Product Description

Intuit, Inc (292594) TURBOTAX BUSINESS V2004 WIN $10 IN-BOX REBATE, OFFER VALID FOR PURCHAS ... Read more

Features

• Comprehensive Business Tax Library; checks for accuracy
• Software for corporation, partnership, and fiduciary income taxes
• Step-by-step guidance; easy-to-understand language; simplified navigation
• Prepare and print W-2 and 1099-MISC forms for employees and contractors
• Automatically import and easily edit QuickBooks data for 2003 or higher

Reviews (7)

Itworked just fine for me!
Frankly, I'm surprised by the naysayers that reviewed this item on Amazon.com.
This is the second year I've used TurboTax products, and I'm quite satisfied. Having switched from Mac to PC when I opened my business, this is one of the few things that actually made me like using the PC.
In total, I've purchsed three TurboTax titles and can honestly say that they are easy to use and worth purchasing.

JUST LIKE TURBO TAX - PERSONAL
I read the reviews about TurboTax Business and they are all lies.I took my chance and WON.I've NEVER done Corporate Taxes for my Business and this made the process as easy as my Personal Taxes.It answered every question I needed to know (even my penalties).I can only assume that the reviews were done my Tax Accountants who don't want to lose business to TurboTax.

The software is EXACTLY like the Personal Edition but with different questions and descriptions relating to Corporate Taxes.Now that I understand which forms to fill out and what I can deduct I can better plan for 2005.When you have a question about a segment, click the 'Get Answers' Button and it gives you more information.I'll be using TurboTax for 2005.

Save Your MONEY!!! -- NO VALUE ADDED!!!Shame on INTUIT!!
If I could give it 0 stars I would!

This was the first year that I tried TurboTax for Business.I had very high hopes.I needed some hand holding through the complexities of Corporate Income Tax reporting.

In the past, I have been very pleased with the PERSONAL version of TurboTax and thought that the business version would be comparable if not better given the price that was nearly 3 times as much as the personal version.

Boy was I wrong!This software is the biggest piece of rubbish I have ever purchased.I was hoping to get a little extra insight into the actual calculations and be guided clearly through some of the deductions, income, and myriad other data input requirements.This product was nothing more than an automated IRS form.Literally, the software goes through the 1120 form and asks the same questions in the same order.If you are confused by the IRS form, you will get no help from TurboTax.When you need more clarification, the HELP button basically duplicates the words from the IRS Publications/Instructions.Heck, the program doesn't even automatically determine whether you file the 1120 or the 1120A (Short form) based on your input.Something that would be quite simple to do.If you wish to change later to the short form, it won't even transfer the data to the condensed form.You have to reenter everything.(Assuming you can find where to select the 1120A -- I haven't found it yet.)

Bottom line:THERE IS NO VALUE ADDED BY THE PROGRAM.

I am completely capable of reading the IRS forms and following their instructions.I didn't need to spend $100 on a software package that makes me do the same thing.

Somewhere in the halls of Intuit, a marketing executive is making a tidy bonus because year after year he gets suckers like me to buy their "Business" tax software.They certainly know that they are playing off the good name of their personal tax software and duping people into thinking the Business version will be just as good.Believe me when I warn you, "It's NOT!"Save your money!Do it by hand or hire an accountant.You will be much happier.

Shame on Intuit!Now I am off to rethink my choice of TurboTax for my personal taxes. The goodwill is gone!Kiplinger/HR Block will get my business now on.

Burned and Hurting

never again
A horrible, buggy, user-unfriendly program.First, you spend several hours fighting with the installation and update process trying to get the program to work.Then, you spend more time (much more time) triple checking the calculations and having to override turbotax's calculations in order to get the correct values to appear.

1.If you don't have a decent understanding of the underlying tax rules and aren't familiar with the tax forms, you're playing with fire if you go through the interview and think that turbotax is going to output a proper tax return.If you don't know what you're doing, see an accountant.

2.If you do know what you are doing, then save yourself the time, money, and aggravation and just do your it by hand - use the free fillable PDF forms that you can download off the IRS and state websites.That's what I'll be doing next year.

Poor programming, worse support - greedy
I have been using Turbotax business for years.Never was too happy with it, but it was OK and a good value compared to having a tax accountant do my return.
This year they reached lows that I did not think possible:
1. Program does not work unless it updates itself after installation.However, it was unable to connect through my firewall and just froze.I had to reboot every time.
2. Called the "tech support".Since I don't speak 'Indian', and he spoke a barely legible English, we had a hard time understanding each other.His solution was to turn off the firewall.This is not possible since it is built into the router.He gave up.Asking for supervisor was useless.After 30 minutes on hold I was disconnected. That was espeially bad since other programs, including Quickbooks, have no problem connecting to updates through the same firewall.
3. I gave up and went to search their website for answers.Took me almost 30 minutes to go through a convoluted search and reach a download site that had the needed update.
4. Preparing the tax return itself was easy enough.
5. When I came to the State Tax Return I found out that it was not being sold at retailers.I could only get it directly from Intuit website.A link fron Turbotax took me to the website where I was told that it will cost $39.99 for the State.I went through the purchase process.ONLY AFTER they got my credit card number they informed me that price is actually $59.99.No explanations.They got me in a corner and wanted more... I tried to get to a live person to straighten this out - FAT CHANCE.Ended up paying and swearing that next year I will go with anybody but them.
6. When is Microsoft coming up with their version?I never thought I would be rooting for microsoft on anything, but I would go to a great length to get rid of Quickbooks and Turbotax.Not because these are bad programs - only because of Intuits attitudes and incompetance.

