Organise accounting files locally, online or in the cloud

Data saved in a single file

Accounting data are saved in one file.

• Data for each accounting are saved in one file.
  As a rule, one file is kept for each accounting year.
• You can give the file the name you want.
  As a rule, the file name is made up of the company name and the accounting year, followed by the extension "company-2020.ac2"
• You can save the file in the folder you want.
  • A local folder.
  • A network folder.
• Banana Accounting is like Excel, only one person can work on the same file at a time.
  You have to pay attention and check that other people are not working on the same file.
  If you work on a local Window network and the file is in use, you will receive a message that the file is only made available for reading.
  For other operating systems there are no messages. Be careful if you work with multiple people.
  The person who saves the data will overwrite the previous one.

Create the ideal folder structure

Setting up an appropriate directory structure will make it easier for you to manage your accounting files, linked digital documents and also share it with others.
To create folders you must use the functions made available for your operating system.

The following tips are useful for organizing your files well:

• If you manage multiple accounts it is advisable to create a folder for each company.
• If in addition to the accounting files you keep digital documents as well, it is recommended to have a separate folder for each accounting year.
• Each accounting entry can be linked to a file relating to the digital accounting document.
  The accounting for the year is better kept and saved in a sub-folder of the current year, so that the program creates relative links, which work even if you use synchronized files on different computers.
• Basic documents, which do not lose their validity, are preferably saved in their own folder.

The folder structure can be as follows:

• [Company name] "Company"
  Creates the folders for the different accounting years in this directory.
  • Base
    Sub-folder where documents or digitized documents that never lose their validity, are kept such as rental contracts, insurance.
    You can also use this folder to store the Fixed assets register.
  • 2022
    Sub-folder where to save the accounting file of the current year (company-2022.ac2), other documents relevant to the current year and the pdf file at the end of the year.
    • Supporting documents.
      Sub-folder to electronic documents, to the path is relevant to the file and documents will open with a click, even on different operating systems when using sync systems such as Dropbox.
  • 2023
    Sub-folder where you save the file of the following year
    • Supporting documents.

Working on a local network

If your company uses a local area network, you can create the folder structure in your local area network, so that it will be accessible to multiple people.

On the local network you can generally assign access rights as well, therefore limit the number of people who can access the accounting data.

Working with Cloud systems

If you use Dropbox, iCloud, OneDrive, GoogleDrive or any other similar service, a folder will be created on your computer that contains the data that are synchronized.

To be able to work on multiple computers, all you have to do is create a subfolder with the company data in the synchronized data folder, using the structure indicated in the previous paragraph. Automatically, the accounting and supporting documents files will be synchronized between the different systems.

Sharing data with your accountant

Cloud systems also allow you to share data with others. You must create the directory structure as indicated above inside the directory, that is being synchronized. Use the Dropbox command to share the folder with your accountant and he will then be able to view and edit your files.
 

Other useful resources:

• Scan documents
• Add digital attachments