Thank you for publishing your comments on the Stress Free Accounting Website. It is refreshing to be \”challenged\” by a peer.

Let me respond to the \”pretty big statements\” to which you refer.

First of all \”Banklink is a regressive system\”. What I mean by that is prior to computerisation of micro businesses much of the required financial data processing was handled within the accountant\’s office. Computers and software should allow the business to \’progress\’ by enabling the processing of financial data in-house. Due to a mismatch between tool (accounting software) and user (micro business) costly inefficiencies befell this \’progressive\’ system. One adopted solution was to use Banklink, but by using

Banklink the processing work regressed to again being handled within the accountant\’s office.

\”Eclat is a software system that requires \’no knowledge of bookkeeping or GST\’\”. Existing accounting software works on the premise that everyone to use it has bookkeeping knowledge and GST knowledge or can easily obtain and retain such knowledge by attending an expensive training course. If such a system causes inappropriate issues, those issues will never be resolved by replacing it with a system based on the same premise.

Eclat works on the premise that everyone is different, having different perceptions of like activities. Éclat is an accounting software package that assumes the user knows nothing about accounting and therefore requires assistance to set up of the chart of accounts with descriptions familiar to the software user. Data entry is simple and smart technology allocates each transaction to the appropriate general ledger account. The GST is handled by guiding the user to answer questions appropriate to the transaction, and the software reacts to the response to process the GST.

The secret is in the set up. The concept is based on the reasoning that in a manufacturing process a machine is set up by a professional (engineer,
machinist) and operated by a labourer. There is no reason that the bookkeeping process cannot function in the same manner.

The software consists of three components 1) Administration version (controlled by éclat for set up and maintenance chart of accounts). 2) Client version (controlled by customer). 3) Accountant version (controlled by accountant for financial reporting).

Currently éclat software is a cash book and general ledger. The client controls the cashbook and the accountant controls the general ledger. Cash book data is transmitted to the accountant at the push of a button.

Now for a demo! The software is exclusive to each customer and as such we don\’t provide a demo per se. What we do provide is a free trial for a business. In your circumstances it is recommended that you select a client to trial the software and monitor their level of satisfaction, the results of their efforts and the inter reaction with éclat. The free trial is a fully operational version for the clients business which is set to process three months of transactions. If at the end of the trial the customer wishes to continue they are required to pay an annual subscription fee which currently is set at $400.00 (subsequent subscription fees are reduced as éclat is not as involved in the process). The accountant version is provided without charge.

We have no problem in providing the set up for a free trial as history tells us that once a business trials our software we are practically assured that they will buy.

I hope this adequately explains the éclat cashbook and overcomes your challenge.

Can I now challenge you to work with a client to undertake a trial of éclat?

If you do it is important that your client go through the set up process without your assistance. It is critical that the chart of accounts is set up with their descriptions, not your descriptions. Please contact me by return email in order to move ahead.

If you truly have no desire to be a bookkeeper then you must work towards making the perceived \”necessary evils\” unnecessary.

Look forward to working with you

Kind Regards,

Peter Murray BBus
Professional Accountant, Small Business Advisor and designer of eclat.bos Accounting Software.

I notice in your publications a number of pretty big statements. Eclat is a software system that requires “no knowledge of bookkeeping, accounting or GST” and” BankLink is regressive system”. As an accountant, I am forced to the conclusion that you are either a genius or a rogue. I use BankLink and find it to be a useful tool which minimises re-keying of data and re-coding of repetitive transactions. I look forward to substantiation of your claims. In terms of the capacity of Eclat, I similarly look forward to a demo version that I can have a play with.

As an accountant who is interested in the development of my clients’ businesses, I have no desire to be a bookkeeper or for that matter a form filler. I.e. I neither want nor need to be involved in data entry or compliance – these areas are currently necessary evils.

If it works I will recommend it. I would do a lot to rid the worls of MYOB and similar “blister packs”.

I look forward to your response to my challenge.

Thanks