Low-Cost Software:
Disks Rule! Despite the Web,
Disk-Based Software Continues to Dominate the Low-End Market
Even though there's been a lot of development in Web-based
accounting software in the last couple years, disk-based accounting software still holds
its own quite nicely. And despite all the changes in technology, it's still just
accounting. Even though the potential of Web-based accounting is high, disk-based
accounting software is still the best bet for small and mid-sized businesses that don't
have inexpensive, high-speed Internet access or that have a relatively small amount of
accounting transactions to process. Disk-based accounting is also still the clear leader
for features and compatibility, although this will probably change within the next year or
two.
You can expect any accounting package you buy to do GL, AR,
AP, and PR, and to print sales invoices, quotes, POs, checks in several styles, and canned
accounting reports. Such products should also be easy to use and have good printed and
online documentation. And you can also figure that most packages will import and export
accounting data in a variety of formats, provide customer address books and to-do lists,
and have Internet-based features for tax tables and transmitting data.
This article reviews five disk-based accounting packages
that run on Windows: MyBooks 6.0, MYOB 11, Peachtree Complete Accounting 2002, QuickBooks
Premier Edition 2002, and Simply Accounting 8.5/9.0.
MyBooks 6.0
MyBooks from Appgen Business Software is not very
attractive, but it's got some great networking features for the price, and it runs on
Windows, Macintosh, and Linux as well.
MyBooks is not very pretty and the product is rough in
places, but it offers the best networking and multi-user features of any product in this
review. Users who are interested in strong multi-user and broad network capabilities on a
variety of operating systems should give this product serious consideration.
MYOB Plus
MYOB Plus version 11, the latest product from MYOB US, has
lots of solid features that have made it a fixture in disk-based accounting software, but
the documentation continues to be hard to use.
The product comes with a 30-day, money-back guarantee and
technical support. Unlocking additional users can be done easily over the phone. There is
a downloadable demo version of MYOB Accounting Plus available on the Web site. All in all,
the current version of MYOB shows significant improvements and additions (apart from the
documentation, which continues to be substandard) that make it worth buying or upgrading
to.
Peachtree Complete Accounting
Peachtree Complete Accounting, the most recent version of
the classic, full-featured accounting package from Peachtree Software, contains many small
improvements that are both helpful and attractive.
Peachtree Complete Accounting is a first-rate accounting
program with all the trimmings. It has an attractive interface, good documentation, and a
complete set of features. It is a very good program for anyone who needs a complete
accounting package.
QuickBooks Premier
With each new release of QuickBooks software, Intuit tops
its own best from the previous version. QuickBooks Premier 2002, the latest product
offering from Intuit, continues this trend. Like many other Intuit products, it is a
seamless, well-integrated product that offers a wide variety of solid features.
There is no demo version of this product, but both products
come with a 60-day, money-back guarantee. QuickBooks Premier 2002 is such a pleasure to
use that it actually makes accounting tasks fun.
Simply Accounting Pro 8.5 and 9.0
Simply Accounting Pro is Accpac International's product for
small businesses. Mid-sized businesses may want to look at Accpac's Advantage Series Small
Business Edition. Simply Accounting Pro is an accounting product that continues to do a
good job for accounting.
Simply Accounting Pro continues to be a useful, easy-to-use
product with the best price of any accounting package in this review. It'll handle pretty
near everything a small company might need accounting software to do.
Summary
Peachtree Complete Accounting 2002 has taken the lead by a
nose, with QuickBooks Premier 2002 right behind it. If you're looking for well-documented,
great software that does everything a small business is likely to need, you won't go wrong
with either one of them.
QuickBooks Premier 2002 is prettier, and has better online
documentation and ease-of-use features, but it's more expensive than Peachtree Complete
Accounting 2002 and it doesn't have a fixed asset management module nor does it do
backorders. However, you should definitely try both of products to see which you prefer.
Before you make a final decision on which accounting
package to use, you should evaluate each of the packages in this review. All of them have
downloadable demo versions and/or money back options that will let you check out each
product before you commit to buying it. Remember also that no product is right for
everyone, so it's okay if you like something that isn't popular or well-known as long as
it gets the job done for you and your company.
Copyright 2002 Gale Group, Inc., ASAP,
Copyright 2002 Thomson Financial Inc. Accounting Technology, May 1, 2002, Byline: John
Hedtke |