Update: We just received word that QuickBooks Pro 2012 and QuickBooks Premier 2012 will be available in late September.  Use the “Buy Now” discount link below to get the 20% off and free shipping discount on QuickBooks 2012 when the product is available directly from Intuit. There will be a ton of new features available in QuickBooks 2012, as detailed below.

Use the links above to get 20% off your entire order at QuickBooks.com.  The discount applies to QuickBooks Pro 2012, QuickBooks Premier 2012, and QuickBooks Payroll services.  This post is an update from our previous update on QuickBooks 2011 which stated our discount would be available.

As we said before, new versions of QuickBooks are generally released in the fall of the year before the software release. As an example, QuickBooks 2010 was released to the market in October 2009.  QuickBooks 2012 was released September 27, 2010.  We expect QuickBooks 2012 to be released in the Sept/Oct period of 2011.

Quickbooks 2012: Upgrade from QuickBooks 2007 or QuickBooks 2008 to the newest version. If you are experiencing QuickBooks service discontinuation you will be required to upgrade.

Quickbooks Accountant 2012: QuickBooks Accountant 2012 is packed full of new features for accountants. Based on the testing version we saw with PC Magazine it will have some incrementally better features.

Here are some of the top features that QuickBooks Expert Scott Gregory is looking for in the QuickBooks 2012 release:

• A remit to address for vendors
• Better tools to manage accounts receivable
• A redesigned set of tools to customize reports
• The end of forced phone-in registration to get a license code.
• A fix on the problem that occurs with average cost on inventory items
• A refresh of the customer center
• The ability to purchase two additional licenses for QuickBooks Enterprise

You can find the complete list of QuickBooks 2011 requests on Scott Gregory’s Blog.  Scott is a QuickBooks accounting software expert and has been using QuickBooks for years. We’ve been monitoring the web to find QuickBooks 2011 discounts and deals and they pop up.

Here are some excerpts from the Intuit press release on the features of QuickBooks 2011:

QuickBooks Pro and Premier 2011 build on prior versions by streamlining important accounting tasks, such as invoicing and collecting payments. The new Customer Snapshot and Customer and Vendor History features provide at-a-glance views of important customer and vendor details. Users can also take advantage of the power of QuickBooks Connect, a new service that lets small businesses access key QuickBooks data remotely via the Internet or a mobile device. Additionally, as with previous versions, QuickBooks 2011 helps small business owners stay organized by allowing them to have their business information in one place.

That sounds great, but to get a better pulse on what the accounting community thinks about QuickBooks 2012 Pro, QuickBooks 2011 Premier, and QuickBooks 2012 Mac, let’s take a look at what the reviews and software sites have to say:

MacWorld QuickBooks 2012 Review: “In QuickBooks 2011 for the Mac, it’s easier to enter that data into the application. The new version also gives users the ability to add mileage data to invoices if that’s something a user includes for billing.”

Tuaw Apple Blog: “QuickBooks 2011 is a very nice update indeed. QuickBooks 2011 for the Mac will be available for download or for phone and Web orders.”

Stay tuned for updates on QuickBooks 2012, the next version of QuickBooks which we expect to be due out this Fall.

The QuickBooks 3 User Edition is one of the most expensive versions of QuickBooks accounting software because it includes three licenses to QuickBooks, known as the 3 user edition. If you have multiple employees in your office like an office manager, payroll accountant, and accounts receivable clerk, you’ll definitely need the QuickBooks 3 User Edition if you want them all to be running on QuickBooks at the same time. Some of the top features include security settings to keep employees from accessing sensitive parts of your company’s accounting as well as simultaneous multi user access so you don’t have to implement version control on your accounting software.

The QuickBooks 3 User Edition is available for direct shipping as well as for download directly from Intuit or the manufacturer.

Released on 9/27/2010, QuickBooks Accountant 2011 (QuickBooks Accountant 2012 will be available soon) is available. The new version of QuickBooks is specially designed for accountants and bookkeepers whose clients use QuickBooks 2011 and QuickBooks 2012. If you’re an accountant or bookkeeper looking for the latest QuickBooks Accountant Edition, we have two discount links below that will take you directly to the Intuit site where you can download the latest software.

So why should you upgrade to the latest version of QuickBooks Accountant Edition? A lot of users are asking the same exact thing. Here are some of the key features we were able to pinpoint when evaluating the new version.

Key Features of Accountant Edition

• Work on two different QuickBooks company files at the same time with QuickBooks Accountant Edition
• Manage all your clients company files and passwords in one placeSave time creating identical invoices in QuickBooks
• Streamline the creation of QuickBooks “Accountant’s Copy” feature when working with your clients
• What to Expect in QuickBooks Accountant Edition 2012
• In QuickBooks Accountant 2012 there will likely be an easier way to reconcile differences in bank accountants
• Enhanced payroll features that will let QuickBooks 2012 work with your Accountant Edition
• Better mass invoicing features that will let you track time used in QuickBooks 2012

QuickBooks 2011 for Mac is here!  There has never been a more exciting QuickBooks Mac release than this year’s.  QuickBooks Mac has undergone a transformation to being the accounting software of choice for Mac users.  This post summarizes the feature updates to QuickBooks 2011 for Mac. Update: QuickBooks Mac 2011 Discount Code is Available.

QuickBooks 2011 for Mac includes multi-user support, allowing you to get more accounting tasks done more efficiently.  AppleInsider wrote: “The new multi-user support in QuickBooks 2011 for Mac includes user permission controls that will allow small-business owners to delegate accounting tasks to others in the company. Intuit said that the “guiding principle” in the development of the latest version of QuickBooks was to save small businesses time.”

