New to accounting software? This step-by-step guide walks you through setup, connecting your bank, recording income and expenses, reconciling, and running your first reports, no jargon.
Published July 2026 · Updated July 2026
When you first sign in, the software walks you through your business basics, your name, whether you're VAT registered, and your accounting dates. Beginner-friendly tools configure your chart of accounts (the categories your money is sorted into) for you, so you don't have to build anything from scratch.
Linking your bank account lets transactions flow in automatically through a bank feed. This is the single biggest time-saver: instead of typing every payment, you review transactions the software has already imported.
Send invoices to customers from within the software, and record what you spend. With plain-English tools you simply describe a transaction and the software creates the correct entry. Categorising things consistently is what makes your reports meaningful later.
Reconciliation means matching the transactions in your records against your bank statement so the two agree. Software suggests matches, so this is usually a quick weekly review rather than a chore. Doing it regularly keeps your numbers trustworthy.
Once data is flowing in, the reports do the work: profit and loss shows if you're making money, the dashboard shows cash and what's owed, and the VAT summary shows what you owe HMRC. Check them monthly to stay on top of the business.
With a plain-English tool, most people are comfortable within their first session. The bank feed and guided setup remove most of the manual work.
You can edit or recategorise transactions. Regular reconciliation catches errors early before they affect your reports or VAT.
No. A connected bank feed imports transactions automatically, so you mostly review and confirm rather than type.
This guide is general information for UK small business owners, not accounting, tax or legal advice. Rules, rates and thresholds reflect 2026/27 and change over time; always check the linked official source or a qualified adviser for your situation.