With any good luck and a good amount of hard work, you're
having the same problem many business owners today are
facing. Your business is growing rapidly and you're having
problems controlling your finances. Time and time again,
that Microsoft Excel spreadsheet you've been using just
isn't getting the job done for you.
So, you’ve decided that you’re ready to take the next
step, and buy a full-featured accounting software program.
Many options are available to choose from, but I believe
the best solutions to be Quicken Premier Home and Business
by Intuit, QuickBooks Pro also by Intuit, and Peachtree
Accounting by Sage. In order to decide on the right
package for you, you need define the type of business that
you operate.
With the rise of self-employment (businesses with one or
more owners but no paid employees) a need has arisen to
manage business and personal finances on one platform.
Intuit has released Quicken 2005 Premier Home and Business
to fill this need. This software is perfect for the small
business owner who receives income from investments, real
estate, and/or Internet marketing. Also, Quicken 2005
Premier Home and Business is well priced at only $89.95.
For more typical brick-and-mortar business owners, you
will usually need a more robust solution like QuickBooks
Pro or Peachtree Accounting for functions like payroll
reporting and check producing. Each piece of software has
its advantages, but don't forget that QuickBooks has been
the standard in business accounting software for many years
now. As for features and basic operations, both
applications will provide you the same functionality and
convenience for your business.
One additional factor to consider in your decision is that
Peachtree Accounting is less expensive than QuickBooks.
Both starter versions of Peachtree and QuickBooks are
priced at $99.95 each, but the full-featured version of
Peachtree is priced at only $199.95 while the full-featured
QuickBooks Pro is priced at $299.95.
At the end of the day, the biggest advantage QuickBooks
offers over Peachtree is compatibility with other
applications. For example, most commercial banks (Bank of
America, SunTrust, etc...) provide you with files designed
to work directly with QuickBooks, so that you can read,
study, and decipher transaction details. Also, some banks
will allow you to update account information in real-time
with QuickBooks. Check with your bank to see what
accounting software their online services support, and you
should be able to make your decision.
Brandon Hall is a webmaster who owns many sites like http://www.accountingsoftwareportal.com
A site dedicated to providing resources, links, articles,
and news related to accounting software products.
Categories
