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Alison Mead

The Blog of Silicon Bullet

By Alison Mead, Bookkeeping Mentor ...



Bookkeeper balancing, Ledgers and numbers with care, Numbers dance on page
Why Should You Use A Bookkeeper?

Keeping track of your accounts is a science as well as an art form. Yes, of course you can do it yourself, but wouldn't a bookkeeper make your life a whole lot easier? Having a clear picture of your finances at any given time ...

Xero on the screen, Numbers dance in perfect form, Balance achieved, peace
Exciting Changes Are Coming To Xero: Now You Can Navigate With Ease!

Change is on the horizon for Xero users! Prepare for an upgraded navigation system and new homepage designed to simplify bookkeeping and improve business insights effortlessly ... ...

Bookkeeping Buddy, Numbers, ledgers, expenses, Balance with patience
Bookkeeping Buddy: Why DIY Bookkeeping Doesn't Mean Doing It Alone

Many small business owners attempt DIY bookkeeping to save costs and maintain control. Yet, this path can be daunting. Learn how you can manage your finances more effectively with my Bookkeeping Buddy subscription, ensuring y ...

Tiktok, the clock ticks, Counting down to monitisation, Moments slip away
How Small Creators Can Earn Money From TikTok

I have been experimenting with monetising on social media to see how easy it is and how it all works, so I am better able to help and advise those with side hustles and the self-employed on how to report their income, and eve ...

Xero Price Rises, Unexpected expenses, Budgets stretched thin
Prepare for Xero Price Rises: Essential Updates and Insights for Your Business

As Xero prepares for significant price rises from the 1st of September 2025, users must stay informed about these changes. While some plans remain unchanged, understanding the details of the new pricing structure is crucial f ...

Sage 50 Accounts Version 32, Numbers and data flow, Balance sheets align
Unveiling Sage 50 Accounts Version 32: A Comprehensive Overview of New Features

Sage 50 Accounts Version 32 introduces enhancements designed to streamline operations and improve user experience. With AI integration, document attachment capabilities, and banking compliance updates, this version promises t ...

Xero offers more ways, To receive payment with ease, Effortless and swift
Xero Now Offers More Ways to Get Paid With Stripe & GoCardless

Xero now offers more ways to get paid, having integrated the likes of Stripe and GoCardless, allowing businesses to accelerate their cash flow and improve client satisfaction. Learn how to leverage innovative payment solution ...

Bookkeeping is hard, Numbers and figures abound, Balance must be kept
Building A Bookkeeping Business: Increasing Your Prices

You may have already done the difficult part of starting your own bookkeeping business; you've found clients, you've decided on your pricing, and now you're getting on with the day-to-day of looking after the clients you've . ...

IT support, your lifeline, Check who you call, it may be a scam
Be Careful Who You Call For IT Support

If you have a problem with your computer and need help, be really careful who you call for support. We have had two calls in the last couple of days from domestic clients who had printer connection issues, googled a support n ...

Building Your Bookkeeping Business

The usual question I see asked in bookkeeping groups and forums is, where can I find customers, or how can I get experience now that I have passed my bookkeeping exams and started my bookkeeping business ... ...

Flat Rate VAT, A set fee for all to pay, Simple yet complex
How Sage Business Cloud Calculates Flat Rate VAT

If your business is registered under the Flat Rate VAT Scheme, understanding how Sage Business Cloud calculates your VAT return is key to staying compliant and maintaining accurate records. How does the system work, and what ...

Withdraw free licenses, For charities in need, Their work hindered now
Microsoft Withdraws Free Licenses for Charities And Non-Profits

Microsoft has announced it will withdraw free licenses for charities, specifically the Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Office 365 E1 packages, from the 1st of July 2025. This decision marks a turning point for non-profits ...

Bookkeeping buddy, Numbers and spreadsheets galore, Together we thrive!
Being a Bookkeeping Buddy Means Being Part Of A Community

I created my Bookkeeping Buddy community last year to offer a higher level of support to bookkeepers across the country, and it really has turned into a community. At a recent Accountex London exhibition, two of my Bookkeepin ...

Xero Cashbook Subscriptions to become Xero Simple

If you’re a Xero user, you might have already heard the news that Xero Cashbook is out, and Xero Simple has arrived. But don’t worry, this isn’t one of those “new name, same headaches” kind of changes. In fact, it’s quite the ...

Cyber attack strikes hard, Codes and firewalls no match, Silent destruction
How a Cyber Attack Compromised a Bookkeeper's Security

When a cyber attack struck a bookkeeper friend of mine, it revealed the hidden dangers of downloading files from seemingly trustworthy sources. In this blog post, she chronicles the experience, offering essential insights int ...

There are many ways you can access my knowledge and skills to help you with your bookkeeping!
Do You Need Bookkeeping Support Or Help With Your Accounts?