Longest review I have ever written.Really really upset... ... Read more

Product Description

Intuit Quicken 2005 Basic.Whether you're managing your personal finances, investing for your future, or running a small business or all three there's a Quicken product that's right for you. Quicken 2005 Basic for Windows includes over 100 customer-driven enhancements that allow you to accomplish what you need with a lot less work.See your complete financial picture in minutes! Find out what you have and where it's going, pay bills, plan for your future, help save more money, and take control of your finances. System Requirements:IBM or compatible Pentium 200 (Pentium II 300 recommended)Windows 98/2000/Me/XP32 MB RAM (128 MB RAM recommended)100 MB Hard Drive Space, plus 45 MB for Microsoft Internet Explorer if IE 6.0 or higher is not already installed (IE 6.0 included on CD-ROM)Double speed CD-ROM (4X or higher recommended for multimedia) ... Read more

Features

• Quickly and easily create a personalized budget
• Powerful, easy-to-use tools for managing personal finances
• Track checking, savings, and credit-card transactions in one place
• Reconcile bank statements and balance checkbook in minutes
• Write and print checks or pay bills online

Reviews (23)

Less than one star - terrible!!!
I've been using excel to track my money for years, and just bought quicken to streamline it.The only way to get any of my historical information in is to type each entry individually!If your bank is not a participating institution (if they didn't pay Quickn/Intuit additional charges) the only way you can enter your transactions is by typing each one individually!What's the point in automating asystem, if you can't automate it?It's not even something you can upgrade - no imports from excel or any other format in any 2005 quicken!Not a good deal.

WASTE OF MONEY
If I am not sure, I play it smart and buy the program used.In short I was not satisfied with what I recieved.If the anecdote, "You get what you pay for." was applicable in this case, this program would be worth it's price, but it's worth less than I paid.Amazon low price of 13 some odd dollars.

Great Product...great price
I've been using Quicken for 5 years and think it is a great product. I just bought this new version to replace Quicken 2000. The new version has a number of improved features. It was really easy to transfer the data from my old computer/old version of Quicken to 2005. I used online chat and found them to be very helpful. Not sure why this product gets such a bad rap.

I thought it would be better than Quickn 2002.I was wrong!
I was perfectly happy with my older deluxe version of Quicken, but found that a)I didn't use most of the deluxe features, b)had several years worth of transactions that I couldn't archive due to a bug, and c)due to a bank change, I could no longer get transaction downloads.So, I bought 2005 basic.BIG MISTAKE! This "new improved" product is so cumbersome and confusing, I've practically stopped using it.When I start it, there are "messages" about my accounts, but I can't read them in the basic version. All I can do is delete them.The "home" page has 8, count them, 8 "Cash Flow Services" options that actually take you to sign-up pages touting for-fee additional services, many of which my bank already provides for free.And there are buttons to quicken.com EVERYWHERE that you have to work to get rid of. (Hellooooo.If I'd wanted to use quicken.com to pay all my bills, I would not have purchased Quicken.) This product is like one of those teaser game CDs that cost $5.00 but only gives you one level.And I don't really want the other levels.All I want is a product that does what it did before in a way that avoids making me relearn everything!

Ok, on the up-side, it does do a pretty good job of keeping track of my bank transactions and it seems like you can tailor it to suit some specific financial priorities, but it's just so incredibly painful to have to relearn EVERYTHING just because the banking industry changed download file formats. Microsoft may be trying to take over the software industry, but at least they don't want to be my bank so much that they totally screw up an otherwise good product.

Good at what it does, but doesn't help to get out of debt
I find Quicken to be good at what it's supposed to do -- track and manage expenses, creating reports to see spending trends, and paying bills. But, I found it was lacking in providing me direction on how to get out of debt. I found this direction, however at www.onepaycheckatatime.com. This web site has interactive that guide you through the process of targeting and paying down debt on a paycheck by paycheck basis. I use it in coordination with Quicken to guide me on which bills to pay, when and how much. Try it! ... Read more

Product Description

TurboTax Deluxe software includes all the features of TurboTax Basic, plus even more help to maximize your most important deductions, including mortgages and charitable contributions. Plus, it delivers the help you need - when you need it - from official IRS publications and expert video advice. ... Read more

Features

• Double-checks return for accuracy; compares last year's deductions to this year's
• Tax preparation software with step-by-step guidance and free electronic filing
• Extra help for mortgages, charitable contributions, and other important deductions
• Assistance from official IRS publications and expert video advice
• Updated life events planner; medical expense expert; complete tax library

Reviews (112)

CALCULATES DIFFERENT TAX EVERY TIME I OPEN PRGM.
HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM?THERE IS NO "CALCULATE" BUTTON, AND EVERY TIME I CLOSE & REOPEN TURBOTAX, IT CALCULATES A DIFFERENT TAX--SOMETIMES IT SAYS I HAVE A REFUND, AND AT OTHER TIMES IT CALCULATES A "TAX DUE"!UNBELIEVABLE!

What is this? Only the name remains the same
- Could not efile the Federal extension form - always could before!!!Had to print and seach out a last minute post office with a late collection !!!

- No way to use the State version to file the VA state extension form - found a technote on the website that says "choose States from the navigation bar" - surprise THERE is no "State" on the navigation bar

- Started my federal return and IT WILL NOT TRANSFER INFO from my 2003 Return!! I can see this on the File drop-down menu but it is greyed out.

- Where is the familiar friendly Question and Answer interface???

- Had to pay over $70 at Best Buy to buy Deluxe and State version. Premiere was not even available. I absolutely refuse to waste my time on mail-in rebates that just get refused or ignored (years of experiences with these scams).

- Download updates didn't work until the 3rd try

-I have no confidence in the quality of this year's Turbo Tax.Am considering buying another tax software product today.

Last year for TurboTax
As a 7+ year TT user, I've got to say that 2004 will be my last year. After collecting $40 for Deluxe, they fleeced me for $30 more so that I could complete the ESPP section of my taxes. This was previously included in Deluxe, but no warning was given that they made this change (fewer features for the same price). Plus I'm tired of the terrible support and the annual rebate game they force me to play to get my $10 or $30 back. Will check out TaxAct and TaxCut next year.

The most over-rated product and biggest rip-off ever
Bought this when a friend recommended it every so highly.Should've known better.This product is DREADFUL!I honestly wish I'd have seen the reviews on Amazon before I made my purchase.Support is non-existent.The downloading just doesn't happen.I've already wasted 2.5 hours on this, the mirror site download would've taken over 6.5 hours.I'm going to file manually (thank GOD something told me to try this a day in advance of 4/15), and demand a refund from TurboTax.I'll never buy this again.If I could give it less stars than one, I would.

