2008 Review of Mid-Range Client Accounting Programs

From the Sept. 2008 Issue

Accounting software continues to evolve every year. Many of the features found in these products today were previously only available in high-end products just a few years ago. But as users become more sophisticated, they have come to expect more sophisticated products. As a result, the vendors of these products continue to raise the stakes accordingly, offering the newest features and expanded functionality, all designed to keep existing customers happy, as well as appeal to new customers.

The mid-range accounting products reviewed here range from standard accounting products designed to be installed on your desktop to systems that offer web-based products that can be accessed at your convenience from anywhere with an Internet connection. This range in products is one of the main reasons it has become increasingly more difficult to determine the value of a certain product or what that even means. Value to a smaller company with a more rigid budget means something completely different than it does to a company with hundreds of employees.

While smaller companies may never need to have 24-hour access to their accounting system, their more robust counterparts certainly may.

Each product carries its own set of benefits, and it remains on the shoulders of the potential buyer to scope out the features and capabilities of any product they may be considering. More than ever before, vendors have worked to ease this vetting process by offering online demos, free demo CDs and even WebEx sessions, where the product can be viewed in action to help the potential customer decide whether or not it’s a good fit.

This year’s review considers the following six areas:

• Ease of Use/Transaction Entry
  This area is extremely important, particularly for those looking to upgrade their current product, or even those who are considering the purchase of a new product. Is there a large learning curve or can you set up the product and be ready to go? Is the system easily navigated? Can transactions be easily entered?

• Modules & Notable Features
  This section lists the modules that are part of the base or standard system and provides a fairly comprehensive listing of available add-on modules. This section also recognizes some of the more notable features such as dashboards and customization capabilities.

• Integration/Import/Export
  This section answers questions like the following: Can the system import data from third-party applications? Do all of the modules work together? Can data be exported to other applications, as well?

• Reporting
  Reporting is one of the most important features of any accounting system. While all accounting products produce a series of standard reports, it’s important to note the extent of customization capabilities on reports. Other questions this section answers include the following: Can reports be exported to various file formats? Are they easily accessible? Can they be e-mailed to recipients on a timely basis?

• Support/Training/Help
  Quality support is a necessity when purchasing any new software product. Is the support available during your working hours? Is it included in the price of the software or is there an annual charge? Is quality training available if needed? Is there a decent Help feature available in the system? You’ll find these questions addressed in this section of each product review.

• Relative Value
  We try to advise readers on the general cost of the product. Of course, product pricing varies based on individual needs, and the ultimate value determination can only be made by the potential buyer. As always, I want to encourage those who are looking for a product in this genre to visit the vendor websites in order to learn more about the product and to access and try out a demo.