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Showing 201 to 220 of 274 reviews
Rajesh Tshabalala
Owner · Tshabalala Accountants
1 November 2025
We process for 8 clients in our practice and every one of them is on Pastel. Our consultant set up the chart of accounts once and it has served us for a decade. It does the unglamorous work perfectly and that is the whole job.
Pros
Drill down from report to source document; granular user permissions
Senzo Grobler
Senior Bookkeeper · Grobler Logistics
24 October 2025
Pastel does the accounting properly, it just makes you work for it sometimes. Emailing invoices works but feels clunky next to modern systems.
Pros
Decades of proven stability; batch processing suits real accounts teams
Cons
No real mobile story
Nonhlanhla Cassim
Accounts Clerk
20 October 2025
Happy with the bookkeeping, less happy with the bill. Rebuild functions fix data issues but the fact you need them says something. Emailing invoices works but feels clunky next to modern systems.
Pros
Point of sale option for the front counter
Cons
No real mobile story
Feroza Joubert
Financial Manager
20 August 2025
The core is bulletproof. The extras feel bolted on. Remote access means remote desktop gymnastics or paying for hosting. The GL is strict in the best way, it forces clean processing habits.
Pros
Granular user permissions; data lives on your own server
Cons
Interface looks and feels dated
Ayanda Steyn
Senior Bookkeeper · Summit Foods SA
5 August 2025
As a bookkeeping practice we standardised on Pastel and never regretted it.
Pros
Payroll bundle discount is worthwhile; decades of proven stability
Kobus Mabaso
Managing Director · Baobab Attorneys Services
15 July 2025
The general ledger structure is exactly how accounting should be done. Year end procedures look scary the first time but the wizard walks you through it. Our audit fees dropped because the records are so clean. Enough said.
Pros
Ageing reports are excellent
Nomsa Miller
Accountant
25 June 2025
It is not glamorous but the trial balance is right every single month. Multi company support means our two entities live side by side cleanly.
Pros
Decades of proven stability
Cons
Report customisation takes patience
Megan Moodley
Office Manager · Kudu Timber Supplies
20 June 2025
We moved from a cloud product back to Pastel for the processing speed alone. Load shedding does not touch us, the server sits on an inverter and we keep working.
Cons
Needs proper IT support on a network
Charmaine September
Accounts Supervisor
6 June 2025
New staff always know it already because the colleges all teach it.
Pros
Strong stock module with serial tracking
Cons
Modules are priced separately and add up
Sifiso Williams
Office Manager · Horizon Freight Group
7 May 2025
We rate the engine highly and the interface far less. Multi user on a network needs proper IT support or you will have odd errors. Backups take a minute and I sleep well knowing the data sits on our own server.
Pros
Forms designer matches documents to letterhead
Cons
Modules are priced separately and add up
Pieter Adams
Director · Legacy Timber Group
26 April 2025
Still the right tool for us, though the cloud options get more tempting yearly. Rebuild functions fix data issues but the fact you need them says something.
Pros
Drill down from report to source document; granular user permissions
Cons
Needs proper IT support on a network
Petro Botha
Financial Director
25 April 2025
After trying the cloud options we stayed with the desktop, speed won. Multi company support means our two entities live side by side cleanly.
Emma Brown
Managing Director · Roodepoort Accountants Solutions
29 March 2025
Good software wrapped in a 2010 experience. The annual renewal invoice grows every year without much new to show for it. The GL is strict in the best way, it forces clean processing habits.
Pros
Fast local processing, no browser lag
Cons
Upgrades between versions can be fiddly
Thulani Marais
Accountant
5 March 2025
We process for 8 clients in our practice and every one of them is on Pastel. Year end procedures look scary the first time but the wizard walks you through it. Processing speed on a local machine beats waiting for a browser every time.
Pros
Point of sale option for the front counter
Dineo Fortuin
Accounts Clerk · Zambezi Freight Holdings
27 February 2025
Does everything we need at the office. Away from the office is another story. You need to be disciplined about backups because it is your responsibility alone.
Pros
Fast local processing, no browser lag; strong stock module with serial tracking
Cons
Remote access is clunky without hosting
Chantelle Nel
Office Manager
27 February 2025
We run stock, debtors, creditors and the ledger for two branches on it. Supplier and customer ageing reports are exactly what a credit controller needs. The bank manager module reconciles FNB statements quickly once the rules are set. You buy Pastel for the reliability and it delivers exactly that.
Cons
Interface looks and feels dated
Marike Steyn
Owner
30 November 2024
Batch processing suits how a real accounts department actually works. Training a new clerk takes days because half the candidates already know it. Twenty years from now someone will still be running their books on Pastel.
Pros
Ageing reports are excellent
Cons
Needs proper IT support on a network
Zodwa Shabalala
Financial Controller · Knysna Textiles Studio
28 November 2024
Invoicing hundreds of lines a day and it never falls over. The Intelligence reporting module turns the ledger into proper management packs. The forms designer let us match our invoices to our letterhead exactly.
Cons
Modules are priced separately and add up
Mpho Govender
Financial Controller
6 August 2024
It is dependable to a fault and dated to a fault. Remote access means remote desktop gymnastics or paying for hosting. The GL is strict in the best way, it forces clean processing habits.
Pros
Strong stock module with serial tracking
Cons
Occasional data errors need rebuilds
Megan Ramjee
Owner · Somerset West Drilling
27 July 2024
We process for 8 clients in our practice and every one of them is on Pastel. Processing speed on a local machine beats waiting for a browser every time. Load shedding does not touch us, the server sits on an inverter and we keep working.
Pros
Multi company on one licence
Namibia
South Africa
Botswana