. Every time i have to pay myself i cringe at the thought of using it.
alan
· 3 years ago
Hell yeah Bronwen! Tell it like it is!
Mountain/\Ash
· 3 years ago
Not entirely true (well kinda). There is a better version of Quicken for the Mac that looks really good . Does integration with heaps of Mac services; .Mac, address book, iCal (it even has a widget). But like you said the snag is that it's not in Austalia.
I have emailed the Australian office a couple of times to bring it out. But they act like the don't even know what it is. One day...
Jim
· 3 years ago
I agree. Its too complex for our one-person business, so I use AppleWorks for invoicing and accounts.
woody
· 3 years ago
www.cognito.co.nz MoneyWorks. A user friendly alternative to MYOB. Gave up MYOB years ago and couldn't be happier. (It's still bookwork though.)
Natalie Ferguson
· 3 years ago
Thanks for the mention, pity it's when we both are complaining :) Who would think it would be possible in today's software industry, a piece of software that is hated by all... yet so successful? And noone is even trying ot do something else! Go figure!
alan
· 3 years ago
Thanks for stopping by Natalie, I'm a big fan of your blog. Actually, I'm interested to have a play with MoneyWorks - it's even an NZ product!
I'll report back on whether it's worth a try.
Vando
· 3 years ago
Not sure how I stumbled across this post, but a truer word has never been spoken.
I stopped using it soon after I bought it, but that didn't stop the junk mail.
What a great opportunity for another brand to come into the market and offer the iPod equivalent.
Heather Smith
· 3 years ago
Hi Alan,
Maybe I am fighting a losing battle, but I have come across people who have had the same sort of thoughts about MYOB, and after a few hours of one on one training, they are slowly turned around, and within a month, they really like the product.
I shall be upfront I am an MYOB Certified Consultant, my business life, and my income are generated from this product, and I am passionate about MYOB. In the right hands, with the right training, it empowers business owners to understand the financial situation of their business.
The common mistakes that I see in small businesses, is that; (a) They did not seek advice when choosoing the product, and have purchased software which far exceeds what they need. MYOB Business Basics retails for about $145, and will suit most small businesses initially. Remember you can always upgrade your original data file to an MYOB product with more features as your business grows. (b) the second major problem is that users have not invested time, in getting the software set-up correctly, or one-on-one training. (I am a qualified accountant, I have been using MYOB for about 5 years, as a MYOB Certified Consultant, I attend upskilling seminars almost monthly, I also sit exams in it on an annual basis, and I would be hesitatnt to say I even know 65% of what this product is capable of.)
Alan, I hope you have invested in some one-on-one tarining in this product, which would set you back about $100 per hour approxiamately. You can find a listing of MYOB CC's in your area at www.myob.com.au who can offer you some advice.
However Alan, if you do hate it this much, focus on the operations of your business, and outsource your bookkeeping. A good qualified bookkeeper should cost you around $65 an hour. If you are paying much less than that, I would question the quality of the work that is being done. I have walked into small businesses, who happily tell me that they pay their bookkeeper, and within an hour have found $10 000 in GST that had not be claimed over the last year.
I hope this information somewhat eases your MYOB pain, and is not just salt in a wound,
Heather
alan
· 3 years ago
Thanks for the advice Heather. I'd suggest that any product needing so much additional training could be better designed. You touch on one point that I think needs reinforcing: MYOB tries unsuccessfully to satisfy two very different audiences with one product.
Book keepers and accountants have similar needs to small business people but the two groups have vastly different competencies, training, and level of involvement.
MYOB's lower end products are made by stripping functionality from the main product, when they should instead strip the jargon and assumed knowledge.
Anonymous
· 2 years ago
I couldn't agree more. It's THE WORST, I thought it was actually going to make managing money easier but quite the contrary...
Tin
· 2 years ago
I just got an email from MYOB support in reply to a simple question. It only took them 6 days and 21 hours to respond. Question was about how one product connects to the internet, and their response required further questions... I'm hoping it doesn't take another 6 days 21 hours to get the next reply
All Comments
I have emailed the Australian office a couple of times to bring it out. But they act like the don't even know what it is. One day...
MoneyWorks. A user friendly alternative to MYOB.
Gave up MYOB years ago and couldn't be happier. (It's still bookwork though.)
I'll report back on whether it's worth a try.
I stopped using it soon after I bought it, but that didn't stop the junk mail.
What a great opportunity for another brand to come into the market and offer the iPod equivalent.
Maybe I am fighting a losing battle, but I have come across people who have had the same sort of thoughts about MYOB, and after a few hours of one on one training, they are slowly turned around, and within a month, they really like the product.
I shall be upfront I am an MYOB Certified Consultant, my business life, and my income are generated from this product, and I am passionate about MYOB. In the right hands, with the right training, it empowers business owners to understand the financial situation of their business.
The common mistakes that I see in small businesses, is that;
(a) They did not seek advice when choosoing the product, and have purchased software which far exceeds what they need. MYOB Business Basics retails for about $145, and will suit most small businesses initially. Remember you can always upgrade your original data file to an MYOB product with more features as your business grows.
(b) the second major problem is that users have not invested time, in getting the software set-up correctly, or one-on-one training. (I am a qualified accountant, I have been using MYOB for about 5 years, as a MYOB Certified Consultant, I attend upskilling seminars almost monthly, I also sit exams in it on an annual basis, and I would be hesitatnt to say I even know 65% of what this product is capable of.)
Alan, I hope you have invested in some one-on-one tarining in this product, which would set you back about $100 per hour approxiamately. You can find a listing of MYOB CC's in your area at www.myob.com.au who can offer you some advice.
However Alan, if you do hate it this much, focus on the operations of your business, and outsource your bookkeeping. A good qualified bookkeeper should cost you around $65 an hour. If you are paying much less than that, I would question the quality of the work that is being done. I have walked into small businesses, who happily tell me that they pay their bookkeeper, and within an hour have found $10 000 in GST that had not be claimed over the last year.
I hope this information somewhat eases your MYOB pain, and is not just salt in a wound,
Heather
Book keepers and accountants have similar needs to small business people but the two groups have vastly different competencies, training, and level of involvement.
MYOB's lower end products are made by stripping functionality from the main product, when they should instead strip the jargon and assumed knowledge.
Question was about how one product connects to the internet, and their response required further questions... I'm hoping it doesn't take another 6 days 21 hours to get the next reply