Australia has a thriving agricultural industry with a variety of accounting software options available at your fingertips. However, finding an accounting program suited to the needs of an agricultural business involves more than just selecting one that can do your GST, generic reporting, and assist with paying bills. There are several key points to consider when choosing an accounting software that will best suit your needs as a farmer.
Choosing the right farm accounting software is essential for success, especially in agriculture. Your business deserves software designed with your specific needs in mind, not a generic solution.
“Phoenix Financials software has been set up for farmers and gives cutting edge performance information that other online platforms simply cannot match. It has the ability to track livestock effectively, perform fuel tax calculations, has great reports for both the farmers and accountant, and is easy to use.”
Stephen Malcolm, The Farmers Accountant – Dubbo, NSW
Accounting Features Specific for the Agricultural Industry
Phoenix Financials offers all the standard features you’d expect, like a cashbook, GST reporting, bank feeds, EFT payments, and the ability to attach electronic documents to transactions using the Phoenix File Library. But what sets Phoenix apart is its agricultural focus:
- Tailored to Agriculture: Phoenix Financials is built specifically for agriculture, with integrated modules for Payroll, Mapping, Livestock, and Cropping management. It includes livestock and commodity accounts to track assets you grow or produce and offers enterprise and seasonal analysis. Livestock producers can even record and report on both number and weights of animals sold. There’s no need to juggle multiple programs like Excel or depend on third parties to regain functionality that Phoenix already offers.
- Budgeting & Forecasting Tools: The Phoenix Budgeting Tool seamlessly integrates with your Financials, making it easy to create new budgets based on actuals. Phoenix also has worktables and planning tables to detail the calculations behind your budget figures unique to agriculture. You can track your progress by comparing actuals to budget figures and create projected cashflows combining your actuals with your budgeted forecast.
- Fuel Tax Credits: Phoenix can automatically calculate Fuel Tax Credits for your BAS, eliminating the need for manual calculations or third-party tools.
- Comprehensive Reporting: Phoenix offers detailed reporting that provides the visibility needed to manage your business effectively. You can drill down into the details at almost any level, analysing profit centres within your company without relying on third parties.
- Desktop & Cloud-Based Platform: Phoenix provides both desktop and cloud-based (Live) software options. The cloud-based option enables easier collaboration with your accountant by allowing them, with your permission, to access all your accounting data from the comfort of their office. End-of-financial-year processes and audits can be completed without them even stepping foot on your farm.
- Outstanding Support: Phoenix provides first-class support not only to you but also to other stakeholders in your business, such as your accountant. Our support team are based locally, in Queensland, Australia and provide support via email, SMS, and phone.
- Pricing: Phoenix offers three subscription options: Desktop LITE, Desktop Pro and Phoenix Live. The Phoenix Desktop options include unlimited users and books, with a fee for each additional device activation. Phoenix Live allows you to add extra users and books, with a fee per addition. You won’t need to purchase a new subscription for each business you own, making Phoenix Financials more cost-effective and leaving more profit in your pocket. You can view the Phoenix subscription options, pricing, and inclusions on our website here.
Why Clients Choose Phoenix by AGDATA
At times, we hear from clients that their accountant wants them to switch to software the accountant prefers. While your accountant may have a preferred software they like to use, it’s important to remember that they work for you, not the other way around. You need to be certain that an alternative software can perform the agricultural-specific reports and functions that are important to your farming business.
“I initially switched from Phoenix to Xero on the advice of our accountant, hoping to save time in the office. However, I quickly realised that Xero lacked the specific reporting capabilities essential for our agricultural business. Extracting the necessary data was cumbersome. After a year – a very long year – I was eager to return to Phoenix.
Phoenix is designed specifically for the agriculture industry, making it perfectly suited to our business. The ease of use, the ability to speak with someone in Australia when I need support, and the helpful online tutorials make Phoenix the ideal choice for managing our farm’s finances. I highly recommend AGDATA’s Phoenix to anyone in the agricultural sector looking for reliable and industry-specific financial management software.”
Anita Dennis – Blackall, QLD
If you’d like to hear why farmers and accountants choose Phoenix as their farm accounting software, watch our five short client story videos here.
A Phoenix by AGDATA vs Xero Comparison
The table below provides a more in-depth comparison of Phoenix and Xero features. You can download and print a PDF copy here.
Software Features | Xero | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
Budgeting & Forecasting Tool | ||
Fuel Tax Credit Calculation | ||
Pay Bills | ||
Claim Expenses | ||
Bank Feed/Import | ||
Online Customer Payments | ||
Auto Calculate GST | ||
Direct ATO BAS Lodgement | ||
Bank Reconciliation | ||
Contacts | ||
Document Data Capture | ||
Files – Email & Upload. Accountant & Bookkeeper Access | ||
Reporting | ||
Manage Inventory | ||
Online Invoicing & Purchase Orders | ||
Accounting Dashboard | ||
Manage Fixed Assets | ||
Payroll | ||
Livestock Trading Accounts – With Taxation & Management Reports | ||
Seasonal Farm Enterprise Analysis | ||
Commodity Trading Accounts | ||
Group Comparative Analysis & Benchmarking | ||
Farm Gross Margin Reports by Season | ||
Phone App | ||
Software Support Team Located in Australia | ||
Email Support | ||
Phone & SMS Support | ||
Chat Bot Support | ||
Access Data After Cancellation | ||
Data Stored Securely in Australia |
If you have questions on how Phoenix software is the right choice for your farming business, please reach out to our Tech Support Team here. Alternatively, download a free trial of Phoenix here.
