QuickBooks Basic 2002

Write and print checks onscreen by easily selecting names of vendors from drop-down lists and prefill areas that you use often. Track customer payments, expenses, and liabilities. With each transaction you enter--from writing a check to recording a sale--QuickBooks automatically updates your accounts to reflect the latest activities. You can use a new "Paid" stamp on invoices so you can easily track which customer invoices are paid and unpaid.

An improved help and support center gives you the help you need through the use of a more powerful search tool. Type your question on the help screen and QuickBooks will search the help database to find your answer. Using QuickBooks Online Backup Service, you can automatically back up your critical QuickBooks and PC files online. Also, you can do online banking, pay bills, and accept online payments from your customers. Other features include the ability to create invoices and purchase orders, track inventory and sales taxes, customize forms for e-mails, and much more.

So, after reading all these negative reviews here, I decided to get a copy of Peachtree Accounting 2003 and compare it.

1. QuickBooks offers subaccounts (very useful); Peachtree doesn't.

2. QuickBooks doesn't require account numbers; Peachtree does. This makes QuickBooks much easier to use, and easier for non-accounting types to learn.

3. Working with the Chart of Accounts is much easier in QuickBooks than Peachtree.

4. Reports seem easier to set up in QuickBooks than Peachtree, although that could just be my experience.

5. Peachtree offers a brief accounting tutorial; QuickBooks doesn't.

6. Peachtree installation is easy and straight-forward, but it won't install common files on a Samba-based network drive, and downloaded updates are only stored on the local drive. QuickBooks works fine with Samba-based network drives, and makes a point of putting downloaded updates on a sharable drive.

7. Reinstalling QuickBooks after you've updated the program is a pain, as your company data file cannot then be read by the freshly reinstalled QuickBooks. Unfortunately, the only way to re-update the software is to load a company file. So, you've got to load one of the sample files, upgrade, and then load your company file. Confusing and DUMB.

I'm not at all impressed with Intuit as a company (especially TurboTax), but this program is significantly better than Peachtree (the only other program out there I know of that can process credit card payments online).


Assistant Professor, CIS   August 26, 2002
Mark Eugene Lehr (Riverside, California USA)
17 out of 18 found this review helpful

This is the first time I have used the software. I have not read the documentation or any books associated with quickbooks. I do know a little bit about accounting and the double entry concept. I was able to set up a trial company with vendors, customers and employees with all associated income, expense and equity accounts. I took a Friday evening and a Saturday morning to explore most of the menu items. I even tried the online version and will sign up and use it once it has most of the features I need for the startup company I am forming.
In a nutshell, I found it extremely easy to use. I like the merchant account, payroll service and credit card options that go along with the software and will sign up for them. I do not find the fees excessive and certainly reasonable for the time they save. I plan to come back and add another review in 3 months after it has been battle tested. The software has passed my initial testing with flying colors.


An Accountant's Review   November 11, 2002
Caroline Jordan (The Jordan Result, Waterford, Maine)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

As a small business accountant, I have used a variety of accounting software programs including QuickBooks, Peachtree, etc. Of all the programs I have used QuickBooks is the easiest for non-accountants to use. It's also the easiest for non-accountants to screw up. Therein lies the problem. QuickBooks does not teach you accounting. It provides you with a framework to keep track of your records. When it's set up and maintained correctly, it provides a business owner with tons of valuable data on the health of your business. I recommend QuickBooks very highly but I suggest that business owner's get help from a pro when they're setting up their company. I have spent numerous billable hours cleaning up poorly set up companies. Although that's great for MY business, it's not good for yours. It's much cheaper for you to start out with the right framework and training. Understanding the numbers side of your business is crucial to your success but don't expect a software program to be the magic bullet that teaches you everything you need to know. QuickBooks is a great tool and all my regular clients use it most successfully with a little help from their friendly accountant.


It's Fine for What It is   June 29, 2002
11 out of 14 found this review helpful

Give a really fine lawyer a piano, and he very likely will not be able to make music. Give a dynamic entrepreneur a green eye shade, and you probably haven't made him into an accountant.

QB Basic tries to help all of us organize our bookeeping so that we can save some of the billable hours for which our accountants are so infamous. In general, Intuit has done a pretty fine job of it, given that the Basic edition is based on the assumption that its users will want a system, not a tool for teaching them accounting. When you have finished the month, quarter, or year, you can turn the results over to the professional so that he can stamp it for approval before you send it to your creditors. You probably will have saved lots of billable hours...


Realistic representation   December 19, 2002
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

As a number of people here have mentioned Getting started can be a challenge, BUT that isn't necessarily the softwares fault. True accounting practices are NOT necessarily intuitive to the un-initiated. If you have no experience in the paper based world of keeping books then don't expect this software to make it easy for you to do it on a computer. This product does make is much much easier than it could be. If you've not had experience keeping books than get yourself a book on basic book keeping / accounting practices. Also buy yourself a book beyond what the manufacturer puts out as a 'manual'. I used Gail Perry's Using QuickBooks 2002 to train my wife to run QuickBooks and although it wasn't exactly what I'd call 'hand holding' it was thorough.

BOTTUM LINE: Realize your short comings and plan ahead, keeping books for a company is'nt just balancing a checkbook and keeping track of your credit card bill. If you are truely going to get powerful and useful reporting, which can propell your business forward, you'll have to put some time into learning to keep your books.