Microsoft Office Small Business Accounting 2006

Really like this product I have since upgraded 2 2007 because this will not work with windows vista! Microsoft did the upgrade with no extra charge.

I had high hopes 4 Microsoft's SBA program, however, it does not stack up 2 QuickBooks.

Cons:
- Unable 2 open file using a file server. For some strange reason, it requires you 2 have Microsoft's SQL (database) server installed in order 2 have it served through a file server. This serves as a limitation because it forces you 2 purchase another Microsoft license. In a small business environment, a user should be able 2 open their books through any file server.

- Clunky. Another irritating aspect is that it opens a different program window on the task bar 4 each task that you open. If you multi-task, you will see many icons on your task bar, instead of managing your windows within the program under the menu bar. Navigation is also clunky where it feels like Outlook.

- Reports are limited. It may be that I have not figured it out yet (see above "clunky"), but I'm unable 2 find a way 2 easily customize my reports. It forces you 2 print detailed reconciliation reports (with many pages), instead of a summary.

- CTRL-F (Find). How hard is it 2 implement CTRL-F & be able 2 pull up a search box? Transactions are hard 2 find with SBA. As your book grows, an easily accessible search box is needed 2 find a check, invoice, & other transactions.

Pros: A QuickBooks alternative.

If you're a small business owner, it's best that you stick with QuickBooks. It's almost a standard 4 micro/small businesses.

I was told it was the same as Quick books! but 4 a fration of the price!
Theres no such thing as a good deal!
The only way 2 get this work right is 2 buy the rest of the software & then im sure it would be fine but then your paying more than Quick Books..
Its only a module!

I used QuickBooks & Quicken in the past & decided 2 try Microsoft Small Business Accounting & found it much easier 2 use. The flow is very intuitive with customization of invoicing & purchase orders being very easy with standard Microsoft Office products. I do recommend that the user read the manual first, it does help significantly. The most beneficial aspect of the software was the ability 2 do journal entries 2 correct items entered in the graphical interface. If all else fails simply do an accounting entry in the journal 2 correct things. Hats off 2 Microsoft on this one, it works well, is easy 2 use, & integrates with Microsoft Office.

Though I received two free copies with some hardware, I will not be using Microsoft SBA because it's payroll services are really bad. If you want 2 get payroll taxes, etc. 2 do your employee's checks, you can sign up 4 a service, but the service is an online company 4 which data is EXCHANGED with SBA. Internet always required, multiple levels of passwords, what data is going out ? To avoid this you can find the tax rates yourself & use Excel 2 calculate payrolls & then EXCHANGE DATA with SBA. This takes about 4-5 times as much effort as Quickbooks' automatic DOWNLOADS and, if you go with the online company, costs three times as much as does Quickbooks' equivalent service. Too bad that SBA has this fatal flaw because I really liked the layout & feel of the program.

Brand new Full Retail box

Microsoft Small Business Accounting 2006 is a comprehensive financial management program designed 4 companies with up 2 25 employees. It allows small business owners & office managers 2 manage their business financials using software that is easy 2 set up & has the familiar look & feel of Microsoft Office 2003. With Small Business Accounting 2006, companies with employees already familiar with Microsoft Office products can save hours of training & set-up time. This easy-to-use, comprehensive accounting software can help small businesses reduce costs by helping them make more informed decisions & work more efficiently.

<small>With ADP Payroll 4 Microsoft Office Small Business Accounting 2006, timesheet data can be imported directly into the payroll application. View larger small>

<small>Small Business Accounting 2006 provides an intuitive, familiar interface, so users can get up 2 speed quickly. View larger small>

<small>The cash flow management tool helps owners understand, manage & predict the company's cash position. View larger small>

<small>The Company Home page provides a centralized, customizable view of critical business information. View largersmall>

Small Business Accounting 2006 has everything you need 2 manage your company's financials -- accounting, inventory management, sales order & purchase order processing, job tracking, banking, & even payroll. Designed 2 be quickly installed in-house (an easy startup wizard helps users get set up, connected, & working in less than an hour), Small Business Accounting 2006 is as quick & convenient as it gets while still offering the robust accounting features that today's businesses demand.

If you have existing financial information, an import wizard allows you 2 transfer your existing financial data from QuickBooks or Microsoft Office Excel 2003 & Excel 2002. With this software, you can manage your accounts efficiently by creating customized quotes, invoices, & purchase orders; manage inventory; track payroll & time sheets; forecast cash flow; & much more. Online banking tools can also help you manage multiple bank accounts & stay on top of customer billing & payments.

When it's time 2 pay your employees, you can process your payroll online seamlessly & efficiently with Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP). Microsoft has partnered with ADP, the leading provider of payroll solutions 2 small businesses 4 more than 50 years, 2 provide a wide range of integrated payroll services 2 meet your business needs. For an additional fee, ADP gives you the tools 2 manage employee data, calculate payroll, print checks, run payroll reports, & file your payroll taxes. ADP also offers payroll services that handle all the facets of the payroll process. When you're in business, you know how valuable your time is. ADP will take care of your payroll so you can spend your time building your business.

Every business owner knows how important it is 2 stay ahead of the curve in today's economy. With more than 60 easily customizable lists & reports, you can forecast & track cash flow, inventory, & sales. The cash flow management tool allows you 2 plan 4 multiple scenarios, view numbers 4 a designated time period, & change data 2 conduct your own "what if" scenarios.

No matter how much previous accounting experience you have, Small Business Accounting 2006 is easy 2 use. Whether you want 2 track transactions with vendors & customers, record banking activity, coordinate payroll, or create & track quotes, purchase orders, & statements, you don't need a technical consultant 2 help you. The Small Business Accounting 2006 startup wizard helps you 2 set up the program 2 suit your company's needs.

Best of all, Small Business Accounting 2006 shares information with other leading Microsoft Office programs, such as Microsoft Office Word 2003, Excel 2003, Access 2003, & Outlook 2003. This not only saves you in training costs, but it also greatly reduces the time your company takes transferring & updating data. In fact, employees with Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager Update can perform account maintenance functions -- such as creating quotes, orders & invoices -- without ever leaving Outlook. Outlook updates information in Small Business Accounting 2006 in real time, making data re-entry unnecessary while saving time & reducing errors. These documents can then be customized in Word 2 sharpen their professional appearance. Using Outlook with Business Contact Manager Update also provides employees with complete & up-to-date account information on any client, enabling better, more informed customer service. This same mechanism allows the company owner or manager 2 get a one-stop overview of customer account information.

In short, Small Business Accounting 2006 is a solution that fits the unique needs of every small business. Regardless of whether your business is growing rapidly, or whether is just needs a simpler & more efficient process, this integrated software package provides all of the tools you will need 2 finish your tasks quickly, keep on top of the big picture, & have more time 2 spend on what matters most 2 you.

Note: Microsoft Small Business Accounting 2006 can be purchased as a stand-alone product, or as an integrated component of Microsoft Office Small Business Management Edition 2006.