2004 TurboTaxDeluxe
FAILURE. The program would not complete my return because of two updates, which would never download to my computer. The updates necessary were on form 8863 and merely included items on lines which differed from one form to another, but were successfully placed on the form from Turbo Tax. Since the update would not download, Turbo Tax Deluxe would not progress beyond the Error check function. I had to manually print and send the forms myself. I had to download a form 8863 from the IRS site itself, put all the figures in the correct boxes, and file that form from them. What a FAILURE OF A PROGRAM. ... Read more

Product Description

Microsoft Money 2005 Small Business is the comprehensive finance solution for small companies. It makes managing your finances easy so you can spend more time with your customers.* Categorize income and expenses Money automatically categorizes all your business and personaltransactions so you can see exactly where your money goes.* Get expert advice The Business Resource Center puts the latest news and useful articles atyour fingertips; Business Reports provide a snapshot of your businessfinances.* Handle billing effortlessly Money makes it easy to keep track of customers stay on top of accountspayable and receivable and create professional-looking invoices.* Simplify taxes Keep up with taxable expenses automatically link categories to yourSchedule C report and find hidden deductions.* Includes free financial services One year of online payroll from PayCycle plus all free financialservices included in Money 2005 Premium (Experian GainsKeeper and H&RBlock). REQUIREMENTS- Multimedia PC with Pentium 166 or faster processor (or compatible); Pentium II 266 (or compatible) processor required for Windows XP (Pentium II 300 recommended).Windows XP: 64 MB of RAM (128 MB recommended); Windows 2000 or Windows 98 SE: 32 MB of RAM (64 MB recommended).130 MB of available hard-disk space plus 60 MB for Internet Explorer 6 SP1 (if not already installed) plus an additional 200 MB while installing product updates.2x or faster CD-ROM drive Super VGA color monitor with minimum 256 colors capable of displaying 800 x 600 resolution 16-bit color recommended.Windows XP Windows 2000 SP3 or later or Windows 98 SE or later.Most online features require Microsoft .NET Passport; for more information see the Microsoft Money 2005 Internet-based services policy.Super VGA graphics card or compatible video graphics adapter.Microsoft mouse or compatible pointing device.28.8 Kbps or faster modem; Internet functionality requires an Internet Service Provider (ISP); local and long distanc... ... Read more

Features

• Free financial services, including 1 year online payroll from PayCycle
• Comprehensive finance solution for small companies
• Categorize income and expenses; handle billing effortlessly
• Get expert advice from current news and useful articles
• Keep up with taxable expenses automatically

Reviews (18)

Microsoft Screwd Up this Version of Money BIG Time!
Hi,

I just started a small website design business, and I was evaluating simple accounting products to keep track of my business.

I really like the interface for Microsoft Money...it is much more intuative and laid out better than Quicken Home and Business 2005....but man, what nerve Microsoft has to require you to have one of those stupid Microsoft Passport accounts....and then to make you always be "online" to create new accounts!

GEEZ...in my opinion, they went too far!

I guess I'm a sticken with a Quicken!


:)

For disappointed in Microsoft Money
Personally, I believe that who ever takes time to post his/her opinion in order to alert others deserves one big thanks from this community. So, thanks to people above:

My Microsoft Money was bundled with my PC but I only needed fast and simple money tracking. Learning to use Microsoft Money was one big waist of my time. I was considering upgrade and naturally, first thing to do was to read reviews.

Search for Money 2005 opened My Money 2005 download page, software created by totally different company. Unlike Microsoft Money, this software was actually easy and full version was only 9.95. If you want to check this out, go to ZPSSoft.com and look for My Money 2005.You may not going to be able to run your corporation or small country with it, but it will do for all your money.

Do Not Upgrade!!
I currently have the 2004 which I upgraded from 2002.Everything was fine, therefore I would only expect 2005 to be better than 2004.It was awful, I returned the product within hours!!2005 is made up entirely of advertisements displayed all over the place, it isn't user friendly and the features that I liked in the previous versions are gone.I am extremely disappointed and highly recommended not getting the 2005 version!

I wish I had bought something else
I bought Money 2005 Small Business Edition to create some basic financial accounting for my small business. The product came with no guide, neither on paper, nor on screen - for anything you need, you need to go online. The product constant encourages you to go online - but do you want to go online with all your financials open? Could a user have Microsoft or anyone else start browsing through his finances? Unfortunately, basic functions, such as decreasing a balance on a client invoice due to a credit, seem impossible to find. I wish I had bought something else.

Incredibly disappointing version "upgrade"
First, let me say that I have been an avid fan, user, and recommender of the Microsoft Money products since I first became acquainted with them after the 1998 version release of the product.

Words cannot express how greatly disappointed I am with the product itself and Microsoft as a company for unleashing this grossly inept, buggy, and endlessly frustrating piece of trash upon its previously contended users.

I have spent countless hours trying to fix problems that Money 2005 has created in my personal financial records, and even more hours with their support people communicating with them via e-mail (a journey in frustration itself - you have to format your messages a certain way for it to even get to them).

I am, as of today, sending a request to Microsoft for a refund of my purchase price and am going to try one of the Quicken products.I've never even used ANY of the Quicken products before, and am already convinced that they are surely head and shoulders above this latest version of Money.

Shame on Microsoft for thinking that nobody would be willing to jump ship and take their business elsewhere. ... Read more

Product Description

Best Software Peachtree Complete Accounting 2005 - Accounting - PCPeachtree Complete Accounting includes the robust, multi-user ready accounting features you want, and helps provide the valuable insight you need. Better manage your accounting and business with advanced features such as in-depth inventory, job costing, time and billing and fixed assets. Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theBest Soft PCW2005RT - PEACHTREE COMPLETE ACCOUNTING 2005 and all other Best Soft Software - Misc ... Read more

Features

• New-company setup wizard; multiple help options
• Robust, automated accounting features for small businesses
• Bill paying; check writing; invoicing; payroll solutions; audit trails
• In-depth inventory; over 125 reports; customizable forms
• Peachtree Today for an instant snapshot of business financials

Reviews (8)

Best Software Has Destroyed Peachtree
The "old" Peachtree and Peachtree Complete were good products.They allowed for essentially unlimited departments in the general ledger and multi-department payroll.Best's Peachtree calls these "segments" and forces you to purchase the too expense Peachtree Premium to get just FIVE departments.Their fixed asset system is limited to 200 assets...totally unacceptable....They are trying to force an upgrade to their MAS line of products.

