The solution, dubbed NetWorth2b StoryBooks +Billing, is touted as a fully functional small-business accounting system with a simplified interface. It was initially developed by founder and CEO Jean Hines, a CPA, for her own personal use as a consultant before she rolled the solution out to the broader public.
Like all of the company's other solutions, it works offline, as it is not a web-based software product. Users just buy the app as they would any other one-off purchase. This is an important part for Hines, who cited security concerns as a chief motivation behind designing offline apps. While the trend in the software industry is toward cloud-based and AI-powered solutions, she was not eager to follow it.
"Since data breaches are so commonplace these days, it's hard to believe that data loaded into any cloud-based system could ever be secure. As a practicing CPA, I was motivated to create software that I feel comfortable loading my financial data into. As a side issue, I would say that not all trends are good," she said in an email.
Among its features, the software tracks revenue and expenses for users. All reports are generated within the app based on user-defined criteria; the app does not use artificial intelligence. From the dashboard, users can view their balance sheet, income statement, trial balance, general ledger, receipt summary, disbursement summary, journal entry summary and payroll summary. Using a client bill portal, users can also access reports on accounts receivable aging, client statements, bills issued, and receipts/adjustments applied. People can view the reports on screen, save them to PDF files, print them, or move them to another device.
It also produces client invoices and statements. The user controls when they are generated and sent. Like all other reports, they can be printed to PDF files; however, client bills and statements can also be sent via email, to expedite delivery. Like the reports, they are not AI-generated.
The solution can also calculate payroll taxes. Because it is local to the user, they will enter the FICA, state and local payroll taxes themselves on an input screen (rates can be updated anytime.) The user enters the gross pay and federal withholding, then taps a "Calculate" button to generate a report based on the inputted rates, which provides the data that informs the payroll summary report. Federal withholding taxes are not calculated due to the large number of variables involved, though the amount that is entered into the template will be included in the payroll summary report.
The StoryBooks +Billing Quick Start Guide can be downloaded for free from the Apple bookstore. There is also a
