If you own a start-up business, you’ve probably heard over and over again that you should get QuickBooks for your business. This can be a great idea for most businesses but the dizzying array of choices can leave any business owner reeling.

First, consider why QuickBooks should be your first choice. This program was the first nationally recognized accounting software designed for business owners rather than accountants. Since 1992, QuickBooks software has made computerized accounting accessible to every business owner.

QuickBooks uses real accounting methods but allows users unfamiliar with accounting theory to record business transactions using everyday forms. Most regular business transactions can be entered into the computer by filling out traditional invoices, bills, checks and deposits.

While the accounting profession in general turned up their nose at this revolution, business owners quickly embraced QuickBooks. QuickBooks listened and learned from its users and after 15 years now has the most widely used accounting software. In fact, I have heard estimates that over 80 percent of U.S. businesses use registered copies of QuickBooks.

Right now, QuickBooks is really your best option in small business accounting software. Microsoft’s Small Business Accounting looks promising but would not be my recommendation for a start-up business.

If you rarely turn on your computer, don’t feel bad or guilty about not buying QuickBooks. If you won’t use it, it really is just a waste of money. Find a good accountant who can put your information together on a monthly basis (this is called a write-up service by accountants) and move on to the things you do well.

If you just want to way to save time in certain areas of your business such as creating checks or keeping track of accounts receivable, you can pair QuickBooks with a write-up service. This is a very good choice for many small or start-up businesses.

If you want access to real-time business information and are ready to computerize, find a good QuickBooks accountant to help you set up and maintain your data file. QuickBooks makes business accounting much easier than traditional accounting packages but it’s best to have a qualified accountant review your file quarterly at a minimum.

If you want to hire a professional, you can use an outsourcing service to enter all of your accounting details in your file for you, allowing you to use the software as a management tool to monitor company profitability.

For quick and easy accounting solutions to manage your business, use quickbook web connector receipts.