It's a shame that they seem to want kill it.I've used Peachtree for nearly 20 years.The earlier versions were much more user friendly.I used to use Peachtree for a 300 person, multi-department payroll and for public accounting, departmentalization, and multi-company consolidation.I wouldn't recommend that anyone attempt this with Peachtree's current versions.Peachtree used to be the go to company for small business accounting....through Best Software's greed, they have been eclipsed by Intuit's Quickbooks.

Avoid Peachtree/Best Products at all costs.

Use with Caution.....
Unless your a bookkeeper geek, Peachtree is not something you can do alone.For those who enjoy bookkeeping and have assistance from a some-time Accountant, it is sufficently flexible to handle your needs.It's not cheap and to evaluate properly consider: training, 3rd party charges and Best Software nickel and diming you for every little thing. For example, this upgrade is totally unnecessary, except to obsolete their earlier versions.One finds very little changing and what does change, is unimpressive -- most items on the above feature list are not new.

Full of Bugs and Slow
We are forced here to give it one star - The program deserves NONE!

We couldn't agree more with the comments below. The product is
extremely unreliable and slow. We have been struggling with this for several years now and the last upgrade seemed to have made things even worse. We will have to look for another program.
Not recommended

There are better software out there!
Please look around and be more futuristic.
Peachtree has lots of unfixed bugs and is out dated. I tested some software and found some really good, with reasonable price: BusinessWorks, Small Business Manager (microsoft.com), Quick Business Manager (bisaim.com),Vision Point 2000 (ACCPAC), BusinessVision 32 (Softline).

Good Luck in your search.

Hard Har Har, Very complex!
We are not in an industrial age any more! We want better software, much easier to use, and better interface.Why Peachtree is that hard? Remember DOS? How hard it was when Windows came about? Now peachtree is like that if you have used better software: Old tech.

... Read more

Product Description

Intuit Quicken 2005 Premier for Windows - Financial Management - PCQuicken 2005 Premier includes everything in Quicken 2005 Deluxe, plus exclusive tools to help you manage your investments. Over 100 customer-driven improvements to the most-used Quicken features make it easier than ever to get what you need out of Quicken!Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theIntuit 283651 - QUICKEN 2005 PREMIERand all other Intuit Software - Misc ... Read more

Features

• View average annual return for entire portfolio and individual accounts
• Optimize investments, monitor worth, and view complete financial picture
• Instantly connect to bank and credit card sites with a push of a button
• Easy-to-use investment area looks just like a broker statement
• Track investment holdings; intelligent and tax-smart investing insights

Reviews (28)

it works fine...
I was still on version 2001 when I received an email notice from quicken saying they were discontinuing support for this version, including the download of quotes to my portfolio.

I was rather upset by that, as Q 2001 worked perfectly for me... and also rather impressed. I will suggest this method to my company, i.e. tell to client they have to upgrade version of our applications, because soon we won't send data any more to old versions... that's a very good business model... for the seller anyway.

Having read all the negative reviews about Q 2005, I was a bit anxious when I did the upgrade... But Everything worked fine... the new version managed to import without any problems all the data from Q 2001.. Having move from 2001 to 2005 in one jump, I found that the user interface is drastically better... I like the possibility to call the report directly from the toolbar. and also to rename/aggregate easily vendor names into a single name, as I am using a few online vendors which keep changing their denominations/names...

All in all, a very good product...So far, the only thing missing is the lack of capacity for donwloading/accessing quote/historical price for non US stocks.

Quicken & Quicken support have gone down hill
Quicken used to be an easy product to use but over the last few years each successive upgrade has become more user unfriendly.Methods of entry are changed without notice and with little or no help support.The product is becoming more oriented to Intuit's online businesses and basic, simple features are disappearing.Menus and online pages offer to sell you more Intuit services.

Year-over-year updates delete or change features and leave it to you to figure out what they have done.User support is inadequate and confusing.They even go so far as to label self-serving product changes (capability deletions) as enhancements.A good example is the removal of the QIF format import/export capability for investment data without providing a comparable capability.This results in the loss of an ability to transfer or merge investment transactions.Quicken says that using a QIF file was a "poor customer experience".They changed the product to only use a format that works with their online download despite the fact that it also deleted the ability to move transactions about on your PC. It appears their "poor experience" with having a feature with some cross-product capability was traded for a "feature" that limits you to Quicken at the expense of leaving you a "no capability experience".

Detailed documentation, particularly of changes, is lacking.Online chat user support is limited; personnel are untrained on items and recommend that you call for live telephone help.You quickly find out that live telephone "support" is a profit center at $24.95 a call.Paying them $24.95 to explain that they deleted a useful feature because they didn't think it was needed is a typical Quicken experience.

Every release worse than the last.
I've been a Quicken user from day one.Prior to 2002, I used to upgrade virtually every year.I've done this reluctantly because with each upgrade, some feature or report I use frequently gets axed in the new and improved version.In the last 4 years I've returned two releases (2003 and 2004) because of my disgust with Intuit's penchant for making the program more difficult for me to use.I read most of the reviews posted for Premier 2005 and agree with the consensus that Intuit just can't seem to get it right.

All Intuit seems to have done in the last 4 or 5 releases is to change the look and feel of the software at the expense of ease of use.There's nothing materially "better" in this release but entering investment transactions became a downright pain in the behind.

examples:
Can't cut and paste inside the check writing window (admittedly, not a frequently used feature, but gone).

Stock transactions now pop up a much less user friendly entry window.The older 2002 version of register based entry was much easier to use.

Want to reconcile that brokerage account?You really gotta hunt for this command.Why, for Pete's sake, isn't there a command, button or icon anywhere on the window with the register?

Done reconciling and want to check the account value for the date of your statement?In 2002, you were sent to the portfolio view after reconciling with the "As of" date of the view set to the statement date you used in the reconcile.Not anymore.Now you are sent back to the TOP OF the register.Were you needing to enter another transaction, you would have to scroll down to the bottom.So, you click to the Summary Page instead.This displays the current date in the "As of" the Holdings window.You must change the date to go to your statement date.Also, the Holdings window in the Summary Page is annoyingly small and won't allow you to expand it, forcing you to go back to the Portfoio Window anyway to easily see what you need to see.

