How to Install Akaunting Accounting Software on Ubuntu 20.04?

Akaunting is a free, open-source accounting software that can be used to manage your finances, create invoices, track expenses, and generate financial reports. It is a great alternative to expensive commercial accounting software and is suitable for small to medium-sized businesses. In this article, we will guide you through steps to install Akaunting on Ubuntu 20.04.

Step 1: Update your Ubuntu System

Before installing any software, it is recommended to update your Ubuntu system to ensure that you have latest security updates and bug fixes. To update your system, open terminal and run following command −

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Step 2: Install Required Dependencies

Next, you need to install some required dependencies for Akaunting to work properly. Run following command in terminal −

sudo apt install apache2 mariadb-server php php-common php-mysql php-gd php-cli php-mbstring php-intl php-xml php-zip unzip wget curl

This command will install Apache web server, MariaDB database server, and necessary PHP modules.

Step 3: Download and extract Akaunting

Download latest version of Akaunting from their official website. You can use wget command to download file −

wget https://akaunting.com/download/latest

Once download is complete, extract archive using following command −

unzip akaunting-latest.zip -d /var/www/html/

This will extract files to default web root directory /var/www/html/.

Step 4: Create a Database and user for Akaunting

Now, you need to create a database and user for Akaunting to store its data. Open MariaDB shell by running following command −

sudo mysql

Create a new database and user with following commands −

CREATE DATABASE akaunting_db;
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON akaunting_db.* TO 'akaunting_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
exit;

Replace 'password' with a strong password of your choice.

Step 5: Configure Apache Web Server

You need to configure Apache to serve Akaunting. Create a new Apache virtual host configuration file by running following command −

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/akaunting.conf

Add following content to file −

<VirtualHost *:80>
   ServerName yourdomain.com
   DocumentRoot /var/www/html/public

   <Directory /var/www/html/public>
      Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews
      AllowOverride All
      Order allow,deny
      allow from all
   </Directory>

   ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
   CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Replace 'yourdomain.com' with your actual domain name. Save and close file

Enable virtual host by running following command −

sudo a2ensite akaunting.conf

Restart Apache for changes to take effect −

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 6: Complete Akaunting Installation

Open your web browser and navigate to your domain name. You will see Akaunting setup wizard. Follow instructions to complete installation process. When prompted for database details, enter database name, username, and password that you created in Step 4.

Once installation is complete, you can log in to Akaunting and start using it to manage your finances.

While above steps should be sufficient for most users to install Akaunting on Ubuntu 20.04, there are a few additional steps you can take to optimize your installation.

Step 7: Enable HTTPS

To secure your Akaunting installation, you should enable HTTPS. This will encrypt all data transferred between your web server and user's browser. To do this, you need to obtain an SSL certificate and configure Apache to use it. You can obtain a free SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt.

First, install Certbot client by running following command −

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache

Next, obtain a new SSL certificate by running following command −

sudo certbot --apache -d yourdomain.com

Replace 'yourdomain.com' with your actual domain name. Follow instructions to complete certificate installation process.

Step 8: Set up Automatic Updates

To ensure that your Akaunting installation stays up-to-date with latest security patches and bug fixes, you should set up automatic updates. Ubuntu has a built-in tool called 'unattended-upgrades' that can automatically install security updates.

To install 'unattended-upgrades', run following command −

sudo apt install unattended-upgrades

Next, edit configuration file by running following command −

sudo nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades

Make sure following lines are present and uncommented −

Unattended-Upgrade::Allowed-Origins {
   "${distro_id}:${distro_codename}-security";
   //"${distro_id}:${distro_codename}-updates";
   //"${distro_id}:${distro_codename}-proposed";
   //"${distro_id}:${distro_codename}-backports";
};

Save and close file.

Finally, enable automatic updates by running following command −

sudo dpkg-reconfigure --priority=low unattended-upgrades

Follow instructions to complete configuration process.

With these additional steps, you can ensure that your Akaunting installation is secure, up-to-date, and optimized for performance.

It is important to have a backup of your Akaunting installation to protect against data loss in case of hardware failure or other issues. You can use built-in backup feature in Akaunting to create regular backups of your data.

To set up backups, log in to Akaunting and navigate to Settings > Backup. Here, you can configure backup frequency, retention period, and destination.

It is recommended to store your backups in a separate location, such as a remote server or cloud storage, to protect against local data loss. You can use tools like rsync or scp to transfer your backups to a remote location.

Step 9: Configure Email Settings

Akaunting uses email to send invoices, receipts, and other notifications. To configure email settings, navigate to Settings > Email. Here, you can enter SMTP details for your email provider. If you don't have an SMTP server, you can use a third-party service like Sendinblue or Mailgun.

Make sure to test your email settings by sending a test email before using Akaunting for real invoicing and other operations.

With these additional steps, you can ensure that your Akaunting installation is secure, backed up, and ready for real-world use.

Step 10: Customize Akaunting

Akaunting allows you to customize various aspects of software to suit your business needs. You can customize invoice templates, add custom fields to invoices and customers, and create custom reports.

To customize Akaunting, log in to application and navigate to Settings menu. Here, you can configure various settings such as currencies, payment gateways, tax rates, and more. You can also customize invoice templates by uploading your own logo and modifying layout and formatting.

If you need more advanced customization options, you can use Akaunting API to build custom integrations and extensions. API allows you to programmatically access and modify Akaunting data, and supports various programming languages such as PHP, Python, and JavaScript.

Step 11: Get Support

If you run into issues during installation or use of Akaunting, there are several resources available for support. Akaunting website has a comprehensive documentation section that covers various aspects of software, including installation, customization, and troubleshooting.

You can also join Akaunting community forums to ask for help and share your experiences with other users. forums are monitored by Akaunting team and community members, and are a great resource for getting quick and accurate answers to your questions.

If you need more personalized support, you can purchase a support plan from Akaunting. support plans offer various levels of assistance, ranging from email support to dedicated account managers and priority support.

With these additional steps, you can get most out of your Akaunting installation and ensure that your business finances are well managed and organized.

Step 12: Integrate Akaunting with other Tools

Akaunting can be integrated with various third-party tools to streamline your business operations and automate workflows. For example, you can integrate Akaunting with your eCommerce platform to automatically generate invoices and track payments, or with your project management software to track expenses and project budgets.

Akaunting has a built-in Zapier integration that allows you to connect with over 2,000 apps and automate workflows. You can use Zapier to create custom workflows that trigger actions in Akaunting based on events in other apps, such as creating an invoice in Akaunting when a new sale is made on your eCommerce platform.

You can also use Akaunting's API to build custom integrations with other tools. API allows you to programmatically access and modify Akaunting data, and supports various programming languages such as PHP, Python, and JavaScript.

With these additional steps, you can train your team, monitor your financial data, and make informed decisions about your business using Akaunting.

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed how to install Akaunting accounting software on Ubuntu 20.04. Akaunting is an excellent option for small businesses and freelancers who are looking for a free and open-source accounting solution. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily set up Akaunting on your Ubuntu system and start managing your finances. Remember to secure your Akaunting installation to protect your data and prevent unauthorized access.