Intuit Unveils New Version of QuickBooks for Professional Bookkeepers

Intuit has released a new version of QuickBooks designed for bookkeepers. QuickBooks Professional Bookkeeper 2012 includes all of the features available in QuickBooks Pro, plus offers multi-client tools and time-saving features. The small business management system is available starting today (June 18, 2012) exclusively as a downloadable product from Intuit’s website, with pricing set at $399.99. In addition to the QuickBooks line, Intuit makes a broad range of technologies for consumers, small businesses and tax and accounting professionals.

QuickBooks product manager Jacint Tumacder gave CPA Practice Advisor a preview of the system last week, and noted that the new edition was developed to provide these users with the unique tools and features they need.

“Bookkeeping professionals often serve dozens or more small business clients, but generally don’t consider themselves full-service accountants,” he said. “They have multiple small business clients, but are more actively involved in those clients’ day-to-day transactions and operations than most accountants, and less involved with traditional write-up services or tax compliance issues.”

“There is a bookkeeper segment not served by other versions or other accounting solutions,” Tumacder added, noting that QuickBooks Professional Bookkeeper was designed to add needed features to the Pro version, which is more optimized for individual small business owners.

Among the most significant features is a new Bookkeeper Center, which provides a more streamlined homepage for bookkeeping professionals. This screen provides a customizable menu of commonly-used tools, features and reports, while also displaying key business indicators for a particular client, such as account balances and reconciliation activities.

The system also includes a Multi-Instance function that allows bookkeepers to open two client companies simultaneously, while the new QuickBooks File Manager helps ensure file accuracy, with all client data files, accountant’s copies and backups easily searchable, along with versioning controls to prevent working in older files.

Other functions included in QuickBooks Professional Bookkeeper have previously only been available in the Accountants version, such as the ability to quickly create a new business client by copying the chart of accounts and preferences for an existing similar client. Since many bookkeepers specialize in serving particular industries, such as contractors, retailers, service professionals and other business categories, this feature can speed up entry tasks associated with creating new entities.

Likewise, the new Calendar View offers a convenient overview of invoice and billing dates, due dates and other scheduled tasks, while batch timesheet entry and invoicing is available for billing.

Intuit first offered QuickBooks as a DOS program in 1992. Since then, the system has evolved through each of the subsequent versions of Windows and is also offered in a version for Mac users. QuickBooks has also expanded into a broad product line that includes Pro, Basic, Premier and Enterprise options. The Premier editions are also available in industry-specific versions for contractors, non-profit organizations, retailers, professional services firms, manufacturing/wholesale and general businesses.

The most comprehensive version of the system is QuickBooks Accountant, which includes all of the industry-specific features in the Premier versions, along with extensive multi-client management functions, professional payroll capabilities, write-up and financial reporting tools

More information on QuickBooks Professional Bookkeeper 2012, including purchase and download options, is available at www.accountant.intuit.com.