Intuit overhauls QuickBooks

January 10, 2001 —

Intuit has released what it says is the most significant upgrade in years to QuickBooks, its small business accounting software, and an entirely new version of QuickBooks designed for small businesses that want to use the Internet to remotely access business management programs.

QuickBooks 2001, QuickBooks 2001 Pro and QuickBooks for the Web, Basic Edition, were announced on Monday. The QuickBooks 2001 products will be available in stores at the end of December. QuickBooks for the Web, Basic Edition, is available immediately for download from www.quickbooks.com, company officials said.

The upgrade to QuickBooks, which PC Data estimates is used by three million small businesses, includes major changes in the features people use the most and adds several functions that users have requested, said Peter Karpas, director of marketing for QuickBooks, a software product for businesses with 20 or fewer employees. The software's reporting functions -- the most popular features of the software -- are easier to use than ever, and allow users to customize reports, Karpas said.

For example, users will have the ability to put columns into the order they want by clicking and dragging them into place. The reports also will sort the items by name or other classification, and will automatically add a time stamp to printed reports. QuickBooks 2001 also streamlines business transactions by adding an e-mail function to send invoices and an online function to bill payment.

Invoices that are sent by e-mail will include a button enabling companies to pay the bill immediately with a few clicks and by entering a credit card number. QuickBooks has incorporated X.com's PayPal technology to provide payment processing for online billing, Karpas said.

Dwight Royer, owner of Professional Micro Associates in Bowling Green, Indiana, and a beta tester for QuickBooks 2001, said there are many new features in the software that have changed the way he uses it.

"There's a learning process, but it's very short," Royer said, adding that the software includes "context sensitive help all over the place." Royer, who uses QuickBooks to run three businesses, including an accounting service and a service that processes phone orders, said he was impressed with QuickBooks 2001's new user interface and its ability to let users jump straight from their accounting program onto the Web to search for information or even to order supplies.

"So if you discover while you're in your accounting program that your printer is out of ink, you can easily get on the Web and order a cartridge," he said.

QuickBooks for the Web is Intuit's first foray into the application service provider model. It will compete against NetLedger's product, which was launched in September 1999. Version 4 of NetLedger, which costs between $4.95 and $19.95 monthly, was released in August.

The $14.95 monthly fee for QuickBooks for the Web covers technical support and 50 faxes per month. QuickBooks for the Web is Windows compatible, and Internet Explorer 5 or higher is required. An always-on Internet connection is recommended, Karpas said. Built from the ground up, the service allows employees, especially accountants, to work remotely, accessing the accounting programs over the Internet. It also automates recurring tasks such as customer billing.

QuickBooks for the Web, Basic Edition, uses Secure Sockets Layer protocol for transmitting the data securely, Karpas said. It has a different set of features than the QuickBooks 20001 desktop products. For example, QuickBooks for the Web does not include an integrated payroll service, online banking or inventory management.

QuickBooks 2001 costs $149.95 new; the upgrade costs $89.95. QuickBooks Pro 2001 costs $249.95 new or $169.95 for an upgrade. The five-user version of QuickBooks Pro 2001 costs $549.95 new or $399.95 for an upgrade.

Intuit, in Mountain View, Calif., can be reached at +1-650-944-6000 or at http://www.intuit.com/.

www.nwfusion.com