An accounting module is an essential component of new or used car dealership software. Staying on top of spending and other transactions is one of the simplest ways to cut costs and increase profits. Numerous software vendors offer dealer management software designed specifically to streamline accounting duties. Instead of having to perform many tasks by hand, a good software program will take care of them automatically.Accounting software can be a major investment, especially for car dealers. There is the cost of the software itself, plus losses in productivity when installing the software and learning how to use it. To make sure your investment does not go to waste, here are five tips to keep in mind before committing to a particular automobile accounting program:1. Review the reviews: the internet is an excellent source for reviews by people who have just gone through the process you have. Be sure to note both positive and negative reviews. Take heed of what worked, what could be improved, and what past customers liked best about the accounting packages in which you have interest.2. Confirm compatibility: before spending your hard-earned cash on software, check to see whether it will work with your current computer and other software applications you already own. Lots of software solutions require specific amounts of processing power and memory. Some might require specialized equipment. If you can select a software package that will not require you to make additional upgrades, you will save extra money.3. Know the features: this sounds simple, but sometimes it can be difficult to know exactly what you want from your software before you buy it. If you have looked at the reviews as mentioned above, you should have a better idea of the features you want. To start, the automobile software obviously should record revenue and expenses. Next, your automobile accounting program should integrate with other modules of your dealership software system, so that one application will give you information on sales, inventory, and payroll all in one place. And while performing tasks and maintaining records are very important, keep in mind that you will probably want to print out formatted reports too. Choose auto dealership software that will allow you to present the information you want in a way that readers can comprehend.4. Test the software first: if you are moving along with the process of purchasing the software, set up a limited trial period with the vendor you have in mind, even if the trial will not be free. A small amount of money spent upfront is worth the time you will gain to use the software program in real-world circumstances. You want to determine how long it will take you to learn and implement the software. The longer it takes to become efficient with the software, the more money your dealership stands to lose.5. Find a reliable vendor: finally, take some time to examine the background of the automobile dealer software vendor itself. Software with all the bells and whistles is worth very little if the company that sells it is not committed to service. You do not want to spend more money than necessary, but consider investing a little more if you know that your vendor is reputable. It is quite common for issues to pop up after installing software; if you run into something major, your whole business could come to a standstill, costing you thousands of dollars. You want to work with a company that will do everything it can to fix the situation as quickly as possible, as opposed to a vendor that will forget about you as soon as you pay for the auto dealer software.These five recommendations will help ensure that the accounting software you select will be an investment that pays off for several years. You will enjoy all of the benefits while minimizing your costs.

What are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime? So asked my 9 year old grandson.

As I thought of the question the local Green Grocer came to mind. Because that is what the greatest change in shopping in my lifetime is.

That was the first place to start with the question of what are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime.

Our local green grocer was the most important change in shopping in my lifetime. Beside him was our butcher, a hairdresser and a chemist.

Looking back, we were well catered for as we had quite a few in our suburb. And yes, the greatest changes in shopping in my lifetime were with the small family owned businesses.

Entertainment While Shopping Has Changed
Buying butter was an entertainment in itself.
My sister and I often had to go to a favourite family grocer close by. We were always polite as we asked for a pound or two of butter and other small items.

Out came a big block of wet butter wrapped in grease-proof paper. Brought from the back of the shop, placed on a huge counter top and included two grooved pates.

That was a big change in our shopping in my lifetime… you don’t come across butter bashing nowadays.

Our old friendly Mr. Mahon with the moustache, would cut a square of butter. Lift it to another piece of greaseproof paper with his pates. On it went to the weighing scales, a bit sliced off or added here and there.

Our old grocer would then bash it with gusto, turning it over and over. Upside down and sideways it went, so that it had grooves from the pates, splashes going everywhere, including our faces.

My sister and I thought this was great fun and it always cracked us up. We loved it, as we loved Mahon’s, on the corner, our very favourite grocery shop.

Grocery Shopping
Further afield, we often had to go to another of my mother’s favourite, not so local, green grocer’s. Mr. McKessie, ( spelt phonetically) would take our list, gather the groceries and put them all in a big cardboard box.

And because we were good customers he always delivered them to our house free of charge. But he wasn’t nearly as much fun as old Mr. Mahon. Even so, he was a nice man.

All Things Fresh
So there were very many common services such as home deliveries like:

• Farm eggs

• Fresh vegetables

• Cow’s milk

• Freshly baked bread

• Coal for our open fires

Delivery Services
A man used to come to our house a couple of times a week with farm fresh eggs.

Another used to come every day with fresh vegetables, although my father loved growing his own.

Our milk, topped with beautiful cream, was delivered to our doorstep every single morning.

Unbelievably, come think of it now, our bread came to us in a huge van driven by our “bread-man” named Jerry who became a family friend.

My parents always invited Jerry and his wife to their parties, and there were many during the summer months. Kids and adults all thoroughly enjoyed these times. Alcohol was never included, my parents were teetotallers. Lemonade was a treat, with home made sandwiches and cakes.

The coal-man was another who delivered bags of coal for our open fires. I can still see his sooty face under his tweed cap but I can’t remember his name. We knew them all by name but most of them escape me now.

Mr. Higgins, a service man from the Hoover Company always came to our house to replace our old vacuum cleaner with an updated model.

Our insurance company even sent a man to collect the weekly premium.

People then only paid for their shopping with cash. This in itself has been a huge change in shopping in my lifetime.

In some department stores there was a system whereby the money from the cash registers was transported in a small cylinder on a moving wire track to the central office.

Some Of The Bigger Changes
Some of the bigger changes in shopping were the opening of supermarkets.

• Supermarkets replaced many individual smaller grocery shops. Cash and bank cheques have given way to credit and key cards.

• Internet shopping… the latest trend, but in many minds, doing more harm, to book shops.

• Not many written shopping lists, because mobile phones have taken over.

On a more optimistic note, I hear that book shops are popular again after a decline.

Personal Service Has Most Definitely Changed
So, no one really has to leave home, to purchase almost anything, technology makes it so easy to do online.
And we have a much bigger range of products now, to choose from, and credit cards have given us the greatest ease of payment.

We have longer shopping hours, and weekend shopping. But we have lost the personal service that we oldies had taken for granted and also appreciated.

Because of their frenetic lifestyles, I have heard people say they find shopping very stressful, that is grocery shopping. I’m sure it is when you have to dash home and cook dinner after a days work. I often think there has to be a better, less stressful way.

My mother had the best of both worlds, in the services she had at her disposal. With a full time job looking after 9 people, 7 children plus her and my dad, she was very lucky. Lucky too that she did not have 2 jobs.