Intuit — QuickBooks Premier Accountant Edition 2010

LEARNING CURVE & EASE OF USE-
For 2010, Intuit has added several notable functions to Premier, including a
new App Center, where users can select from a collection of web-based tools
from third-party vendors. Other new features include an improved Company Snapshot
overview screen, a dramatically redesigned report center, and Intuit Check Solutions
(which allows electronic deposit of checks received by the firm or business).
For the most part, the main interface for Premier remains the same in the 2010
version, with the program opening into a workflow design that organizes most
common tasks into categories for Vendors, Customers, Employees and Company-level
actions.

This workflow design offers icons for entering and paying bills, invoicing,
receiving payments, processing payroll and various other activities, letting
users quickly jump to specific functions. The program also offers pull-down
menus and an icon task bar at the top of the screen for accessing other areas,
including the Company Snapshot, a user-customizable dashboard that can be set
to show graphical summaries of key business data, such as account balances,
period comparisons, income and expense trends, and sales data.

Customer, vendor and employee lists are organized in Centers for each of these
groups with selection screens offering quick access to data, such as AR balances
for clients, and with the ability to drilldown into transactions. Lists can
be searched, filtered or sorted by numerous methods. While on customer or vendor
data screens, users can also attach scanned documents or other files, such as
invoices or expense receipts, or access reporting options specific to that entity.
This document management feature is available as an option through Intuit’s
Connected Services, through which the file is stored online, allowing access
by clients or firm staff. Likewise, the Employee Center and employee data screens
offer similar functionality, with the ability to attach misc information, track
employee time, manage HR or payroll data, and access reports.

Throughout QuickBooks Premier Accountant Edition, data entry is aided by multiple
smart features, including self-populating selection lists for clients, account
data, inventory or service items, job categories, and other items, while also
providing the ability to drilldown from virtually any point into detailed views
of transactions and histories.

Specific to accountant client service needs, Premier offers the Client Data
Review feature, which aids in analyzing and adjusting client data. The program
also has an Accountant’s Copy feature, enabling accountants to access,
open and make necessary adjustments to prior period client records without disrupting
the client’s access to the current period. Premier continues to offer
a full-time audit trail that tracks all transactions and user activity.

REPORTING & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-
In addition to having task-related reporting options immediately available on
most screens throughout the program, the 2010 version of Premier Accountant
Edition offers a redesigned Report Center that includes more than 150 customizable
standard reports, plus new viewing options that let users flip through reports,
create favorites lists or search through options. The system also includes the
Intuit Statement Writer that integrates with Microsoft Excel for designing customized
financial sets, including BS P&Ls, Statement of Cash Flow, comparisons,
and other reports. In the Accountant Edition, all reports, statements and other
output can be e-mailed from the program or saved into Excel, Word and PDF formats.

INTEGRATION, IMPORT/EXPORT-
One of the greatest productivity tools with the Accountant Version of Premier
is that, since most small businesses use their own versions of QuickBooks, data
can be easily transferred into the system for reviewing, correcting errors or
other client service. The system also provides direct integration with Intuit’s
ProSeries and Lacerte tax applications. A wide array of add-on products can
also be found on the Intuit Marketplace. (For more information on QuickBooks
add-ons, see Doug Sleeter’s column at www.CPATechAdvisor.com/go/2603).

SUPPORT, TRAINING & HELP SYSTEM-
Intuit has added an Express Install option during initial setup, while several
wizards also assist with configuration and performing specific tasks within
the program, such as reporting and payroll. Premier’s Home screen includes
easy access to the QuickBooks Coach, which offers tutorials, tips and options
for training. In addition to extensive in-program Help functions, online support
options include a live user community, an abundant library of articles and how-tos,
as well as access to the Online Backup Center.

RELATIVE VALUE-
QuickBooks Premier Accountant Edition continues to offer outstanding functionality
for professionals who provide accounting services to small business clients.
Through excellent integration, data sharing, interactive tools and go-anywhere
drilldown functionality, the system helps accountants be more efficient in their
client service and management tasks, while also enabling greater management
of their own practice.

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