Small business owners and individual professionals have a couple of new choices for free accounting software. Microsoft recently released Office Accounting Express 2007 (download here) while Intuit announced a free trial version QuickBooks Simple Start (download here). Both products can help you get your accounting system started and provide upgrade paths as your needs grow.
You will find similar features in both products. The interface for both products includes a graphical flow chart that depicts the different accounting tasks and procedures. Data entry forms are designed to represent their paper counter parts (checks, invoices, etc.).
As the name implies, Microsoft Office Accounting Express has the familiar look and feel of office. In addition to basic accounting, you can manage employees, project time sheets, keep track of multiple contacts for each customer and do on-line banking. You also have the ability to customize layouts and user defined fields so you can capture the information that is key to your business. If your business involves selling items on ebay, you will want to check out the integration features for managing auctions and receiving payments via PayPal. When you outgrow the Express version, you can migrate to the Professional version, or Microsoft Dynamics.
The free-trial version of QuickBooks Simple Start 2007 is limited to 20 customers and vendors. There is no expiration date. The list price for the full version is $99, but you shouldn't have to pay that much (contact me if you can't find a better price). The "less is more" philosophy of design makes Simple Start ideally suited for those who aren't familiar with accounting. Even the labels and captions are written in non-technical, every day English. By providing only what you need to complete a task and nothing more, Simple Start will allow you to get your work done and cut down on data entry mistakes. You can upgrade Simple start to the Pro or Premiere versions of QuickBooks.
So, how do you decide? There is no-one-size-fits-all answer to that question, but here are some things to consider when making your decision.
- Do you already use Microsoft Office? If so, you will like the familiar look and feel of the program.
- Do you sell on ebay or collect money through PayPal? If so, you will want to check out the integration tools in QB Simple Start.
- Do you need on-line banking? QB Simple Start does not support on-line banking. MS Accounting Express will, but check with your bank to make sure they offer compatible services.
- If you work with an accountant, ask them which programs they can work with. QuickBooks has been around so long that most accountants are used to working with it. Microsoft Accounting for Office is a newer product and not as many accountants are familiar with it. Microsoft is working to change that with several outreach programs aimed at accountants.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or leave a comment. You can use the links below to find help in your local area.
