17 replies to this topic

[slepster]

Yesterday I priced business software like Quickbooks, Peach Tree, and Microsoft Money - Small Business. MS Money's Small Business edition was the most affordable around $90 at CompUSA. Quickbooks was several hundred dollars and Peach Tree was around $300, I think.

Anyone tried MS Money's Small Business edition and can recommend it? I know Quickbooks is highly recommended, but I only have 3 clients and I'm doing SEO as a side business, so I don't want to break the bank if a more affordable solution is available.

Thanks in advance.

[dragonlady7]

While we're on topic, has anyone heard of Quicken? It came installed on my computer and I have no idea how suitable it is for a small business...

[Cygnus]

Quicken and Quickbooks are Intuit products. Quicken is a really good personal finance tool while Quickbooks is a decent small-business finance tool. I've used MS Money and Quicken in the past and preferred Quicken. I've also used Quickbooks and my own tracking in Excel and preferred Excel.

Cygnus

[slepster]

I agree, Quicken is for personal finances, not to run a business. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Quickbooks is essentially Quicken for small businesses.

[Scottie]

Welcome to the forum, Larry Boy. I mean, Slepster.

Now you've got me humming the Larry Boy theme in my head. He's a hero... Larry Boy... He's out of site..

I bought the Small Business version of MS Money... it doesn't have nearly the features that Quickbooks has. I have separate businesses that need to be separated and Money just didn't have the capability to handle that.

[harpsound]

I use Quickbooks - it is a learning curve - I find I do not use it to the max given the complexity of options. I am slowly getting more adept with it as I found the 2003 version more friendly than 2000. The invoice function is great. You definitely look pro.

Caveat emptor - Intuit is the microsoft of bookkeeping - in fact MS could take lessons from them - once purchased you are caught in their product upgrade cycle and each upgrade will be virtually mandatory as everything is connected back to Intuit - even a reinstall.

You may wish to consider using a pencil/calculator/cashbook and invoice off of Word with a logo and template styled page. I yearn for those days.

Namaste
S

[Cygnus]

Caveat emptor - Intuit is the microsoft of bookkeeping - in fact MS could take lessons from them

Microsoft tried to buy Intuit in 1995, but the deal didn't get past the feds...would have been great to tie Quicken into Office Professional.

Cygnus

[qwerty]

They did manage to buy Great Plains, though... not that that's an accounting solution for small businesses.

[OldWelshGuy]

I disagree re: quicken not being any good for business, (maybe the uk version is different) in the UK version , which has the facility to choose $ as currency as well as local taxes and other such US oddities, it has auto dual entry book keeping, it also produces invoices, tracks profit and loss, produces budget forcasts ,etc we run our business on quicken for ayear or two, then imported it into quickbooks later.

Personally I found it great, you raise an invoce, mark it as paid, all your accounts tie up, we have had tax inspections that lasted less than a day. I tried MS money and it was pale by comparison. I think you can download trial versions anyhow. the website is http://www.intuit.com

[Cygnus]

Yeah, but they never integrated it very well. When they bought Visio, I was salavating for them to put it in MS Project right away...that's a ship I don't steer though.

Cygnus

[mcanerin]

Are you guys saying that my manila folder full of receipts isn't good enough?

Whenever I think about actually typing all that stuff in I want to go

Ian

The reason I became a lawyer was so I could hire an accountant....

[mcanerin]

Quickbooks has an online version that can let you ease into it if you are cash short.

I hate accounting!

Ian

[OldWelshGuy]

I will never forget an incident at a friends house in Glasgow (Scotland) he had 5 fruit and veg shops, and I had gone up an a weekend of drunken entertainment (many years ago). Any how, i arranged to drive up on the Friday, he said, get here for about 4 and we will go out get some food and have beers. When i got there he said, ' I just have to do my accounts for the month' My heart sank as this meant to me hours of checking. He then walked over to a tray full of receipts, opened a huge manilla envelope, poured everything into said envelope licked it sealed it and wrote 'January' on it in bold marker, " accounts done" he said, "lets get wrecked".

An odd approach i know but he was meticulous in getting and keeping receipts, his accountant loved him as he got to bil him more, Brian was happy as his book keeping entailed the monthly envelope and little else, and the revenue loved it as all the receipts were there and balanced..

[slepster]

Scottie, You must have kids who love Veggie Tales, also. Great stuff! What other super hero can boast having suction cup ears like Larry Boy? Enjoy the theme in your head.

Thanks for the feedback on Microsoft Money Small Business.

Thanks one and all for the feedback. It looks like I need to fork over the cash and go with Quickbooks as much as I don't want to be caught up in Intuit web of upgrades and such.

I had Quicken a few years back and it got old trying to stay current. Once they introduced the infamous edition this past year that really was a disaster (something about the way it installed, but I forget the details), I said "enough" and bailed on Quicken, even though it's a good product.

Thanks to all!

[Jill]

The QuickBooks online edition is what I use. It's great, and only something like $14.95 per month! For a little bit extra you can even get a merchant account that integrates with it.

I originally decided to get it when I found that it could automate sending recurring invoices. If you bill monthly or quarterly, etc., it's a true lifesaver. Just set the invoices to be emailed on whatever schedule and you don't have to do anything.

I LOVE it! Here's the forums affiliate link to the QuickBooks Line of Products.

One of these days I'll get around to writing a full review of it...



Jill