Embracing the Old School: Handwritten Bookkeeping in the Digital Age
Stepping into a small, privately-owned retail store, you might expect to find yourself immersed in the modern buzz of technology-driven sales. Yet, here at our unique establishment, we’ve somehow preserved a slice of the 1980s with our manual Bookkeeping practices. I took on the role of a bookkeeper a few months ago, transitioning from over a decade at the sales counter. Until now, I had no experience with Bookkeeping, but I’m determined to learn.
In our quaint corner of commerce, transactions aren’t processed through sophisticated systems; instead, they’re meticulously penned down on quadruplicate tickets. Every day, we’re tasked with over 100 of these handwritten gems. One copy goes to the customer, while the remaining parts find their way to my desk based on transaction types: cash, credit, or account.
Remarkably, no point-of-sale system or UPC codes guide our inventory. Instead, our manager diligently records part numbers by hand to reorder at day’s end. My responsibilities begin with organizing tickets by number, ensuring every calculation is spot-on. The real challenge unfolds as I transfer these handwritten records to ledger books, particularly for accounts with multiple daily transactions. This process, consuming nearly five hours each day, once fit well with 1,000 tickets a month but feels overwhelming at our current volume of 2,000-3,000 tickets.
My goal is to gradually introduce digital solutions, but the path forward is unclear. Encouragingly, I’ve initiated conversations about a possible assessment by our tech advisor to explore potential upgrades. Though my bookkeeping experience is limited, I’m hopeful we can find a workable balance between tradition and technology.
Our team includes a senior bookkeeper, who, despite her years, balances her duties both from home and our office. Her vast knowledge encompasses tasks like taxes and bank deposits, employing an old version of QuickBooks to manage account information and compliance tasks.
The journey from handwritten to digital is inevitable, but with some guidance, I’m confident our unique approach can evolve seamlessly into the future.
One response
It’s truly remarkable to hear that some businesses are still committed to handwritten books in an era where digital systems seem ubiquitous. The dedication to maintaining such a traditional system signifies a deep-rooted respect for established procedures and a perhaps nostalgic attachment to past methods. However, given the evolving business landscape and increasing daily transactions, transitioning to a digital or partially digital system could offer significant benefits in efficiency, accuracy, and scalability. Here are a few steps and practical suggestions to help guide your transition effectively:
Assess Current Processes: Start by documenting the current processes in a flowchart. Understanding each step will help you identify which areas could benefit most from automation. Note where errors are most prevalent and where bottlenecks occur – this insight is critical when discussing improvements with your boss.
Engage Stakeholders: It’s crucial to involve everyone affected by the transition, including the senior bookkeeper, sales staff, and management. Their input can help identify potential challenges and needs and foster a more cooperative environment for change.
Hire a Consultant: As you’ve mentioned the possibility of bringing in a tech expert, this is a great step. They can conduct a thorough technology risk assessment and recommend systems that align best with your operational scale and nature.
Choose a Scalable Point of Sale System: An appropriate POS system could transform your sales process, enhance inventory management, and automatically generate data for Bookkeeping. Some systems integrate well with QuickBooks, which could simplify things for your Head Bookkeeper. When choosing a system, consider future scalability, ease of use, customer support, and integration capabilities.
Pilot Program: Before a full-scale implementation, consider running a pilot program. Select a small segment of your transactions to process digitally. This allows you to refine processes, identify issues, and adjust without disrupting the entire operation.
Training and Support: Transitioning to digital can come with a steep learning curve. Provide comprehensive training sessions for all users and consider ongoing support to handle any technical issues or resistance during the initial months.
Focus on Transition-Friendly Software: Since the Head Bookkeeper is already using an older version of QuickBooks, investigating newer versions or other transition-friendly software packages with robust features that cater to your needs can ease the transition. Many modern Bookkeeping tools offer cloud-based solutions, which can also facilitate remote work.
Cost Analysis and ROI: Prepare a detailed cost analysis and projected ROI to convince your boss further.