AccountantsWorld — Accountant’s Relief

From the September 2005 Review of Sales
& Use Tax Software

Accountant’s Relief runs in the practitioner’s office, while Accounting
Relief AC is a web-based, online product available through AccountantsWorld
Online, allowing for practitioner and client access. Client access is determined
and controlled by the practitioner. Accounting Relief AC may be used independently
or in conjunction with Accountant’s Relief. Accountant’s Relief
and Accounting Relief AC will allow the user to experience “a truly collaborative
effort.” Predictability of data is insured through seamlessly integrated
applications. Accountant’s Relief includes general ledger, financial statements,
bank reconciliation, financial analysis and trial balance. After-the-Fact Payroll
is available as an optional add-on module. Other optional modules include MICR
Check Writing, payroll, sales tax, and a highly integrated client version of
Accountant’s Relief.

The stated mission of AccountantsWorld is to partner with professional accountants
to help grow their practices, to assist in offering mutually beneficial client
services, to insure that business is not lost to competing forces and to regain
any business lost, and, through the pledge of AccountantsWorld, to never sell
products and services to clients unless requested to do so. Accountant’s
Relief includes software for Write-Up, Compilation, Review, Audit and Financial
Statements.

LEARNING CURVE & EASE OF USE — 5 Stars
Accountant’s Relief features an intuitive setup, which allows for conversion
of data from many existing accounting programs. Navigation and data entry can
be described as “what-you-see-is-what-you-can-expect” in a smart
entry environment, replete with lookup fields and rich data-entry aids. This
is truly an “on-the-fly” system, featuring efficient “heads-down”
data entry. I found my “learning experience” to be quick, and Accountant’s
Relief was easy to use. Could it be improved? Yes, but a solid foundation exists.

REPORTING & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — 4 Stars
Powerful financial reports are created easily, utilizing flexible formatting
tools with no headaches. Modifications are simple to make and are WYSIWYG with
a right-click of the mouse. Customized financial statements can be shared between
clients, which is how it’s supposed to be, right?

INTEGRATION, IMPORT/EXPORT & PRODUCTION PROCESSING — 4 Stars
Integration is everywhere you turn. Accountant’s Relief imports data from
virtually any general ledger program, including QuickBooks. Import is offered
at no additional charge, as opposed to programs that provide this capability
as an additional-cost add-on. Import is also available from spreadsheets. Export
is available to several tax programs, including UltraTax, ProSystem fx Tax,
CLR/Fast-Tax, Sage CPASoftware, Lacerte and ProSeries. Exporting of trial balance,
transactions and employee information to ASCII files and to spreadsheets is
supported. Presently, there is no ability to batch process multiple clients.

SCALABILITY & PORTABILITY — 5 Stars
For those who subscribe to the theory that the future of write-up accounting
software involves Internet deployment, Accountant’s Relief is light years
ahead of competitors. An “on-the-Net” companion product, Payroll
Relief, demonstrates the superior ease and simplicity of net-hosted programs,
which would seemingly obviate any future concerns regarding scalability and
portability of software and computer equipment.

SUPPORT, TRAINING & HELP SYSTEM — 4.5 Stars
Context-sensitive help, e-support via the 24×7 web-based Support Center, and
(no additional cost) telephone support are available to licensed users. Training
is available through a computer-based training course called, “Performing
Write-Up, Compilation, and Review Engagements using Accountant’s Relief,”
which is included on the Accountant’s Relief CD. Training exams may be
scored and qualify for continuing education credit. The training course was
created to teach the essentials of using Accountant’s Relief, including
client setup, transactions and financials.

2005 Overall Rating — 4.5 Stars