If you have any doubts about doing your bookkeeping and accounts or maybe you've started a new business this year and don't know where to start? There are several ways you can get support from us at Silicon Bullet depending o ...

If you're not part of a professional body, you need to register to be supervised by HMRC for Money Laundering Regulations!
Anti Money Laundering Supervision With HMRC

If you are an independent bookkeeper qualified by experience and you have chosen not to be a member of a professional body then you need to register to be supervised by HMRC for Money Laundering Regulations ... ...

Xero's upcoming payroll flexibility will offer considerable benefits!
Easily Add Payroll Users to Your Xero Business Plans

Xero continues to strengthen its offerings for UK businesses by introducing a significant payroll feature in June 2023. With this update, users on select business plans will have the ability to add payroll users seamlessly .. ...

With these updates, Sage continues to solidify its position as a leader in accounting and financial management solutions!
Sage Introduces AI-Powered Updates

Sage has announced a series of updates to its customer subscriptions, effective from the 1st of April, 2025. These enhancements are designed to provide users with cutting-edge tools that streamline operations and foster busin ...

By introducing enhanced features and greater accessibility, Xero Simple aims to simplify financial management!
Xero Cashbook Is Evolving Into Xero Simple

Xero has announced the evolution from Xero Cashbook to the new and improved Xero Simple. This transition, set to take place on the 14th of April, is designed to offer users enhanced features without any additional cost ... ...

Now that you have no one but yourself to look out for you, what about your duty of care to you?
Are You A New Bookkeeper Working From Home In 2025?

This week, I hand over my blog post to the lovely Helena Whyment-Lester who is a whizz with health and safety. Her blog post is directed towards new bookkeepers who are newly working for themselves from home and how they have ...

These are a few tip and pointers about finding new clients when building a bookkeeping business!
Building A Bookkeeping Business: Finding New Clients

So you have set up as a bookkeeping business and you are now out there looking for clients. Someone is interested and wants to chat to you about your services so what should you do? ...

This transition from Xero Classic Invoicing is an opportunity to elevate how you manage your invoicing processes!
Xero: Embrace the Future of Invoicing

As you read this, you’re likely aware that the clock is ticking down to the 26th of February, 2025. This date marks the official retirement of Xero Classic Invoicing, prompting users everywhere to transition to the new invoic ...

Transitioning smoothly to the new payroll year not only minimises stress, but also helps maintain effective payroll practices!
Xero Payroll: Navigate Your Year-End With Confidence

Navigating the year-end processes for Xero Payroll can seem daunting, especially with the multitude of deadlines that loom over every payroll manager. However, you can ensure a smooth transition into the new tax year with my ...

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and I look forward to sharing my knowledge and bookkeeping wisdom in 2025!
Merry Christmas 2024 And A Happy New Year!

It's been another fantastic year of blogging here at Silicon Bullet. In fact, the whole year has been great for several reasons, both business and personally ... ...

Xero is not only attentive to the needs of its clientele, but also flexible enough to adapt its services accordingly!
Xero Payroll: Adapting to Client Needs

In September, Xero transformed its subscription plans into the Ignite, Grow, Comprehensive, and Ultimate tiers, a change meant to cater to a variety of users ... ...

We will register for early access to these new Sage 50 Accounts features so we can test them out!
Paving The Way For The Future Of Sage 50 Accounts

I recently attended a seminar about Sage 50 Accounts v31 and I thought I'd summarise some of the new features they showed us ... ...

Will you be upgrading to Sage 50 Accounts v31 soon?
Sage 50 Accounts v31 Is Now Available

Sage has now released Sage 50 Accounts v31 and will be rolling it out and prompting you to upgrade over the next few weeks. As usual I would suggest you allow us to upgrade and use the software for a while before you take the ...

f you feel you are not getting the most out of your accounts software then do get in touch!
Xero Developments, Tiktok And More

I attended an event last week called Xero Refresh, which was for their bookkeepers and accountants community, where they let us know plans in the pipeline. They also gave us a few top tips and tricks too, and it is so true th ...

Come and be my Bookkeeping Buddy today and stop feeling like you are struggling with your bookkeeping alone!
Welcome To Your New Bookkeeping Buddy

If you are a bookkeeper or a business owner doing your own bookkeeping and you feel like there is no-one you can go to for support, then your Bookkeeping Buddy is here to help ... ...

Do you know how the changes in Employers National Insurance will affect you?
Changes In Employers National Insurance & Employment Allowance

Full, disclosure, this wasn't my idea though I was able to help one of my bookkeeping mentor clients with her calculations this morning to get the sanity of her spreadsheet correct and was able to correct a mistake in the she ...

Be sure to review your current Adept licenses and budget accordingly!
Adept Add-Ons: Essential Updates on Subscription Fees

Recently, I was informed that Sage has significantly increased its annual developer fees and this eye-watering increase has meant Adept has had to implement some changes to its annual license fees ... ...

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