I'm so heavily entrenched into Quicken that I'm stuck (Money tells me if finds conversion errors - but won't specify what they are).I will have to live with 2005, but would have stayed with 2002 to keep the simplified register based entry for stock transactions.

I could go on and on but you'll see enough complaints posted here.

Prior to 2002 I bought the upgrades every year.Now, I'll stick it out for as many years as possible to prevent further erosion of features I've grown accustomed to.

If you're a casual user and only need to cut checks, get the basic version - or try MS Money.If you're a power user, hold off until the tone of these reviews improves.

Caveat Emptor

Upgraded from Quicken 2002 Deluxe
Since online banking updates were no longer going to be supported past mid-April 2005, even the loyal Quicken customers had to upgrade to the latest version.I can understand it in my case.I needed to upgrade.I upgraded directly from Intuit and supposedly got $20 off (for current customers).All I know is I paid the same price everyone is buying it for here on Amazon.

I've been using Quicken since it's original days in DOS.I have been completely satisfied with the program all these years.The new 2005 interface will take some getting used to, but so far I like it.It was a painless upgrade of my data files from 2002 to 2003, then to 2005 data file version.I have about 10mb in data files and it works flawlessly.I refuse to do a "year-end" each year and start with a new data file.

If you're on the 2003 or 2004 version, I would not recommend upgrading yet.If you are on 2002 or earlier, you'll have to upgrade by mid-April 2005 if you want to continue using account downloads via the Internet directly into Quicken.This is something that I could not live without, so here I am running Quicken 2005 Premiere.

A very flawed product--DO NOT BUY!!!
I had been a very happy camper with Quicken for many years...until Intuit forced the upgrade to the 2005 version.What used to work flawlessly (Quicken 2002)in terms of bank and stock data downloads now would not work.Four calls to the support line got nowhere, with much fumbling around about Quicken not working well on networks, having problems with firewalls and on and on...no solutions.I finally had to just demand a refund and will now spend the money on MS Money...at least one should expect that to work with Windows XP.I guess Intuit has just gotten too greedy and/or too big...beware... ... Read more

Product Description

Intuit Quickbooks POS 4.0 Pro MS Retail Hardware and Software .The QuickBooks Point of Sale Solution for Retailers is an all-in-one bundle of QuickBooks Point of Sale software with the retail hardware you need to turn your Windows PC into a retail management system. It includes a copy of QuickBooks Point of Sale software, a receipt printer, bar code scanner, credit card reader and cash drawer, guaranteed to work together seamlessly. information you'll never get from a cash register. ... Read more

Product Description

Intuit QuickBooks 2005 Premier Edition - Complete Product - Financial Management - 1 User(s) Complete Product - Standard - PCQuickBooks: Premier 2005 includes all the features of Basic and Pro 2005 plus business planning tools to help you meet more specialized needs. Also available in industry-specific versions. Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theIntuit 284194 - QUICKBOOKS PREMIER 2005 ED WIN STANDALONE OR WITH QUICKBOOKS POS and all other Intuit Software - Misc ... Read more

Features

• More easily apply payments, such as overpayments, underpayments, credits and refunds.
• More easily merge QuickBooks data into Microsoft Word [2000, 2002 or 2003] letters and envelopes for quick, professional mailings to customers, vendors or employees.
• Create a forecast of income and expenses for the year ahead, based on your existing QuickBooks data with the click of a button.
• Build a professional, accurate business plan more easily than ever.
• Track inventory assemblies and finished goods.

Product Description

QuickBooks Pro 2004 5-User Value Pack includes everything in QuickBooks Basic, plus advanced tools for managing your business finances. Includes estimating, time tracking and integration with over 100 business applications. QuickBooks Pro 2004 5-User Value Pack is multi-user capable, so up to five people can work on the same file at the same time.Some of the new and improved features for 2004 include: More professional form designs - choose from over 100 ready-to-use, professionally designed, invoice, estimate, statement and other form templates.More form customization options - now you can add things like color text, shaded boxes and multiple text comments, logos and images, anywhere, in a variety of sizes. Automatically create a budget - automatically create your budget using actual income and expense data.Advanced backup options - enjoy greater flexibility and confidence when backing up your data. Improved customer statements - print the statements you need with the information you want. ... Read more

Features

• Financial management system for businesses
• Import data from popular office software
• Easily manage accounts payable and receivable
• Customize reports, prices and more
• Licensed for five users

Reviews (1)

"Multi-user"??
I have a small business where 3 people need access to Invoices, POs and inventory. It seems, If you want to do anything of any impotence, you have to go to single user mode. For example; importing customers, anything with inventory, anything with vendors. All anyone can do in multi-user mode is create invoices and POs. It was a waist of money for us as we still find ourselves in single user mode most of the time. Oh, and the there are tuns of "OK" buttons to press. Every time you tell it to do something, expect to press at least 2 "OK" buttons before it will do it. Don't tell me "QB is now ready to..." do something, JUST DO IT. All in all, it's pretty much the same thing as the QB Pro. If you are like us, and need more people to access information, I suggest upgrading to something else. ... Read more

Product Description

Best Software Peachtree Premium Accounting for Manufacturing 2005 - AccountingWhether you're a smaller job shop or a larger make-to-stock manufacturer, you face many of the same business challenges: efficient management of the assembly process, constant optimization of inventory levels, and fulfilling customer orders - all while maintaining a firm grasp on key financial details.Peachtree Premium Accounting for Manufacturing 2005 combines powerful assembly and inventory management tools, advanced operational reporting and the rock-solid core accounting features that have made Peachtree the choice of hundreds of thousands of small businesses. The result - an accounting solution tailor-made for the challenges of operating a profitable manufacturing business. Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theBest Soft PPA2005RT - PEACHTREE PREMIUM ACCOUNTING 2005 and all other Best Soft Software - Misc ... Read more

Features

• Crystal Reports for Peachtree included
• Robust, automated accounting features for small businesses
• Compensation management; over 140 reports; customizable forms
• Serialized inventory and departmentalized reporting
• Multi-user options; new-company setup wizard; multiple help options

Product Description

Microsoft Office Excel 2003 enables you to turn data into information with powerful tools to analyze, communicate, and share results. Excel 2003 can help you work better in teams, and help protect and control access to your work. In addition, you can work with industry-standard Extensible Markup Language (XML) data to make it easier to connect to business processes.

