Accounting software

[bamx2]

I have been using Quicken and Quicken Home and Business for personal and my part-time business bookkeeping (a little consulting and rental property ) for several years. I generally buy a new version every 2 or 3 years. However, the 2015 version is very buggy and I have gone back to an old version . I have often thought about getting Quickbooks but just didn't want to pay for features that I don't need and I move around computers
(multiple licenses ?). I downloaded the open source program Gnucash version 2.6.5 (similar to Quicken checkbook like entry) http://www.gnucash.org and it looks pretty good but will take some learning. Any suggestions ?

 

[corkyg]

If the older version you were using does everything you need to do, why change?

 

[bamx2]

I want it to do more (less manual stuff ) . I like the integration of the more powerful programs but I just want one that is easy to learn to use .

If the older version you were using does everything you need to do, why change?

 

[Emulex]

You can look at microsoft's cloud based accounting or quicken's cloud version to avoid having to deal with older versions and migration on your own. It does cost more but it reduces the footprint of maintaining, upgrading your Accounting, which is something most people fear greatly!

 

[lxskllr]

No personal familiarity, but I'm highly against tying my livelihood to proprietary software. When you do that, you get an unwelcomed business partner that has a say in what you do with your business. Either through built-in obsolescence, or mandatory upgrades that are only required to make a payment to your "partner", and not for any technical reason. I'd try to work with GnuCash, or roll my own with a spreadsheet or something like that.

 

[Emulex]

Most accounting software does a lot more than what Excel spreadsheet can handle. And it does have value to use a "popular" software package as integration modules exist.

When your security update causes gnucash to fail, who are you going to call to get your payroll/taxes done?

I can imagine support is pretty critical for most small business as far as accounting software goes!

 

[bamx2]

Thanks for the comments . Since my first post, I have played around with Gnucash (desktop) and WaveApps (cloud) with a dummy account. I am planning to try Quickbooks (desktop and cloud) next and make a decision on which one to stick with.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

You could get QuickBooks, but I've been a software junkie through much of my career and into my retirement. In this latter part of my life, I've been a treasurer for a condo association through two periods at least a decade apart totaling some seven years, and I was treasurer for a local political PAC.

Quicken Home & Business has enough features to build a whole library of report modules that could serve any small business or non-profit. But it just takes the up-front investment of time to build those modules.

If you can define a whole set of custom revenue and expense "categories," which Quicken H&B does, you can build those report modules.

So you have a choice: either explore the features of the "simpler" Quicken software to see if it can meet your needs, or buy the more expensive Intuit QuickBooks.

I think I was even able to get Q-H&B to print automated invoices and receipts. You can attach PDFs of scanned source documents and other material to individual transactions. It's likely most people buy it just to manage their personal finances, but I'd been able to do that as well as manage my rental property and do the non-profit accounting -- and I was able to keep the first two functions and the latter completely separate.

Generally, in the software industry, Intuit's products are regarded as "robust software." I think the Quicken program has a lot of potential that folks never bother to explore. Obviously, somebody with a business is likely to spend the money and buy the full-blown QuickBooks program. It doesn't mean they couldn't just as well do their bookkeeping and accounting with something like Quicken.

 

[MrColin]

If the older version you were using does everything you need to do, why change?

Intuit uses a strategy of crippling older versions by disabling features like online banking updates. This is solely to force users to keep buying updates. Also, they control many of the banks' OFX connection points so they can freeze out competitors that don't pay for licensing.

I use iBank for personal stuff and GnuCash for biz, Its good to not comingle the two. Once you learn how to use GnuCash it becomes pretty fast but don't count on it working well with any US bank for online bank account downloads. I understand it does work well with EU's online banking protocol.

 

[fritzfield]

Nice to read about Quicken in this older post. The link in the new post that revived the old one is a link to a French language website that I don't comperstand.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Folks are going to use what either appeals to them or the software for which they've grown comfortable.

I was using Quicken Home & Bus 2012 until November. I fiddled with the 2016 free "starter" for a while, then found licenses for maybe $35 each for the 2017 version.

Maybe Like I already said, QuickBooks is good for a business where more than one person needs to access the accounts at the same time. I have multiple workstations, but I'm the only one in the house who works with Quicken. I had started another thread seeing if there was some second-opinion about using Quicken installed on two different computers to access files on one of them or a server as long as the access was exclusive at that moment, and I proved it works fine.

But people are right: once you configure for the online banking update features, they'll pull the rug from you and you'd need to decide whether you actually need those features. While I've tried them and use them for the separate quicken file of another family member, I can live without them.

My personal view is that the 2017 version isn't all that bad. Maybe -- it's better. I just don't have a problem accommodating my Quicken 2012 skills to it.

 

[ringtail]

https://www.waveapps.com/
https://www.waveapps.com/
Our Canadian friends made a goodie here!

 

[iwajabitw]

Guys I have used Quicken for 20yrs, and all of a sudden in mid Feb, many of my accounts will not download transactions via the update transactions.... Its been driving me mad so I updated to 2017 Premier from 2015, and I should have looked into it before I did. Because Intuit SOLD Quicken to H.I.G, a private investment group. I don't know if that is why things all of a sudden do not work, but this cant be good for us long time users. Just FYI,

S#$T, are there any alternatives out there for regular people with out a business?

 

[RLGL]

Guys I have used Quicken for 20yrs, and all of a sudden in mid Feb, many of my accounts will not download transactions via the update transactions.... Its been driving me mad so I updated to 2017 Premier from 2015, and I should have looked into it before I did. Because Intuit SOLD Quicken to H.I.G, a private investment group. I don't know if that is why things all of a sudden do not work, but this cant be good for us long time users. Just FYI,

S#$T, are there any alternatives out there for regular people with out a business?

20 year user myself. I am currently using 2015 and not having any problems , did a download yesterday from the local bank. I did know about the sale. It was a while back.

 

[fritzfield]

I have had trouble with certain banks - TD Bank in particular. I have to deactivate the account in account update, then reactivate the account. This clears up the problem, but I never can find out why all of a sudden, transactions will not download. It's sad that Intuit washed its hands of Quicken and kicked the ball to HIG. We'll see. There are no real alternatives à la Corel WordPerfect vis-à-vis Microsoft Word. MS dumped Money and there has not really been an alternative to Quicken that gives the same experience and feature set

 

[RLGL]

It's sad that Intuit washed its hands of Quicken and kicked the ball to HIG. We'll see. There are no real alternatives à la Corel WordPerfect vis-à-vis Microsoft Word. MS dumped Money and there has not really been an alternative to Quicken that gives the same experience and feature set

So true

 

[corkyg]

LOL! Yeah, MS dumped Money about 2006 as I* recall. But, I'm still using it and it still does everything I need in that department.