It is an easy-to-use package that automates a business’s accounts, allowing users to manage customer invoices, payments, outstanding balances, bad debts and customer statements. It also allows one to manage supplier invoices, returns, orders and payments due.

Pastel Software Zimbabwe managing director Rob Watson said My Business is a stable accounting package that is a good entry point for businesses that want to start computerising their accounts and only need a simple single-user system.

He said it is affordable for a small business. Annual registration is required but free.

“The purpose of the annual registration is largely to ensure that your contact details and other customer information are up-to-date,” he said. “All you have to do is telephone our office and confirm you wish to re-register.”

My Business, which can be purchased form Pastel Software Zimbabwe or its distributors sells for US$160.

Pastel Software Zimbabwe support supervisor Nazrin Bheda, who addressed delegates attending the launch of Version 2 in Harare recently, said Pastel My Business was ideal for a company with a small staff. She said a small businessperson running more than one company could use the same software on a single computer for all the companies.

My Business makes it possible to manage items purchased, sold and returned, as well as the costs and quantities. It provides reports on top selling items, as well as the most purchased items.

Bank account transactions can be entered and company expense payments tracked. The package makes it easy to reconcile the cashbook and report on total cash received and paid out.

The My Business profit and loss account report shows profitability, while the VAT report can be used for VAT submissions.

A major advantage for small business owners is that Pastel My Business has only the functions that a small business would need and uses simple language rather than the accounting jargon that characterises most accounting software packages, making it ideal for first time accounting software users and small business owners with no accounting background.

My Business also has a dashboard that gives a bird’s eye view of what is happening in the business, such as information on who owes the company money and who the company owes money.

Other popular Pastel accounting packages in use by more developed small and medium-sized businesses in Zimbabwe and South Africa include Pastel Partner and Pastel Evolution

Pastel Xpress is also popular. It has more functions than Pastel My Business but not as many as Pastel Partner.

It is possible to upgrade from My Business to other Pastel products, as a business grows. Mr Watson said a Pastel My Business user would be given a rebate on some of the cost of purchasing My Business when upgrading to a higher package. He also said data in My Business can be transferred to the new package that is purchased.

Pastel software dominates the accounting software for small to medium-sized businesses market in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Pastel My Business is unique within the Pastel family of products in providing a good basic package for owner-operated businesses and other small businesses with only basic accounting needs.