Features:

• Capture and Reuse Data Bring key business data into your spreadsheets for more timely access to the information you need to make good decisions.
• Share Information with Confidence Work together effectivelyinternally and with other organizationsand help protect against the misuse of sensitive company information.
• Increase Productivity Be mobile and access information that can help you create the best spreadsheets possible.

Features

• Enhanced Smart Tags appear only when you hover the mouse over a defined range of cells
• Reads data in any customer defined XML schema, without reformatting; you can manipulate XML data sources using charts, tables or graphs
• Spreadsheets can be saved in a native XML file format, searchable by a program using industry standard XML
• New visual XML mapping tool maps user-specified XML schema to fields in an Excel spreadsheet
• Analyzes data better, with enhanced collinearity detection, sum of squared deviation calculation, normal distributions, and continuous probability distribution functions

Product Description

Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale: Pro v.4.0 - Complete Product - Financial - 1 User(s) Complete Product - Standard - PCQuickBooks Point of Sale: Pro is easy-to-use retail software that tracks sales, inventory, customers, sales orders, layaways, employee commissions and detailed inventory information. Use it alone or get it bundled with hardware components that can save you time and help reduce errors. Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theIntuit 284234 - QUICKBOOKS POS 4.0 PRO RETAIL MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE WIN and all other Intuit Software - Misc ... Read more

Product Description

Peachtree Premium Accounting 2005 5 User .Peachtree Premium Accounting 2005 Multi-User Value Pack is the advanced, accounting solution todayâs forward-thinking business owner needs to manage their growing business(s) more effectively. Now you can have up to five users handle complex tasks such as company consolidation, compensation management, and comprehensive budgeting and forecasting. Crystal Reports for Peachtree is included, offering even greater opportunities for more effective decisions. Additional features such as serialized inventory and departmentalized reporting help make this an even better value for those business owners who know that understanding their accounting is crucial to their success! ... Read more

Features

• Crystal Reports for Peachtree included
• Robust, automated accounting features for small businesses
• In-depth inventory; over 140 reports; customizable forms
• Serialized inventory and departmentalized reporting
• For up to five users; easy setup wizard; multiple help options

Product Description

iSale is the perfect eBay helper utility for Mac users.

Experience selling on eBay in an entirely new way. Make your own auctions quickly and have fun at the same time. Edit your auctions as often as you want and let your creativity show - and, best of all, you can do all this offline at your own pace. iSale works with iPhoto, iSight, and iDisk to make navigating and updating your eBay account and auctions easier than ever before!

Features:

• User friendly, intuitive interface
• Edit auction layouts easily, change fonts, colors and layouts
• Use iSight to take pictures without a digital camera, just point iSight in the direction of your article and click
• Use iPhoto to easily upload auction photos
• Prepare your auction offline, then send to eBay with one click while online
• Displays the amount eBay would charge for your auction, then decide if you want to submit the auction
• Organize your auctions in "smart groups" and manage multiple auctions at a time
• Keep an overview of the current status of running and finished auctions
• Compatible with eBay USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Germany,France, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium (French), Belgium (Dutch), Italy, Netherlands and Spain.

Product Description

Peachtree Accounting 2005.Peachtree Accounting 2005 is the helpful entry-level accounting solution for small businesses transitioning from a manual or personal finance-based system. Packed with all the standard features G/L,A/R,A/P, basic inventory, payroll1 and over 100 customizable reports Peachtree Accounting offers the tools to help you automate your accounting with confidence. Peachtree Today the Business Resource Center helps you get an instant snapshot of your business financials, along with other functions that help you monitor and manage your business more effectively. Peachtree Accounting 2005 helps you get the insight behind your numbers. ... Read more

Features

• New-company setup wizard; 20+ demos; multiple help options
• Entry-level automated accounting for small businesses
• Bill paying; check writing; invoicing; bank reconciliation
• Basic inventory; payroll; 100+ customizable reports
• Peachtree Today for an instant snapshot of business financials

Reviews (15)

Peachtree Brings Down Visual Basic
We have VB6 and VB.NET installed on our machines. We installed Peachtree Accounting on one of these machines. The Peachtree product degrades VB6 and, since our business is creating VB6/.NET software it is a threat to our business. Example, everytime we start VB6 Peachtree Accounting goes into its install process, however, it is already installed! Another example, everytime we complie a VB6 application (that is everytime we try to execute it in testing) Peachtree Accounting goes into its install process! This is bizarre. To add insult to injury the customer must pay for Best Software's support. So here we are with defective software that comprimises our ability to do business and we have to pay to have Best fix what is their poor quality software!!??? Bizarre.

Importance of Peachtree Software to end user
I have been using Peachtree Accounting and Quickbooks software for the past eight years and I think Peachtree is better in terms of presentation especiallyfor the financial reports.

In Quickbooks, anybody can use it in terms of compilation of books but the reporting is not presentable enough to impress the end user especially the big bosses,while in Peachtree Accounting it is more complicated to non accountants but the financial reporting is more impressive.

Small business user...
I'm an engineer and normally I don't write review at all, except for this time. I started a new business a year ago and I've been looking for an accounting package to run the business. While searching, I'm using MS excel for a while. It's OK but I spend too much time to set it up weekly and enter daily expenes and sales journals. And I have not mention the time that I spend to maintain the customer, Inventory list and do payroll. To make a story short, I have another fulltime job and I can only work on the business book at night. Each night, I would spend at least 2-3 hours and I can't afford this because I have 2 small kids too.
Since I brought the PeachTree 2005, I only spend 15-30 minutes to to all the needed tasks and run all different reports as I could not do in the spreadsheets.
I have to admit that the software a bit confuse and hard to set it up in the begining especially for those who has no acounting backgroud. To start all I need is to import the customer list and the inventory then it's ready to use. Once you start use the software, and you can fine-tune what you need. Accounting is very principal but each business runs it differently.
Over all I'm very happy with the product although I'm still learning new features from it every day after using it for 4 months.

