Gold Coast Bulletin
Tax software idea wins wide support
By Marshall Hall, Business Editor

A FAVOUR for a film producer has led a Gold Coast accountant to develop a software program that has won the backing of computer giant Microsoft, the state Government...

Former PKF accountant Jeff Rogers yesterday officially launched his company's B-Free software package, which is designed to help operators of small businesses.

Mr Rogers designed a computer program that transfers information from bank accounts to financial reports or tax returns.

Mr Rogers was working for PKF on the Coast in 2000 when he saw the potential for the software while doing a favour for a film producer and director.

``An American friend - film director Robert Florio - was on the Gold Coast working on the Flipper movie,'' said Mr Rogers.

``Robert was due to return to the US and asked for my assistance in completing his Australian tax return.

``I was happy to help until Robert turned up in my office with two big black garbage bags of receipts.

``Robert had paid for most things by Visa or EFTPOS, a fair way through entering the data I realised the bank already had all this information, all I had to do was transfer it.''

From that simple idea Mr Rogers, with the help of investors and a team of seven staff, developed the B-Free software.

B-Free is now a Microsoft-certified partner...and the State Government has given the company grants.

Mr Rogers said while the program had started with a simple idea, it was sophisticated and boasted word recognition software.

He said B-Free could now take bank data and adapt the information to complete financial accounts, Business Activity Statements and tax returns.

``The system recognises words - if it sees Caltex or BP it knows this is a motor vehicle expense, B-Free puts the amount in the right category and calculates GST,'' he said.

The product was officially launched at the Gold Coast Convention Centre yesterday and 150,000 free copies will initially be distributed through computer magazines in the next three months.
Section: FINANCE