2008 Review of Mid-Range Client Accounting Programs

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.

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