software for totalling COGS and profits

what programs are out there that will show me my profits on data i input for the cost of goods and what im selling for, and a inventory control?

i cant seem to find a program that i can download or a excel format.

thanks.

well i just want a simple program. i want to input the cost of the items to me, the size i get or qty, then how much i am selling it for, and i want it to tell me the % i am marking it up and my profit. i dont need a inventory control, but it would be nice.

quote:

Originally posted by GoTTi

well i just want a simple program. i want to input the cost of the items to me, the size i get or qty, then how much i am selling it for, and i want it to tell me the % i am marking it up and my profit. i dont need a inventory control, but it would be nice.

If that's all you want, all you need to do is to learn how to use Excel. You don't need a program. You don't need some special Excel format. All you need to do is set up the columns that you want for the items you want to track. Based on your question, can one assume that you don't know how to use Excel?

You may want to look at business software that is already designed like quickbooks and peachtree. You can look up free software, although your risking your business to an unknown programmer that may or may not have gotten the program right. Many business software have different levels of software, from small business to multi-networked high level software. If you already know how to program Excel and need basic business formulas, I would recommend searching for business formulas with the specific task. Percentage markup is a basic business formula that can be found and inventory is an easy listing using the spreadsheet or database. The big downfall of inventory up keep is keeping track and using the same inventory numbers. (I worked for a office supply business that used a computer and did not have a grasp of inventory control. The number tracking became random and the inventory grew with random numbers being constantly assigned to the products. One way to get around this is barcode with a scanner, there are plenty of software/inventory suppliers out there that use barcode and scanners. RJF

well i know some formulas, like i input the cost of the item in 1 field, then the qty i have in another then in the field i want calculated i put (example) "=c4/c3" and i hit enter, and it gives me my per unit cost. but i dont know how to do % on markup.

thanks for the info. i have done as you told me, please clarify what profit margin and markup mean.

in my excel for one of the items, i have:

profit is 2.95 (i know this)
profit margin is 84.48214286
markup is 544.4188723
what do profit margin and markup mean? does markup mean that i am marking up the product 544% from cost?

Since you are not looking for POS. I would recommend Quickbooks. http://quickbooks.intuit.com/?lid=site_header Its not free but you can get a free trail. It will do everything you need to do. Its a very easy single entry system. I have been using Quickbooks for over 15 years.

which version of quickbooks?

http://quickbooksenterprise.intuit.com/customers/compare.jhtml

Link compares different versions

http://quickbooks.intuit.com/

Quickbook homepage. RJF

quote:

Originally posted by joerogo

Since you are not looking for POS. I would recommend Quickbooks. http://quickbooks.intuit.com/?lid=site_header Its not free but you can get a free trail. It will do everything you need to do. Its a very easy single entry system. I have been using Quickbooks for over 15 years.

I so thought I had already posted this, but apparently only in my head! (Joerogo we are on the same wavelength a lot lately, eh?!)

I am currently in a career change but I worked in accounting for almost 20 years. I concur abotu QB.

I'd recommend you go with the latest version of Quickbooks Pro. You won't need Premier, just the basic version. It sets up easily and does what you need at an affordable price (I say affordable because in the professions I mostly cover it is by far the cheapest solution). I set up an ice cream store on it and they do great with it.

One word of caution, because it's fresh in my mind: Make sure you have someone set it up who knows what they are doing or have the person running it get trained, or use a knowledgeable bookkeeper to do your monthly reconciliations. I say this because I had to go in and "fix" a very small company who uses QB yesterday. They had gone about 5-6 years without any true accounting help. They didn't know exactly what they were doing and some was fixable but some was not... they had created quite a mess.

So, I'm saying it's a great program and is very "user-friendly" but be careful to use it correctly!

quote:

Originally posted by cecif

quote:

Originally posted by joerogo

Since you are not looking for POS. I would recommend Quickbooks. http://quickbooks.intuit.com/?lid=site_header Its not free but you can get a free trail. It will do everything you need to do. Its a very easy single entry system. I have been using Quickbooks for over 15 years.

I so thought I had already posted this, but apparently only in my head! (Joerogo we are on the same wavelength a lot lately, eh?!)

I am currently in a career change but I worked in accounting for almost 20 years. I concur abotu QB.

I'd recommend you go with the latest version of Quickbooks Pro. You won't need Premier, just the basic version. It sets up easily and does what you need at an affordable price (I say affordable because in the professions I mostly cover it is by far the cheapest solution). I set up an ice cream store on it and they do great with it.

One word of caution, because it's fresh in my mind: Make sure you have someone set it up who knows what they are doing or have the person running it get trained, or use a knowledgeable bookkeeper to do your monthly reconciliations. I say this because I had to go in and "fix" a very small company who uses QB yesterday. They had gone about 5-6 years without any true accounting help. They didn't know exactly what they were doing and some was fixable but some was not... they had created quite a mess.

So, I'm saying it's a great program and is very "user-friendly" but be careful to use it correctly!

Apparently when it comes to software and roast beef, great minds think alike.

I worked for an old boy who was a multi-millionaire. He had a simple formula. Buy it for a dollar, sell it for two, make 1%! He had a Cash Only storefront Hot Dog Shop! Used the proceeds from that to buy up real estate and Land. Only wore a suit to his 6 Kids Weddings! Put them all through College.

ok i have quickbooks, what do i do inside quickbooks, because this program is kind of complicated.

what about plexis? Do you know them, pdx? They are here in Ashland.
http://www.plexispos.com/

quote:

Originally posted by GoTTi

ok i have quickbooks, what do i do inside quickbooks, because this program is kind of complicated.