Want a refund..............
I am totally disgusted with this Peachtree Accounting 2005. Bought it in December, have not used it yet cause it is so darn complicated. Been reading the "User's Guide" that comes with the software and finally made a call to the tech support (it was still free-not charging me yet)to ask them. Told them we were a small company, I wanted to know how to enter our employees and let ME figure their paychecks without entering tax tables or buying their tax service. The tech told me how and I asked him to give me a page number in the "User's Guide" so I could look it up and follow along. Well, guess what?? It is NOT in the "User's Guide"!!!Not sure what good a "User's Guide" does for me if the company only puts in instructions that benefit THEM-they want you to sign up for The Peachtree Payroll Tax Service, which of course, is NOT free. Also, talked to our personal CPA and he said you almost had to be an accountant to be able to use it. So I have given up!!!

Thanks, TextbookBiz
I'm glad I read TextbookBiz's warning regarding product registration.My friend uses PA 2005 and it seems easy enough, even though previously I had used Quickbooks (a few years back).I liked PA 2005's interface, so I came to Amazon to buy a copy for myself.There are people selling "new & used" for 1/5 the regular price, and I was naturally suspicious.After reading TextbookBiz's review I called up teh publisher on my dime and, indeed, they told me once a copy is registered, there's no way to re-install it, so you cannot install teh same copy on two PCs and you cannot transfer / sell the copy to someone else!

Of course, this is irksome for legit users, too.This is basically product activation, and you cannot use it on more than one computer.For $180 I really expect to be able to use this on all my PCs.I'd even be willing to send the company a picture to prove these are indeed my personal computers.

Thanks to TextbookBiz, I did not fall for the scams in the new & used section.I hope Amazon removes those listings. ... Read more

Product Description

Peachtree Timeslips 2005.Having an effective time and billing system is an essential part of successfully running a service business. Timeslips 2005 helps your business become more efficient and your billings become more accurate so that you can capitalize on every opportunity to turn more of your time into money. The powerful, well established feature set is presented in a user-friendly interface, making Timeslips 2005 an incredibly capable product that requires very little time to learn, especially when using the new built-in training videos included within the software. With new features such as Microsoft Outlook Integration and interactive bill preview, it offers the perfect combination of powerful functionality and ease-of-use. System Requirements:300 MHz Pentium II computer minimum, IBM Compatible 450 MHz Pentium II or higher recommended. Windows XP SP1, Windows 2000 SP3, Windows ME, Windows 98 SE or Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 6a. Product will not operate in a Windows Terminal Server Environment using Windows Terminal Services. 64MB RAM Minimum, 128MB recommended ... Read more

Features

• Improves every step of even the most complex billing cycle
• Create alerts to keep from overlooking important information
• Easily design professional-looking bill templates
• Customizable control panel; 2-way integration with Microsoft Outlook
• User-friendly interface; ideal for anyone who bills for their services

Product Description

Best Software Simply Accounting 2005 Basic - Complete Product - Accounting - 1 User(s) Complete Product - Standard - PCSimply Accounting 2005 Basic was designed for fast moving businesses. It's easy to learn and use, yet powerful enough to keep up with all your accounting needs. Whether you sell products or services, Simply Accounting Basic has all you need to run your business. It automates everything from making purchases to making sales and everything in between. It's even flexible enough to meet the most demanding payroll requirements. Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theBest Soft SAB2005RT - SIMPLY ACCOUNTING 2005 BASIC FOR WIN 98SE/2K/ME/NT/XP and all other Best Soft Software - Misc ... Read more

Features

• Track projects; over 100 industry-specific starter templates
• Easy-to-use accounting tools for running a business
• Manage customers and suppliers; run business reports
• Handle employee payroll; generate checks and invoices
• Productivity tips and advice for 100+ business types

Reviews (2)

Accounting Idiot
I currently use Ver. 2004 and have not upgraded to v. 2005 but I can say that I love this software.It is inexpensive and does everything you need it to do.

I only took one accounting class (hated it) almost 15 years ago so I knew very little about how to keep my own books.I just started my own business and thought I should have some formal record of my financials even if my accountant would have to clean it up later.Simply accounting had wonderful tutorials on CD (included) and I was able to go directly to what area I needed help with.I have to admit that I had to start over with a new company a couple of times because I messed up some entries, but that was because I am not an accountant and didn't want a bunch of adjustments to correct entries.

I read the other review and yes, you do get a pop-up window that asks if you are sure you want to enter something older than 7 days, but you can change that in the options.I don't have a lot of paperwork yet so I probably enter documents in maybe once or twice a month and I have NO problems with these infrequent entries.

I even created my own personalized invoices, POs, receipts, etcthat match my letterhead.I can email or print these out for clients.It sends emails through Outlook.

The best part is the wizard.When you set up a new company, the wizard will ask you what type of business you are running and then develop an account list based on that.I was able to add and delete my own as I went along.

If you believe you can be taught accounting, give this program a try.

Hard to use and unforgiving of errors
I've used Simply Accounting for my small business for 12 months. It is a decent basic accounting package with all the features you would expect. However, it is hard to work with and extremely unforgiving.

The first problem is that Simply Accounting assumes that you will always enter all transactions in ascending date order, and that you use the program at least every week. The root cause is Simply Accounting's concept of the "current session date". The program complains if you enter any transaction that is more than 7 days before or after this date. It also complains if you then try to move the session date to another date more than 7 days away -- as if this were some major accounting heresy. So if you are going through your paperwork catching up on your accounts at the end of the month, this gets incredibly annoying very quickly.

Secondly, if you ever have the temerity to enter one transaction that precedes any other, you get another warning that the earlier transaction will affect any reports you might have run. Gee, there's a surprise. There is no way to turn this annoying warning off. So you'd better order all your paperwork by date, or else suffer death by a thousand clicks to dismiss this warning message every time.

