Should I use word or excel/spreadsheet for creating invoice?

[brannsiu]

I am doing small one-man-bank business that I want to create some invoices for better management
in the computer. The invoice will contain common information like invoice number, name of the customer, date of order, items and its details, qty, sub-total, discount and total etc.... Should I learn to use a word or excel
to create those invoices?

On top of just creating a printed invoice for reference, I'd like that, in the future, when I look up a name
of customer I'll be able to find out his order history and corresponding invoice number, or when I want to
look up a particular item I 'll be able to find out who bought it in the past, and I hope it can show up in a
list of table. Is it difficult to make it?

 

[USAFRet]

On top of just creating a printed invoice for reference, I'd like that, in the future, when I look up a name
of customer I'll be able to find out his order history and corresponding invoice number, or when I want to
look up a particular item I 'll be able to find out who bought it in the past, and I hope it can show up in a
list of table. Is it difficult to make it?

That is a database.
Not a spreadsheet or word doc.

This is easily done with an actual database application, even something as basic as MS Access.
Table for Customers
Table for Inventory
Table for Orders
....

One of the templates built in with Access 2019:

 

[brannsiu]

That is a database.
Not a spreadsheet or word doc.

This is easily done with an actual database application, even something as basic as MS Access.
Table for Customers
Table for Inventory
Table for Orders
....

One of the templates built in with Access 2019:

OK, I've got it. It's about the Access.

But will it need to be used with Excel ?

I hope that , for example, every time I type in a name in the Name of customer in a new invoice
then it will at the same time generate the database on the Access

Or could everything be done within the Access alone?

By the way, is the whole concept difficult for a beginner? If it's difficult I'd rather
look for other possibilities like paid software

 

[USAFRet]

Everything can be done within Access.

Create a new entry for a new Customer.
You save all HIS details. Name, shipping address, phone number, etc, etc.


You also have an Inventory table, of all your stuff.

Then...the Orders table is where is all comes together.

Customer A bought Item X.
You don't have to enter that Customers name again, just select him from the Customers table.

Is it easy? Well, for me it would be.
But it requires wrapping your head around the concept of a relational database.

I'm sure there are a zillion paid tools that will do this.
I don't know and can't recommend any in particular.

 

[Wolfshadw]

This is exactly what Quickbooks was designed for, but I've found that the learning curve for that is almost the same as it was for any database program. I'd probably recommend a free MS Access clone like LIbreOffice Base.

-Wolf sends

 

[brannsiu]

Everything can be done within Access.

Create a new entry for a new Customer.
You save all HIS details. Name, shipping address, phone number, etc, etc.


You also have an Inventory table, of all your stuff.

Then...the Orders table is where is all comes together.

Customer A bought Item X.
You don't have to enter that Customers name again, just select him from the Customers table.

Is it easy? Well, for me it would be.
But it requires wrapping your head around the concept of a relational database.

I'm sure there are a zillion paid tools that will do this.
I don't know and can't recommend any in particular.

Forgive me but I have ZERO knowledge on Access.

What are the topics that I should start with and focus on? I don't want to learn everything but as simple and fast as possible

 

[USAFRet]

Forgive me but I have ZERO knowledge on Access.

What are the topics that I should start with and focus on? I don't want to learn everything but as simple and fast as possible

In this case, I would either look for a prepackaged solution, or hire a local college kid to do this.

 

[Rogue Leader]

I am doing small one-man-bank business that I want to create some invoices for better management
in the computer. The invoice will contain common information like invoice number, name of the customer, date of order, items and its details, qty, sub-total, discount and total etc.... Should I learn to use a word or excel
to create those invoices?

On top of just creating a printed invoice for reference, I'd like that, in the future, when I look up a name
of customer I'll be able to find out his order history and corresponding invoice number, or when I want to
look up a particular item I 'll be able to find out who bought it in the past, and I hope it can show up in a
list of table. Is it difficult to make it?

If you're asking this question you're not capable of building the answer.

There are off the shelf software products that do this eons better than what you a sa beginner who has never done this before can do.

Quickbooks was suggested, thats the ONLY direction this should go.

 

[USAFRet]

And I missed the B word in:
"one-man-bank business"

Quickbooks, absolutely.

Somehow, I thought it was 'merchandise'.

 

[brannsiu]

And I missed the B word in:
"one-man-bank business"

Quickbooks, absolutely.

Somehow, I thought it was 'merchandise'.

can quickbooks work offline?

 

[brannsiu]

@Rogue Leader

Well, I just found that both Quickbooks cannot work offline and requires monthly subscription are not my cup of tea. If I would like to start learning something
about Access for my purpose do you have any tutorial site that you would recommend

 

[mdd1963]

Forgive me but I have ZERO knowledge on Access.

What are the topics that I should start with and focus on? I don't want to learn everything but as simple and fast as possible

I could only dare venture to guess the number of high quality tutorials likely available on Youtube to teach anyone almost anything.....

 

[USAFRet]

@Rogue Leader

Well, I just found that both Quickbooks cannot work offline and requires monthly subscription are not my cup of tea. If I would like to start learning something
about Access for my purpose do you have any tutorial site that you would recommend

Learning for its own sake is great. Do that.

Tutorials to lead you into building a fully functioning relational database to run your business is at least a couple years of study.

 

[Wolfshadw]

I'd probably start with W3School's SQL Tutorial to get the basics of querying data.

-Wolf sends

 

[Ralston18]

And I will add that it is fairly straightforward to import data from Excel to Access so you do not need to retype everything.

You can also use Excel tables as a "backend" for your data as well and work that way.

Just be sure that you have your Excel spreadsheets backed up - which you should be doing anyway.

 

[Rogue Leader]

@Rogue Leader

Well, I just found that both Quickbooks cannot work offline and requires monthly subscription are not my cup of tea. If I would like to start learning something
about Access for my purpose do you have any tutorial site that you would recommend

Yeah, YouTube.

That said Access isn't just a program you learn. You need to understand Database concepts, and based on your line of questioning (and I mean no offense) you do not. Again this is far more complicated than something you can learn of the fly especially if someone is depending their business on you.

My recommendation? Pass on the job (or get them setup with Quickbooks because your reasons for not using it are frankly, ridiculous) and if you want to learn this some day in the future, spend the time and money on an MCSE or other certification.

 

[Alabalcho]

There are off-line versions of QuickBooks who do not need Internet (apart from initial registration), or monthly subscription. If you have to run a business - run that business, and don't re-invent the wheel.