To be honest, I think those who gave you advice to buy QB, were wrong. I'm a big fan of QB and use QB everyday. However, you have demonstrated by your questions that putting QB in your hands is paramount to handing you a loaded gun and saying go at it.

If your first post, and subsequent posts, are on the up and up, you need to hire you a bean counter or get someone else to set you up with your bookkeeping. I don't think you have enough basic knowledge to go it alone.

I may be way off base, but I think you must be toying with us.

If this is on the up and up, and you indeed did buy QB, go back and get a copy of QuickBooks for Dummies. You're gonna need it.

Yep, and sign up for an accounting course at your local community college and you may eventually learn to cook the books!

ive been using QB Simple Stqart for about 4 months so i am familiar with the software. i have checked out the readme of QB and i see that to add items to the inventory and all that, but that is not what i want to do, i dont think....

i want to put in a program:

buy item X for .50 cents each, sell for 2.00 and i want it to tell me my markup and %

quote:

Originally posted by GoTTi

ive been using QB Simple Stqart for about 4 months so i am familiar with the software. i have checked out the readme of QB and i see that to add items to the inventory and all that, but that is not what i want to do, i dont think....

i want to put in a program:

buy item X for .50 cents each, sell for 2.00 and i want it to tell me my markup and %

Like I told you before, it's a simple Excel function. Actually, it's a simple math function. Why not get some high schooler to help you?

jman, thanks for the help, but your not helping. stay off the thread if you dont have input on what i need. gracias.

quote:

Originally posted by GoTTi

jman, thanks for the help, but your not helping. stay off the thread if you dont have input on what i need. gracias.

Well, you seem to be ignoring the specific Excel advice you were given, so I didn't see the need to repeat it. Again, you need to get someone at your location to walk you through it. That's my input.

quote:

Originally posted by GoTTi

ive been using QB Simple Stqart for about 4 months so i am familiar with the software. i have checked out the readme of QB and i see that to add items to the inventory and all that, but that is not what i want to do, i dont think....

i want to put in a program:

buy item X for .50 cents each, sell for 2.00 and i want it to tell me my markup and %

You are obviously Technology Challenged. Don't expect People on this forum to solve your problem. Go to a community College or a Junior College and take a course or go to your local SCORE office for help. The other solution is to sit down with a piece of paper and a pencil and do the simple math. You're obviously not ready to use a computer to do what you want to do. GET SOME OUTSIDE HELP, take a course, buy a EXCEL FOR DUMMIES book before you get on here and expect us to fill in the blanks for your lack of knowledge.

damn...other situations some of you are helpful and some yall just arent. i dont need a dummies book, and im far from technology challenge since i build computers and have a pc repair business, but software is not my full cup of tea, hardware is.

i have done what was given to me in excel and the codes did work correctly, but what i am asking for is very simple since quickbooks was brought up. im not asking for any1 here to do it for me, i asked where in quick books do i start with the information of inventory? that is all i need to know.

i want to see a program other then excel automatically show me my % markup and profit margin and everything. i just want to input cost and sold amount and have it tell me the details, instead of inputting the codes into excel. i have seen this on a POS system i am working with at a restaurant, so that is what i am asking. not sure why some of you are getting carried away with needing to buy dummie books and assuming i cant use a computer...

so if you have USEFUL information other then take ANOTHER computer course at a school or buy a book that doesnt give much information on what i want to do, post in the thread.

thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by GoTTi

what programs are out there that will show me my profits on data i input for the cost of goods and what im selling for, and a inventory control?

i cant seem to find a program that i can download or a excel format.

thanks.

With your original question in mind, I think all of the responses, answered your question. Even the responses about schools and books, since these are vital resources that GIVE information about your question and the business you are trying to work.

If you want to setup a POS system, its a different question, than you originally asked. I suggest you reread each of the answers and if you have a new question, you may want to start another topic with another question. RJF

Hey guys, maybe its just me but I wouldn't be messing with anyone named Gotti.

Gotti, QB will take you step by step in the start-up. If you are still not sure, hire an accountant to set it up for you.

Then just look at the Home Page. It couldn't be any easier. Just click on what you want to do, receive inventory, pay bills, etc.

Also, go into the sample company and play all you want.

quote:

Originally posted by joerogo

Hey guys, maybe its just me but I wouldn't be messing with anyone named Gotti.

Gotti, QB will take you step by step in the start-up. If you are still not sure, hire an accountant to set it up for you.

Then just look at the Home Page. It couldn't be any easier. Just click on what you want to do, receive inventory, pay bills, etc.

Also, go into the sample company and play all you want.

Joerogo's right... it is fairly straightforward but as I said clearly it is user friendly but very EASY to screw up! I agree that it would be well worth a little more $$ to get some professional help or buy a helpful book.

Please whatever you do, don't take the accounting side of your business lightly and try to "do it yourself" with everything. I've seen lots of folks get in trouble - not on purpose - trying hard to do what others are trained to do.

When I learned accounting I knew it was a good thing because it is a crucial part of the saying you've all probably heard: "There's only two sure things in life: death and taxes."

Good luck!