Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Use Tally ERP 9

Tally ERP 9

Are you considering using Tally ERP 9 for your business’s accounting needs? Hold off before making that decision. While Tally ERP 9 may be a popular accounting software, it has its fair share of drawbacks. From being complex and not user-friendly to offering useless paid upgrades, tt can slow down your accounting process and be a source of frustration for small businesses with limited resources.

Let’s look at why Tally ERP 9 may not be the best fit for your business and offer an alternative solution to consider.

Why You Shouldn’t Use Tally ERP 9

Let’s explore why Tally ERP 9 may not be the best choice for your accounting needs.

1.  Complex UX/UI:

It is not user-friendly software and requires a qualified accountant or at least two years of experience with the software to use it effectively. Small businesses with limited resources may find it challenging to use Tally ERP 9. Simply put, it requires expert or at least intermediate-level accounting knowledge in order to work.

2.  Software That Only Uses One Screen:

The software does not allow you to work on more than one ledger at a time, which makes it challenging to review work while making entries into the ledger. This slows down the accounting process.

3.  Pointless Paid Upgrades:

Upgrades for Tally ERP 9 are expensive and offer little noticeable difference. It costs between AED 1000 and AED 2000 per installation for Tally Partners to make upgrades.

4.  Not Useful for Multi-Branch Operations:

It is not ideal for multi-branch operations. To operate Tally from multi-sites, you must use VPN and invest in servers and LAN bundled with Tally.net. Consultancy and implementation costs can add up.

5.  No Flexibility of Changing of Chart of Accounts:

Tally ERP 9’s lack of a default setting button can cause frustration and time wastage. Changing settings after configuration settings are completed requires restarting and deleting all ledgers, making it a rigid and challenging software to use.

6.  No Central Support:

Tally ERP 9 lacks centralized support, forcing users to rely on the partner network, whose fees and level of expertise can vary.

7.  Low Security:

Losing your password can be a security risk as it can be challenging to retrieve data without it.

8.  Loss of Data:

Since it is desktop or server-based, the risk of losing data due to machine crashes or viruses is high.

9.  No Customization or Module Integration:

It does not support the customization or integration of other applications, and it cannot be customized.

So, What’s the Alternative?

If you are looking for an alternative, consider Xero Cloud Accounting Software. Xero is a user-friendly and efficient cloud-based accounting software that allows for multi-branch operations, flexible chart of accounts, and customization. Xero also offers central support and high-security features, making it a safer and more effective accounting solution.

What is a FAF File? [FTA Audit File]

fta audit file

The FTA has produced a very concise document on the required functions of accounting software which are needed to produce the FTA Audit files (“FAF”) for VAT and Excise Tax should they ever request it.

What is accounting software?

Accounting software should be a key part of any modern growing business whether a retail store or a service provider and it is not something reserved just for large corporations.

Currently, there are many accounting software solutions being used in the UAE the key players in the market are:

When selecting an accounting solution business owners should ensure that the solution complies with the FTA registration requirements.

Any competent accounting software should be able to produce Sales Invoice, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, and General Ledger but the FTA has very specific requirements, namely the need to generate a FAF File.

FTA Audit File

FAF is something that could be requested by the FTA whilst conducting a periodic audit to ensure that tax and returns have been prepared correctly. It is strongly recommended that businesses check with their software vendors to make sure they are able to produce FTA Audit Files (FAF) if required, otherwise it would be a very costly exercise to do on-demand.

NOTE: It may be possible that your software is able to produce data in FAF but your accounting partner failed to implement and monitor the documenting of the transactions as per the FTA Requirements and you only realize when the FAF is requested at which point it could take weeks to rectify.

Key Elements to be present in the FTA Audit File (FAF) are:

  • Company Information such as Company Name and TRN No.
  • Master Files
    • Supplier File
      • Name of Supplier
      • Location of Supplier by Emirates
      • TRN No. if applicable
    • Customer File
      • Name of Customer
      • Location of Customer
      • TRN No. if applicable
    • Source Documents
      • Purchase Invoices, Imports, Credit Notes (with all details)
      • Sales Invoices, Credit Noted Issued to Customers (with all details)
      • Payments
        • Transaction Date
        • Payment Date
      • General Ledger
      • Product File

In summary, your accounting software must be able to produce all or any of the above if requested by the FTA during a periodic audit of your VAT Return.

Profits Plus Accountants

We are a British Accounting Firm based in Dubai and we help businesses navigate the FTA requirements using the cloud accounting software in the World.

We make sure that you remain 100% compliant.

As a Silver Partner of Xero Cloud Accounting Software, we have a local team based in Dubai with over 20 years of experience (collectively).

If you are looking for an accountant in Dubai then speak to Ali Afzal, a Managing Partner at the firm. You can reach him directly on a.afzal@profitsplus.ae.

Note: www.profitsplus.ae is a domain belonging to Profits Accounting and Bookkeeping, an accounting and bookkeeping firm registered with Dubai Economy, Trade License No. 796316.

Tally ERP 9 [9 Reason You Should Not Use Tally ERP 9]

Thinking of purchasing Tally ERP 9? Read this article before making that decision.

Disadvantages of Tally ERP 9
  1. Not user-friendly at all. I have met many CEO’s and In-House Accountants who contact me soon after setting up Tally ERP 9 and ask me to provide them with our accounting services simply because they realize how complex it is to use Tally ERP 9. Unless you are a qualified accountant or have employee a qualified accountant with at least 2 years’ experience Tally ERP 9 is just not user-friendly and thus not appropriate for small businesses with limited resources.
  2. Single screen software. Tally ERP 9 does not allow you to work on more than one ledger at a time which makes it difficult to review work whilst making entries into the ledger. This is a very basic function and means that it really slows down the accounting process.
  3. Useless paid upgrades. You have to purchase any upgrades and in fact, there is little noticeable difference between Tally 4 and Tally 9 but the cost of upgrading is expensive as you require the call out from Tally Partners and typically this will cost between AED 1000 and AED 2000 per installation.
  4. Not ideal for multi-branch. The only way to operate tally from multi-sites is to use VPN and this is hardly practical today. To make it effective you have to invest in servers and LAN bundled with Tally.net and then don’t forget the consultancy and implementation costs.
  5. No flexibility on Chart of Accounts. The default setting button is not provided and if you want to change the setting after configuration settings are done you will have to restart and delete all the ledgers and start again from the beginning. Once you have created the journal voucher it is not possible to make changes in it. This makes Tally 9 very rigid and difficult to use.
  6. No central support. Tally 9 is not supported centrally by Tally itself and instead, you have to rely on the partner network and the fees charged can vary significantly as well as the level of expertise, not always related.
  7. Low Security. Do not lose your password as it is difficult to retrieve data without the password and very time-consuming.
  8. Loss of data. Since Tally ERP 9 software is desktop or server based on the risk of losing your data is huge should your machine crash or become infected by a virus.
  9. No customization or module integration. It is not possible to customise Tally 9 or integrate with any other software.
Still thinking of purchasing Tally ERP 9?

I didn’t think so.

As an alternative consider Xero Cloud Accounting Software. We are a xero certified silver partner in Dubai and provide the software free of charge as part of our vat accounting packages.