I have realized I need to get a software program to help keep me organized.  I am getting too busy for my pen and paper organization.  Any suggestions?  It would be super snazzy if it was accessible or sync-able with my iphone and tablet for off location consults and out of office bookings/appts.  Anything you can offer would be awesome!  I am thinking about cakeboss but not sure if theres something better out there or not.

AWhat specific features do you need? QuickBooks might be a good bet, if you buy the desktop version it comes with a companion app you can use on your mobile device.

You might want to have a look at the online software Kashflow.  If you are talking about recording all your income and expenditure.  I know that there is facility on there to write estimates too and then turn them into a proper order.  It will track your bank balance too - as well as showing the customers who have paid a deposit on a cake and still owe the balance.  But like all these things - you must keep it up to date.   This might be UK only - or you may be able to switch currencies.  Have a look. 

Hi Thank you for the replies!

I think I would like something that holds my orders and organizes my calendar for appointments and orders.  It would need to track incomes and expenses and be great if it could do invoices as well.  I have worked out the costs of my ingredients and supplies but to redo it is a nightmare job so if it could easily track that too I'd be a happy camper.  to this date I have been noting everything on paper order sheets and putting them in order in a binder. Then I put my orders in my calendar on my phone as well so that I have a record of what is coming up with me all the time.  Sometimes referencing my order binder and email gets annoying or if someone asks about their order and I don't remember when it is I have to go on an easter egg hunt.  "I'll usually tell them I have to pull their file and get back to them"  As a previous administrative assistant in a dental office all this paperwork irritates the heck out of me.  It should be all computerized and so much easier than this! ugh!

Quickbooks is amazing! It will do more then you can imagine or ever need. PLUS it's what most businesses and accountants use. So as your business grows you'll be a step ahead of the learning curve by knowing how to use it.

It is expensive, but worth every penny and more powerful them multiple programs combined:

1. You'll never out grow it. You get free automatic updates.

2. It can give your reports about your business you never thought to look into.

3. You can keep track of every little detail you could EVER think of. You only enter the info. once and it uses it in every application you ask of it.

AQB really isn't that expensive either, it's only $30 more than Cake Boss. It handles expenses, income, and invoices, plus it plugs into your tax software so it greatly simplifies the corporate taxes. I'm not sure if it does scheduling, we had relatively low volume (~7-10 orders per week) so I just tracked orders manually in chronological order in a Word document.

You do need at least a basic background in accounting to set it up initially, although you can pay someone to help you with this.

I think you have to work out what is best way forward.  Some accounting packages like Sage are a one off purchase, but then they try and get you signed up for a yearly Help Line.  Sage is about £150 in UK.   Kashflow is an online programme, which you pay for monthly.  Advantage of this, as it is held online, you can access your data from any computer, unlike Sage which will only hold it where you first installed the programme.  Currently I have not looked at Cake Boss, but would be interested to review it for my customers.  My background prior to CakeCoachOnline was with accounts management for an international interior designer, so had to really get to grips with organising pieces of paper with creative bosses, so always looking at ways to simplify the admin for the creative people who basically do not want to be doing it!     I know one of my coaching clients synced his Kashflow system with an application that he can now look up on the Iphone all his appointments etc.  Watch this space.  I will ask him what he added on and get back to you all....:) Kx 

Thanks for all the input everyone! I still have to make a decision but this is very helpful.  before I was sold on cakeboss for the scheduling features but now I'm not so sure. QB seems like the way to go from all of your comments.  (Really wish I could adapt the dental software I am used to for organizing my cake business...lol that would be awesome! ) too bad most of the features revolve around teeth not cake

I love QB...it even tracks your inventory!