Thirdly, if you make a mistake entering a transaction, there is no way to go back and correct the transaction. You can reverse transactions, but this means adding a second transaction to back out the old one and a third for the corrected transaction. I understand that this is important for audit trail purposes, but make it possible to collapse the audit trail into a single transaction. If you're just fat fingered like me or forget to change the date from the last transaction (this happens to me a lot), your accounts become littered with incorrect transactions and their reversals -- three transactions for each mistake. If renders any kind of reporting on account transactions almost useless, because the debit and credit columns are swelled by (irrelevant) transaction errors and their corrections. I'm a one-man business -- I don't need an audit trail to show that I messed up the date of a payment or invoice. It obscures the view of how well/badly my business is actually doing.

The user interface compounds these problems. For most transactions, you want to enter the date, the payee or payor, the amount(s), and the account(s) to book the expense/revenue against. However, the forms are not laid out in this order on the screen. You'll need to navigate by mousing and clicking extensively to get to these fields and enter the relevant information. This is why it's so very easy to get the wrong date for a transaction -- not only is the date field not the first on the form, you need to press Tab more than 6 times to get there from the payee/payor field. To enter the account efficiently, you'll need to have memorized its 4 digit code. No, you can't start typing the first few characters of the name of the account and have the software auto-complete. If you click on the pick-list of accounts, they are ordered by account code and not alphabetically, which makes it vastly harder to find the account you want to use.

Finally, the software assumes you are fluent in accounting jargon, terminology and practices. It claims to have a mode where it uses "non accounting terms" but this is more confusing than using the actual terms themselves. There's no help for novice business owners -- you'll need to get a basic grounding in account-keeping because the software and manuals offer little to no help. ... Read more

Product Description

Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale v.4.0 Pro Multi-Store - Complete Product - Financial Management - 1 User(s) Complete Product - PCQuickBooks Point of Sale Pro Multi-Store is easy-to-use retail software that allows you to manage up to 10 stores from a single location and track sales information and inventory at each of the stores. It includes all the features of Point of Sale: Pro. Use it alone or get it bundled with hardware components that can save you time and reduce errors.** Works with any QuickBooks: Pro or Premier Edition (2003-2005) and Enterprise Solutions (version 1.0-5.0).Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theIntuit 284235 - QUICKBOOKS POS 4.0 PRO MS RETAIL MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE WIN and all other Intuit Software - Misc ... Read more

Product Description

Intuit Inc (292569) TURBOTAX BASIC V2004 ... Read more

Features

• Assists calculating optimum withholding situation for personal needs
• Tax preparation software with step-by-step guidance and free electronic filing
• Imports data from Quicken, QuickBooks, and Microsoft Money software
• Puts answers on IRS-approved forms; double checks return for accuracy
• Includes latest tax law changes; download and import W-2 and 1099 forms online

Reviews (28)

Not all tax programs are equal
We used TurboTax for a couple of years then switched to TaxCut on the advice of friends. We were amazed at how much more money TaxCut saved us! TaxCut is more knowledgeable when it comes to making the most of ones deductions. We are sorry we didn't switch last year.

I should have filled out forms by hand.
I guess TurboTax is a *little* bit better than filling out forms by hand. I've used TaxCut the last few years and found its interface fine, if not spectacular. I decided to try TurboTax this year because I got the Mac and PC version on one disc and I wasn't sure which computer I was going to do taxes on yet. While both programs cover a lot of the same ground in the same way, I keep running into extremely frustrating aspects of TurboTax. For example:

* Several times, I have been asked to calculate amounts myself. Didn't I buy software so I wouldn't have to do that?

* A few times I have been given cryptic choices on how I want my obligations computed. In TaxCut, these would always have a recommendation ("We recommend not claiming the dog as a dependent").

* To get actual advice with TurboTax, it costs a minimum of $29.99 and you must sign up on their webpage. TaxCut provides enough answers to questions with the software that I've never had to call their (free) advice line.

* Some things just aren't included with the program. For example, I donated a lot of furniture to charity this last year. I had to compute the resale value for everything myself. There's a utility for TurboTax which computes values for you. You can order it off the website for $20 (more than TurboTax costs).

None of these are show stoppers, really. But they are significant slower-downers. I definitely haven't saved any time and money this year because of purchasing TurboTax and in the past four years, I've felt that I *did* save time and money by using TaxCut. And that's the bottom line.

Don't Let the Reviews Scare You, Turbotax is Still Great
I was reluctant to buy Turbotax again this year because of all the negative reviews.I decided taking a chance with Turbotax was still more desirable than paying someone to do my taxes for me, though, so I bought it anyway.It worked perfectly.I had no problems loading or using the software.However, I do recommend downloading the updates; they must be there for a reason.

Did the trick for me
I have used both TurboTax and TaxCut over the years and I prefer TurboTax.TaxCut gets the job done, but TurboTax is a more polished product.I did my 2004 taxes with TurboTax Basic and it did everything I asked of it.Install went smoothly.While the Basic edition lacks some of the features of the the upmarket products, I still managed to do what I needed to do, which includedseveral mutual fund sales this year.

Unlike some of the other users who have had negative experiences, I have run into no examples of spyware and the program installed flawlessly.After an automatic update, I was able to quickly get going.TurboTax made my taxes as painless as they can be...

AVOID THIS PRODUCT -- VERY BAD
I have used Turbo Tax for the past 3 years, and have loved it. It was easy to install, pretty straightforward to use.

So when I sat down to install 2004, I didn't give it a second thought. However, the product developers probably need to go back to school on this one, and the manufacturer needs to issue a major apology to everyone who has tried to use this.

I consider myself way above average on the computer skills side. I could not get the product to load on a Compaq with Windows ME operating system. I kept getting error messages to install a second disk. It only comes with one.

I took it to another machine, and tried installing it on a Dell with Windows XP-Professional Edition. Here too, it would not install properly. It indicated that the installation was finished. However, it didn't install several files needed to make it work. It downloaded an update.You have to turn your computer off, then back on to install the update. The update wouldn't install.In fact the computer stalled. Had to reboot again, and start from scratch.

Since I was unable to install the product on either machine, I can't tell you how it handles the routines of calculating your income tax. My guess is that it is very error prone. If you used Turbo Tax, I'd pay an accountant to review your numbers to see that they are correct. Then I'd send the bills to Turbo Tax.

For me, I'm now checking out other products.