Intuit — QuickBooks: Premier Nonprofit Edition 2007

Like all QuickBooks editions, the main screen contains the standard drop-down
menu that provides access to all system features, including all nonprofit functions,
company, vendors, customers and payroll. Below the menu bar are the QuickBooks
Centers along with icons that provide access to frequently used functions. The
standard QuickBooks flowchart is also found on the main screen and provides
alternate access to system functions, as well. QuickBooks: Premier Nonprofit
Edition is easily navigated with useful Help functionality found throughout
the program. Data-entry screens are uncluttered and contain the necessary lookup
options throughout.

MODULES/SCALABILITY – 4 Stars
QuickBooks: Premier Nonprofit Edition offers smaller nonprofits the ability
to track donations, pledges and annual organization budgets, along with the
ability to keep a handle on regular financial information. Along with nonprofit
capability, QuickBooks handles bills, payments, bank reconciliation and inventory,
as well. An optional payroll service is also available through Intuit. QuickBooks
Nonprofit is available for both Premier and Enterprise Solutions, which makes
it easy to scale up for more simultaneous users. For those converting from another
system, data can be easily imported from Quicken, Peachtree, Microsoft Office
Accounting or Microsoft Small Business Accounting.

FEATURES/FUNCTIONALITY – 4 Stars
QuickBooks: Premier Nonprofit Edition 2007 offers numerous system improvements,
including a more efficient setup interview, better form customization, improved
sales tax management, and a new search function that provides users with the
ability to locate customer, vendor or financial information by entering relevant
search criteria. Improved item management and improved links to both FedEx and
UPS shipping programs makes it easier to track item shipments.

The Donations and Pledge screens are similar to the standard sales receipt
and invoice data-entry screens that QuickBooks normally uses. Pledges can be
recorded in the system and then linked to the incoming payment when received.
Partial payments are easily tracked, allowing users to always know the amount
that remains unpaid. Donors can be categorized by type if desired, and all donation
types are supported, including cash, other assets and grants. Donor and vendor
history can be viewed, including grant awards, donation and donation levels,
and detailed contact information. The improved letter creation function allows
for the creation of donor mailings from templates. It also enables users to
create and maintain a mailing list and easily choose who should receive a letter
or a donation request. The Nonprofit edition of QuickBooks uses the Unified
Chart of Accounts (UCOA) that was developed by a group of nonprofit specialists.
Nonprofit users may modify this default chart of accounts to meet their specific
needs. Improved data integration with Microsoft Excel and Word makes it even
easier to export data for spreadsheet creation and ensure better communication
with donors and pledges.

REPORTING – 4.5 Stars
QuickBooks: Premier Nonprofit Edition 2007 comes with nine nonprofit-specific
reports, including Biggest Donors/Grants, Donors/Grants report, Donor Contribution
Summary, and Budget vs. Actual by Donors/Grants. As well, over 120 standard
financial reports are available. Users can choose the date range for reports
or add, delete, and edit criteria for that report. Edited reports can be saved
for future access, and all reports can be exported to Excel, e-mailed, previewed
or printed.

SUPPORT/HELP – 5 Stars
All new QuickBooks users receive 30 days of free support, which is provided
immediately after registering the software. QuickBooks also offers a dazzling
array of support plans with varying prices. Detailed information is available
from the Intuit website. Per-incident support plans are available at $49 per
call. Various user groups and online Help are available, as is the popular QuickBooks
knowledgebase. Intuit also offers links to various QuickBooks Pro Advisors that
may provide onsite assistance if necessary. A thorough Help function found within
the software should answer many of the questions a new user might have.

RELATIVE VALUE – 4.5 Stars
QuickBooks: Premier Nonprofit Edition 2007 costs $399.95. A five-user system
costs $1,499.95. And as previously noted, payroll service through Intuit is
available for an additional charge. Easy to install, easy to navigate and easy
to maintain, QuickBooks is an affordable, sensible choice for smaller nonprofits
that have a limited budget and limited manpower.

2007 Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars