Search software and articles
Showing 241 to 260 of 274 reviews
Nomvula Cele
23 April 2026
When the fibre goes down in Richards Bay we keep capturing like nothing happened. Backups take a minute and I sleep well knowing the data sits on our own server. The GL is strict in the best way, it forces clean processing habits. Not moving. No reason to.
Pros
VAT reporting aligned with SARS; data lives on your own server
Jaco Hendricks
Financial Controller
21 April 2026
Fine software if you accept what it is and is not.
Pros
Point of sale option for the front counter
Cons
Occasional data errors need rebuilds
Emma Baloyi
1 March 2026
The cash book module alone saves my clerk hours every week. Data integrity has been flawless for us, 2 years without a corruption.
Pros
Point of sale option for the front counter
Khanyisile Damon
12 February 2026
It is dependable to a fault and dated to a fault. Report layouts beyond the standard ones need the forms designer and patience.
Pros
Fast local processing, no browser lag; consultants and training available everywhere in SA
Andile Jacobs
Financial Director
25 January 2026
I have year ends from over a decade ago that I can still open and inspect.
Cons
Needs proper IT support on a network
Njabulo Petersen
Financial Controller
22 January 2026
Invoicing hundreds of lines a day and it never falls over. Support through our local business partner is a phone call, not a ticket queue. Training a new clerk takes days because half the candidates already know it.
Pros
Data lives on your own server
Cheryl Miller
Financial Controller
11 January 2026
We rate the engine highly and the interface far less. Rebuild functions fix data issues but the fact you need them says something. Support through our local business partner is a phone call, not a ticket queue.
Pros
Granular user permissions
Cons
Needs proper IT support on a network
Zanele Ngcobo
Accounts Supervisor · Ngcobo Hardware and Sons
3 January 2026
New staff always know it already because the colleges all teach it. Backups take a minute and I sleep well knowing the data sits on our own server. It does the unglamorous work perfectly and that is the whole job.
Lwazi Van der Merwe
Office Manager · Upington Trading Supplies
19 December 2025
Our books have run on Pastel for 2 years and it has never once lost us data. Load shedding does not touch us, the server sits on an inverter and we keep working. The install base alone makes it the sensible choice here.
Pros
Fast local processing, no browser lag; payroll bundle discount is worthwhile
Cons
No real mobile story
Ashwin Petersen
Credit Controller · George Electrical Holdings
5 December 2025
Good software wrapped in a 2010 experience. The annual renewal invoice grows every year without much new to show for it.
Pros
Colleges still teach it so hiring is easy; point of sale option for the front counter
Andile Ndlovu
Practice Owner · Pietermaritzburg Tours Group
30 November 2025
After 2 years I know every corner of it, including the frustrating ones. The annual renewal invoice grows every year without much new to show for it. Multi company support means our two entities live side by side cleanly.
Pros
Payroll bundle discount is worthwhile
Cons
Needs proper IT support on a network
Lerato Ramjee
Director
31 October 2025
The cash book module alone saves my clerk hours every week.
Pros
Strong stock module with serial tracking; payroll bundle discount is worthwhile
Cons
Report customisation takes patience
Mandla Botes
Office Manager · Johannesburg Trading Supplies
16 October 2025
VAT processing at 15 percent is baked in and the reports line up with SARS. Supplier and customer ageing reports are exactly what a credit controller needs. Our consultant set up the chart of accounts once and it has served us for a decade. You buy Pastel for the reliability and it delivers exactly that.
Pros
Multi company on one licence; colleges still teach it so hiring is easy
Cons
Upgrades between versions can be fiddly
Vinesh Rikhotso
Managing Director
30 September 2025
Still the right tool for us, though the cloud options get more tempting yearly. Every useful extra is a separate module with a separate price. Load shedding does not touch us, the server sits on an inverter and we keep working.
Pros
Decades of proven stability; strong stock module with serial tracking
Cons
Emailing documents feels clunky
Meera Adams
Senior Bookkeeper · Vanderbijlpark Medical and Sons
10 September 2025
Our auditors know the reports by heart, year end goes quickly because of that. Inventory with serial numbers has kept our warehouse honest for years.
Marike Pretorius
Accountant
6 August 2025
Pastel does the accounting properly, it just makes you work for it sometimes. You need to be disciplined about backups because it is your responsibility alone. Load shedding does not touch us, the server sits on an inverter and we keep working.
Cons
Modules are priced separately and add up
Imraan Van der Merwe
Financial Manager
2 August 2025
As a bookkeeping practice we standardised on Pastel and never regretted it. You can drill from any report straight down to the source document. The bank manager module reconciles Nedbank statements quickly once the rules are set.
Pros
Most bookkeepers already know it
Cons
Annual renewal increases keep coming
Nomvula Botes
Bookkeeper
26 July 2025
Still the right tool for us, though the cloud options get more tempting yearly. Remote access means remote desktop gymnastics or paying for hosting.
Pros
Drill down from report to source document; fast local processing, no browser lag
Cons
Report customisation takes patience
Vinesh Khan
Upington Freight Group
22 July 2025
It is dependable to a fault and dated to a fault. Remote access means remote desktop gymnastics or paying for hosting.
Pros
Payroll bundle discount is worthwhile
Nkosinathi Brown
Practice Owner
3 July 2025
After trying the cloud options we stayed with the desktop, speed won. User permissions are granular enough that the juniors only see what they should.
Pros
Fast local processing, no browser lag
Cons
Remote access is clunky without hosting
South Africa
Botswana