Spreadsheets are flexible but enforce nothing. Desktop accounting software enforces double entry but usually lives on one computer and one company file. Cloud accounting software such as Ledgeriano adds many businesses per login, automation between them and an API. Here is an honest comparison to help you choose.
Fine for one tiny business with a few dozen transactions a month, or for analysis on top of real books.
A good fit for a single company that works in one office, needs invoicing, stock or payroll in the same package, or must work offline.
Built for groups, accountants with several clients and teams that integrate: many businesses, intercompany workflows, an API, two languages and two calendars.
Desktop software varies a lot between products and editions, so that column describes what is typical, not any particular product.
| Capability | Spreadsheets | Desktop accounting software | Ledgeriano |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double entry | Nothing stops an unbalanced entry | Enforced | Enforced: an entry must balance before it can be posted |
| Multiple entities | One file or tab per company; consolidation by copy and paste | Usually one company file open at a time | Any number of businesses under one login, each with its own currency, calendar and chart |
| Intercompany automation | Re-key every transaction in both files | Rarely built in; often manual or custom scripts | Workflows post the other side automatically, with dry-run tests and loop protection |
| API and integrations | None, apart from file exports and macros | Varies; often local, limited or a paid add-on | REST API per business, idempotency keys and signed webhooks |
| Audit trail | File version history, not who posted which entry | Usually available on the local machine or server | Every create, edit, post and reversal logged with user and time; posted entries are corrected by reversal |
| Year-end closing | Formulas you build and check yourself | Built in | One-click close into retained earnings, automatic opening entry, reopen if needed |
| Multi-currency | Manual rate lookups and formulas | Common, sometimes only in higher editions | Entries in any active currency with stored rates; reports in the base currency |
| Collaboration | Shared files with no accounting roles | Single user or office network; remote access needs extra setup | Browser based, email invitations, six roles plus custom roles, two-factor sign-in |
| Cost model | Little or no software cost, a lot of staff time | License or yearly subscription, often per seat or edition | Pay as you go with credits, free credits to start, no per-seat fee |
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Most businesses move at the start of a fiscal year or a month. Plan an afternoon for a single company with a clean trial balance.
Start of a fiscal year is cleanest; start of a month works too. Close the old books up to the day before.
Take the closing trial balance and the open receivables and payables per customer and supplier from the old system.
Set the accounting standard, region, calendar and base currency. Ledgeriano installs a matching chart of accounts template.
Keep your existing codes where you can: rename, add or deactivate template accounts, or start with an empty chart. See the chart of accounts guide.
Create customers and suppliers, cost centers, projects and voucher types before you enter balances.
Record one balanced journal entry dated on the first day, with party detail on receivables and payables. Larger lists can be posted with the API.
Run the trial balance and compare it with the old system. Every account should match before you continue.
Set a lock date on the migrated period, invite your team with the right roles and set up any workflows.
For real books, yes. Accounting software enforces balanced double entry, keeps an audit trail and produces the trial balance and statements from the same data. Spreadsheets stay useful for analysis and budgets built on exported reports.
Desktop software is installed on a computer or office server, and access, backups and updates are your responsibility. Cloud software such as Ledgeriano runs in the browser, so a team can work from anywhere with roles and two-factor sign-in.
There is no spreadsheet upload yet. Most teams post opening balances as one journal entry and bring history in with a short script against the accounting API.
Yes. Reports export to CSV and print cleanly, and the API gives read access to accounts, entries, parties and reports at any time.
It depends on volume. You pay with credits per action instead of a license, and new accounts get free credits. Check the pricing page and estimate from your monthly entry count.
Create a business, post your opening balances and run a trial balance. New accounts get free credits, and the pricing is pay as you go.