Traditional bookkeeping, built into Excel

OpenBooks has been designed around traditional bookkeeping principles.

Instead of hiding transactions inside a complex accounting package, OpenBooks uses a clear structure based on familiar books of prime entry, ledgers and reports. Anyone with a basic understanding of bookkeeping should find the layout logical and easy to follow.

The workbook is particularly suited to small businesses, sole traders and accountants who want a practical desktop bookkeeping system that is transparent, easy to review and capable of supporting Making Tax Digital requirements.

Books of prime entry

OpenBooks uses separate day books and transaction entry pages, similar to a traditional manual bookkeeping system.

These include:

• Sales Day Book for sales invoices;
• Purchase Day Book for supplier invoices;
• Cash Book for bank receipts and payments;
• Journal for adjustments and other accounting entries.

This structure keeps each type of transaction in its proper place. Sales invoices are entered in the Sales Day Book, supplier invoices are entered in the Purchase Day Book, bank transactions are entered in the Cash Book, and journals are entered separately.

The result is a system that is easy to understand and easy to check.

Sales, purchase and nominal ledgers

Transactions are posted from the day books and cash book into the relevant ledgers.

OpenBooks includes:

• Sales Ledger;
• Purchase Ledger;
• Nominal Ledger.

The Sales Ledger shows amounts charged to customers and receipts received from them. The Purchase Ledger shows supplier bills and payments. The Nominal Ledger provides the accounting record behind the trial balance, profit and loss account and balance sheet.

This mirrors the structure used in traditional bookkeeping, while making use of Excel automation to reduce manual work.

Customer and supplier records

Customer and supplier details are maintained through controlled forms rather than direct editing of exposed tables.

This helps protect the integrity of the records. Once a customer or supplier has been used in transactions, the name is locked so that ledger records and reports remain consistent. Contact details, email addresses, phone numbers, addresses and notes can still be updated when needed.

This gives the user a simple way to maintain customer and supplier information while reducing the risk of accidental errors.

Clear reporting

OpenBooks takes the bookkeeping records and produces useful accounting reports, including:

• aged debtors;
• aged creditors;
• sales ledger transaction reports;
• purchase ledger transaction reports;
• nominal ledger transaction reports;
• trial balance;
• profit and loss account;
• balance sheet.

These reports are designed to be easy to follow and useful for day-to-day bookkeeping, management review and accountant year-end work.

For example, a user can quickly see which customers owe money, which suppliers are unpaid, what has been received or paid through the Cash Book, or how a particular nominal account is made up.

Easy access to stored information

One of the advantages of OpenBooks is that the information remains visible and accessible.

Users can review the underlying day books, ledgers and reports directly. This makes it easier to answer everyday bookkeeping questions such as:

• Has this customer paid?
• Which invoices are still outstanding?
• What payments have been made to this supplier?
• What has gone through the bank?
• What makes up this expense figure?
• Which transactions are included in the profit and loss account?

Because the system follows a traditional bookkeeping structure, the route from original entry to final report is easier to trace.

Simpler than many full accounting packages

Full accounting packages such as Sage, QuickBooks and similar systems can be very powerful, but they can also feel unnecessarily complex for small businesses with straightforward bookkeeping needs.

OpenBooks takes a different approach. It is designed to be transparent and familiar, especially for users who understand basic bookkeeping principles.

Rather than requiring the user to navigate around a large accounting system, OpenBooks presents the bookkeeping records in a clear Excel workbook. The day books, ledgers and reports are visible, structured and easy to review.

For many small businesses and accountants, this can make routine bookkeeping easier to understand and easier to check.

Making Tax Digital support

OpenBooks is designed to support digital record keeping and Making Tax Digital workflows.

The Trading edition supports:

• digital bookkeeping records;
• VAT return preparation from the workbook records;
• MTD VAT submission to HMRC;
• MTD for Income Tax in-year trading quarterly update preparation;
• MTD for Income Tax in-year trading quarterly update submission to HMRC.

OpenBooks is not a full personal tax return program. It does not submit the MTD Income Tax final declaration or replace full tax return software. End-of-year tax return work, tax calculations and final declarations should be completed using suitable MTD-compatible tax return software or by the user’s accountant.

Desktop Excel workbook

OpenBooks is supplied as an Excel workbook. The user’s bookkeeping data is stored locally in their own file.

This desktop approach may appeal to users who prefer not to use cloud accounting software and who want to retain direct control over their bookkeeping records.

The workbook uses Excel automation to provide a more controlled and user-friendly bookkeeping system while retaining the familiarity and flexibility of Excel.

Designed for small businesses and accountants

OpenBooks is designed for practical bookkeeping.

It is suitable for users who want:

• a familiar bookkeeping structure;
• clear day books and ledgers;
• easy transaction review;
• useful accounting reports;
• local Excel-based records;
• MTD VAT and MTD Income Tax in-year submission support;
• a system that can be reviewed by an accountant.

OpenBooks combines traditional bookkeeping logic with modern digital reporting requirements.