Alan L.
Elite Member
Microsoft Money would be a better tool than Excel or nothing, but its still not really an accounting program. Unless it has changed since the last time I looked at it, it is a non-business (personal) checkbook program like Quicken. Not a general ledger.
Frankly I'm really no particular fan of Quickbooks (I like Peachtree better), but if you know accounting you won't need a class. The reason you need a class is to learn what it is you are trying to do with the program.
A checkbook program like Quicken or Money tracks your checkbook and credit card balances (I really don't know anyone who actually tracks credit card balances in this program), can track note payable balances if you code the transactions correctly, and tracks expenss by category. Thats all. Thats not really all you need for it to do if you want it to actually handle the accounting for a business.
However, some of my clients use these programs and we use the data to post a real general ledger. But its not even good for that if you want to do payroll, invoicing, job costing, and such.
Something else to consider if you don't want to come up with the money up front is to use an online accounting program. Both Peachtree and Quickbooks have versions for this, and they only cost a few bucks a month. We like this because we can access the client's books real time without disturbing the client, and they always stay updated and backed up. There are also other web-based accounting systems that you can use that will transparently interface with your accountant's expensive writeup software. You pay your bills and invoice your customers, record your collections. Your accountant does the rest.
Frankly I'm really no particular fan of Quickbooks (I like Peachtree better), but if you know accounting you won't need a class. The reason you need a class is to learn what it is you are trying to do with the program.
A checkbook program like Quicken or Money tracks your checkbook and credit card balances (I really don't know anyone who actually tracks credit card balances in this program), can track note payable balances if you code the transactions correctly, and tracks expenss by category. Thats all. Thats not really all you need for it to do if you want it to actually handle the accounting for a business.
However, some of my clients use these programs and we use the data to post a real general ledger. But its not even good for that if you want to do payroll, invoicing, job costing, and such.
Something else to consider if you don't want to come up with the money up front is to use an online accounting program. Both Peachtree and Quickbooks have versions for this, and they only cost a few bucks a month. We like this because we can access the client's books real time without disturbing the client, and they always stay updated and backed up. There are also other web-based accounting systems that you can use that will transparently interface with your accountant's expensive writeup software. You pay your bills and invoice your customers, record your collections. Your accountant does the rest.
