If your data center needs a web-based accounting program for small businesses, give Akaunting a try.
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Your data center for small businesses is incomplete without an accounting program. Although you may be tempted to go directly to Quickbooks or another proprietary solution, why not try an open source solution on location first? Such an option is Akaunting.
Akaunting features:
Akaunting can be installed on any Linux server in your data center. I’m going to guide you through the installation process on Ubuntu Server 18.04.
SEE: Rental package: database administrator (TechRepublic Premium)
What you need
The only thing you need to get Akaunting installed are:
How to install dependencies
The first thing we are going to do is install the necessary dependencies. To do this, log in to your Ubuntu server and execute the command:
sudo apt-get install apache2 mariadb-server php7.2 libapache2-mod-php7.2 php7.2-common php7.2-imap php7.2-mbstring php7.2-xmlrpc php7.2-soap php7.2-gd php7 .2-xml php7.2-intl php7.2-mysql php7.2-cli php7.2-ldap php7.2-zip php7.2-curl unzip -y
Once that command is completed, the dependencies are settled.
How to configure PHP
Next, we must configure PHP. To do this, execute the command:
sudo nano /etc/php/7.2/apache2/php.ini
Use the shortcut Ctrl + W nano to find and edit the following, ensuring that you change each item as shown:
file_uploads = On
allow_url_fopen = On
memory_limit = 256M
upload_max_filesize = 30M
post_max_size = 40M
max_execution_time = 60
zend.assertions = 0
display_errors = Off
max_input_vars = 1500
date.timezone = YOUR / TIME ZONE
Where YOUR / TIME ZONE is the actual time zone of your company.
Save and close the file.
Restart Apache and MariaDB and enable them with the following commands:
sudo systemctl starts apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2
sudo systemctl starts mariadb
Enable sudo systemctl mariadb
How to protect the database configuration
The first thing to do is secure the database installation. This is done with the command:
sudo mysql_secure_installation
You will be asked to set a new administrator password and answer a few questions. Make sure you answer yes (Y) for each question.
Now we can create our database and database user. Open the MariaDB console with the command:
sudo mysql -u root -p
Run the following commands at the database prompt (make sure you replace PASSWORD with a strong, unique password):
MAKE DATABASE akauntingdb;
CREATE USER ‘akaunting’ @ ‘localhost’ IDENTIFIED BY ‘PASSWORD’;
SUBSIDY ALL ON aka tuningdb. * ON ‘aka tuning’ @ ‘localhost’ IDENTIFIED BY ‘PASSWORD’ WITH SUBSIDY OPTION;
SPOOL PRIVILEGES;
Exit
How to install Akaunting
It is finally time to install Akaunting. First download the required file with the command:
curl -O -J -L https://akaunting.com/download.php?version=latest
Create a new folder and extract the downloaded file with the following commands:
sudo mkdir -p / var / www / html / aka tuning
sudo unzip Akaunting _ *. zip -d / var / www / html / aka tuning /
Change the permissions and ownership with the following commands:
sudo chown -R www-data: www-data / var / www / html / akaunting /
sudo chmod -R 755 / var / www / html / aka tuning /
How to configure Apache
The final step in the terminal window is the Apache configuration. Create a new virtual host configuration file with the command:
sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/akaunting.conf
In that new file, paste the following (replacing your data with EMAIL and NAME):
ServerAdmin EMAIL
DocumentRoot / var / www / html / aka tuning
Server name NAME
DirectoryIndex index.html index.php
Options + FollowSymlinks
AllowOverride All
Require all granted
Error log $ {APACHE_LOG_DIR} /akaunting_error.log
CustomLog $ {APACHE_LOG_DIR} /akaunting_access.log combined
Save and close the file.
Switch on the new site with the command:
sudo a2ensite aka tuning
Finally enable the Apache rewrite module and restart Apache with the following commands:
rewrite sudo a2enmod
sudo systemctl restart apache2
How to complete the installation
The final steps are arranged in the web interface. Point your browser to http: //SERVER_IP/akaunting/index.php (where SERVER_IP is the IP address of the hosting server). Select your language in the first screen and click Next. In the resulting window (Figure A), configure the information for the database as follows:
Figure A
The Akaunting database configuration window.
Click Next and then adjust your company and administrator data (Figure B).
Figure B
Customize your business.
Note: The administrator e-mail address and password that you set are the login details that are used to log in to Akauting as the administrator. Click Next and you will then be asked to log in. After you have logged in, you will be greeted by the installation wizard (Figure C).
Figure C
The Akaunting installation wizard.
Walk through the wizard to configure your company information, currencies and taxes. On the first page of this wizard you must retrieve a token from Akaunting. Click on the Click here link and you will be asked to create a free Akaunting account. After you have created and verified your account, log in to your Akaunting account and search for your token. Copy and paste the token into the token item on the first page of the wizard and click Save.
The rest of the wizard speaks for itself. After you have completed the installation, you can open the Akaunting dashboard or install apps to expand the feature set. There are costs associated with the apps (such as Double Entry, Estimates, Stock and Projects), but they may be worth the price – if you needed the extra features.
And that’s it. Your Akaunting web-based accounting software is operational and ready for use. This is an impressive package that should help your small business in a way that many of the standard client-based applications cannot.
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