Multi user features and user permissions are much needed features for QuickBooks for Mac–they have been in heavy demand by accountants and hard-core quickbooks users for years.    User permission controls allow small-business owners to delegate accounting tasks, saving them time.  Here’s what the rest of the web is saying about Intuit QuickBooks 2011 for Mac.

Scale the Back Office as You Grow

Two new features ensure that QuickBooks 2011 for Mac can grow as a small business expands:

• Multi-User Access allows up to five employees to simultaneously view and edit QuickBooks data files.
• User Permissions lets small businesses determine who can work in up to eight accounting activity areas. In addition, iChat integration allows logged-in users to communicate with each other using QuickBooks to avoid crossed wires.

Customer Testimonial: “Multi-user functionality is time-saving and priceless to my business,” said Gary Gray of October Media Group in Los Angeles, Calif. “Other users in my office can access the financials without me having to give up my laptop, which allows me to focus on my projects.”

Make Everyday Tasks Easier

QuickBooks for Mac 2011 also includes these time-saving features:

• Mileage Tracking enables users to log their job-related auto mileage for reimbursement on customer invoices and at tax time, giving small businesses a better understanding of job costs.
• Register Sorting allows users to find specific transactions faster by easily sorting account registers by date, type, number, amount, and other fields.
• Export Report Data seamlessly to either Excel or Numbers.
• Little Square is a free, online magazine with videos, articles and other resources that helps users learn the ins and outs of QuickBooks for Mac.

Customize Forms for Your Needs

Small businesses can spend considerable time manually designing forms to reflect their unique brands. And creating reports with the data they need can be challenging. New customization features and templates in QuickBooks 2011 for Mac make it easy to create sleek and simple forms.

• Layout Designer offers improved, ready-made templates to give users the ability to create customized forms for estimates, invoices and more. New tools simplify image cropping and field alignment to create a unique, professional look.
• Customize Reports allows users to more easily create custom reports with a modern look using familiar Mac-like tools.

 

 

 

 

What would you improve in QuickBooks 2011? 2011 has been in stores for a while, and QuickBooks 2012 will likely be hitting stores in your area very soon. The annual QuickBooks release is usually in the October time frame and we expect 2011 to be the same.  If you’re on an older version of QuickBooks like QuickBooks 2006 through QuickBooks 2009, you will probably want to upgrade to the latest version to get new features and enhanced performance.  QuickBooks 2011 will likely be available in retail stores like Staples and OfficeMax, on QuickBooks.com, on Amazon.com, and through AccountingSoftwareDeals.com, where you will be able to get the QuickBooks 2011 Discount.  Don’t miss out on QuickBooks 2011 new features.

• Better tools to manage accounts receivable
• Customized reports
• Inventory enhancements
• Company snapshot
• External accountant features

Already using QuickBooks 2011, the newest version of Intuit’s accounting software? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

Creating invoices takes time, especially when you just want to get paid. FreshBooks is a relatively new invoicing services that will let you send create professional invoice templates.  The free invoice templates that FreshBooks offers are great and their software is entirely web-based an easy-to-use.  Give FreshBooks a try, it’s completely free to try out. Try FreshBooks Free!

Here are some questions you can yourself ask to understand if FreshBooks is the right invoicing solution for you:

• Do I send a lot of invoices?
• Do I need to make professional forms?
• Do I need to get paid via PayPal or other payment methods directly from my invoice?

Freshbooks is a tiny company based in Canada and has been rapidly gaining market share in the online invoicing space. We’ll keep covering FreshBooks as the company develops!

Not sure which accounting solution is right for your business?  There are a ton of solutions out there to choose from, some ranging from $1,000 per year to as little as $9.95 per month.  Here is a comparison of some of the latest accounting software packages out there, one new one on the list this year is QuickBooks Online Plus and FreshBooks.  QuickBooks 2011 will be arriving in the fall, so stay tuned for an updated review.

Peachtree ($349.99)

Peachtree is decent accounting software made by Sage, but isn’t well known by accountants, so it really won’t help you get the job done. If you need tax advice from an accountant or outsource parts of your business like payroll processing or accounts receivable to a bookkeeper, you’ll need QuickBooks Pro or QuickBooks Premier 2010.  Update: QuickBooks 2011 should be available online with the 20% discount in October.

Quickbooks Pro 2010  ($159 with the Discount)

QuickBooks Pro 2010 is the gold standard in small and medium-sized business accounting.  You can’t go wrong with QuickBooks for two reasons 1) Any accountant or bookkeeper will know how to help you if you get into trouble 2) It is by far the lowest price point for accounting software.  The QuickBooks Pro 2010 retail price is $179, but with the QuickBooks Pro discount you can pick it up direct from Intuit for only $159. Click Here to Active the Discount Code. If you’re looking for a directory of accounting software, click here for the Accounting Software Directory, a free directory of accounting software.

FreshBooks (Free to $19 per month)

The free version of FreshBooks won’t get you much.  You are very limited in the number of invoices you can send out and number of customers you can add to your account.  Overall, FreshBooks is good for sending invoices if you are a very small business or freelances, but it doesn’t deliver on the online accounting feature set that QuickBooks Premier or QuickBooks Online have.

QuickBooks Online Plus (free trial available, $34.95 per month)

Intuit QuickBooks Online is a great accounting package for small and medium sized service businesses.  In the last month QuickBooks Online inventory rolled out in QuickBooks Online Plus, so it’s really an all around bookkeeping solutino.  QuickBooks Online also has mobile accounting for iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android if you’re a smartphone user.