Any suggestions for UK businesses - program seems quite American

[David T.]

Hi David,

Welcome to the list. 

I understand your concern regarding the American bent to the terminology used. A couple of points:

1) I do not know, but GnuCash has translations into many languages, and the website specifically mentions British English, so perhaps the terminology in the British translation would better match yours. You’d have to tell GnuCash to use the British locale, something with which I have no experience, but which is documented in the wiki and documentation.

2) Terminology aside, your description of your business account matches my own American “checking” account, and, if your concern is whether GnuCash would meet your functional needs, then I would say that the “checking” account should meet those. If it is simply a matter of not preferring the nomenclature, then see above. (I had quite a bit of that adjusting to do when I lived in the UK for a year. I had to get used to wearing “trousers,” for example) 

Best,
David T.

> On Nov 25, 2016, at 7:13 PM, Dr. David Kirkby - Kirkby Microwave Ltd <drkirkby at kirkbymicrowave.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> I took a look at GnuCash with a view to possibly using it for my business. I've been using Excell, but I'm not happy with that. My account has written to say he had not heard of GnuCash, and his reccomendations are Kashflow (online based) or VT transaction (Windoze based).
> 
> I'm a little concerned about going against his advice, as it might end up costing me more in his time. One possibility is exporting GnuCash into Excel, and giving him Excel sheets again.
> 
> But all the above said, I'd still like to give GnuCash a try.
> 
> However, it seems very American based, and some of the terms, like a "Checking account" mean nothing to me. A Google suggests its not the same as a current account, as we known it here.
> 
> The business account for my company
> 
> * Pays no interest - some business accounts might, but mine does not.
> * Does have a cheque book, although I have never used it.
> * Has a debit card, in which one can make transactions just as any normal debit card
> * No overdraft facility - easy to get if I wanted one, but I don't have the need.
> * Can transfer money from the current account, to other customers accounts, given their account number etc.
> * Does allow transfers to be made in other currencies, although the currency of the bank account is GBP.
> 
> IMHO it would be good if some non-American terms could be added to GnuCash, so it has things like a "current account", which everyone is familiar with in the UK. It is the first bank account someone will get for personal use. Here in the UK at least, I strongly suspect a "current account" is by far the most common account in use.
> 
> -- 
> Dr. David Kirkby Ph.D CEng MIET
> Kirkby Microwave Ltd
> Registered office: Stokes Hall Lodge, Burnham Rd, Althorne, Essex, CM3 6DT, UK.
> Registered in England and Wales, company number 08914892.
> http://www.kirkbymicrowave.co.uk/
> Tel: 07910 441670 / +44 7910 441670 (0900 to 2100 GMT only please)
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