2012 Write-Up Review of QuickBooks Accountant 2013

Intuit, Inc. – QuickBooks Accountant 2013
800-267-8379
www.accountant.intuit.com

From the Nov. 2012 Review of Client Write-Up Systems.

Best Fit: Firms of most sizes with clients using QuickBooks and who provide general write-up and reconciliation, along with other professional services.

Strengths:

• Newly streamlined navigation and interface
• New batch and pasting of thousands of transactions
• Reporting options include PDF, Excel output
• Client invoicing and e- payment options
• Mobile apps for client-focused work
• Electronically Send General Journal Entries

Potential Limitations:

• No client portals, although Accountant Copy allows data file sharing with new Send Journal Entries Feature
• Support is only free for 30 days unless user is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor

Everybody knows QuickBooks, and since it’s the most widely-used small business management system in the world, virtually every accounting and tax firm has clients using the program. Intuit has recognized the relationship between firm and client, and has, over the years, taken steps to equally attract professionals to versions of the program that are more tailored to their multi-client management needs.

The latest incarnation of the professional version is QuickBooks Accountant 2013, which went on the market in the last week of September 2012. The program has undergone a significant redesign and includes multiple new features geared toward write-up and client service. These include several tools for finding and fixing client errors, one-step pasting of more than 1,000 transactions from Excel, emailing of journal entries, tools for troubleshooting inventory issues, and other functions.

Basic System Functions: 5 Stars

When initially setting up the program, QuickBooks Accountant makes transfer of client files into the system simple, and new clients can be quickly added using hundreds of industry templates for charts of accounts and other system settings. Users can also create completely custom accounts, or can copy an existing client file as a template. Wizards and other tools help guide setup processes, as well as later tasks, such as reporting and banking functions.

The program opens into a streamlined workflow view home interface that show general activities related to vendors, customers and employees, as well as company settings and reporting, and banking functions. In addition to a new menu ribbon like the one used in Microsoft Office products that groups functions such as invoices, estimates, sales orders and other forms, Intuit has also added a new left hand icon-based menu.

This optional menu includes customizable shortcuts, links to common tasks, dashboard overviews called snapshots, and quick access to reports, client balances and the user’s to-do list. The program can also automatically alert users to items needing attention, such as client AR balances or vendor issues. Client, vendor and employee selection screens offer multiple search, filter and sort options and make it easy to move between summary and detail views.

Data entry screens are also improved, providing more streamlined access to key fields, additional customization options, smart selection lists and search functions. Another new feature in the 2013 version is the ability to open and work in two client company files at the same time. Since QuickBooks Accountant is the master QuickBooks program, it includes all of the client versions of the program, allowing users to view client data aand transactions in the same view that the client sees it. The program also automatically opens and saves data into the correct format for the year of the program each client is using.

QuickBooks Accountant 2013 can be used by up to five simultaneous users, and has functions for limiting specific users from accessing specific clients, features, data and reports. It can be used to manage any number of client entities.

Core Write-Up Features: 4.5 Stars