QuickBooks Pro 2005 (5-USER) review:1 stars (Software OK - Hostile Atitude Toward Customers) - I've used QuickBooks for 11 or 12 years. I can't wait until there is a reasonable alternative that will allow me to import my QuickBooks data and stop using QuickBooks.

The QuickBooks software is generally user friendly and does a reasonably good job of simplifying small business accounting transactions. However, Intuit has a very poor attitude toward its customers as demonstrated by their business practices. With every upgrade, they force the customer to buy the next version by making it impossible to productively use the old software. They make a lot of money on upgrades.

With every new version, they extract more money out of the customer through other means as well. For example, QuickBooks originally allowed manual payroll accounting, but with every new release it became more difficult to do manual payroll. Now, there is NO manual payroll accounting. There are instead a few options for their payroll accounting services, which start at $200 per year for a company with one employee. That cost has increased steadily, so check for the actual cost to process payroll. The charge seems steep for downloading publicly available payroll tax tables. Intuit obviously sees their customers as captives and they are doing everything they can to squeeze money out of them.

Your accounting data in the proprietary QuickBooks data format is used to keep you upgrading as they shake you down for more money each year. Remember when you'd purchase software? Now you lease software, and it costs more each year. It feels like the software owns me.

Here's another aspect of leased software. I tried to buy a used copy of QuickBooks. This wasn't some pirate deal where you get a CD and nothing else. I purchased the original CD with the user manual, packaging and authorization code. It wouldn't register. I called Intuit and they told me it was already registered. I told them I bought the software from the original owner. They said I couldn't do that, and I needed to buy the $499 shrink wrapped version. QuickBooks is tightly integrated to their online services and won't work without their official approval. Can you think of any other item you purchase that can't be sold as a used item? What would you think if Toyota told you that you couldn't sell your car, or you couldn't buy someone else's car, and the only way to buy a Toyota was to buy a new one from the dealer? You can buy and sell other intellectual property such as books, CDs, and DVDs. Why not QuickBooks? Even after spending a lot of money, you don't own QuickBooks. It's a $500 annual software lease, with other attached leases for payroll services, multiple user licenses, etc.

The large amounts of money paid to Intuit on a yearly basis are bad enough, but you'd at least think that you'd get some customer service. Nope. Their customer service call center is in India. You deal with the language barrier, and generally have people with no direct understanding of western accounting, payroll or taxes. You get the usual call center "support" deal, with a person reading from a troubleshooting sheet that never seems to have anticipated your problem. If it isn't in the manual, it probably isn't going to be answered by the overseas call center either.

If you are just starting out, find another small business accounting solution. I don't have any experience with the others so I can't recommend any of them, but they must be better than QuickBooks, because Intuit believes they own their customers. They essentially act as a non-government agency levying a tax on small businesses. Avoid the QuickBooks tax.4 stars (I was afraid...very afraid...very very afraid...) - ..to upgrade to QuickBooks pro 2005 after reading the reviews. Having received an e-mail from Intuit saying that they were `sunsetting' QuickBooks pro 2002 from April and I would no longer have access to email for invoices etc... I "decided" to bite the bullet and upgrade.

The purchase

I received a discount for upgrading my single user version and use the internet to activate the product. It went smoothly. The installation CD arrived promptly in the mail, well packaged. I also decided to buy the 5 user edition for work since I network qbooks That arrived promptly [actually the two came together].

The installation

I decided to TEST at HOME fist on backup data and to do a clean install and an upgrade. OK. The clean install was flawless. The internet activation as painless and I was up and running! GOOD.
Next came the 5 user edition; I did an upgrade on the second computer and that went flawless. Next the internet was used to activate the product. No problems!

So far so good; Now to WORK and test it on REAL data! I did this on a day I took off, just in case the horror stories came true! First the server upgrade. Problems...program stuck installing some dot NET program.. took forever [an hour actually]. Hmm. Rebooted, no go. Hmm Shut down and restarted,,..where is the manual? ...AH.I see..!. the ANTIVIRUS software! .. Turned OFF Norton antivirus! Now flawless installation!...[heh heh REAL men don't read manuals].

The activation

Now to product activation... call a number. No problem answered promptly and was directed by prompts to activation, now a REAL live person " Mike" yeah, he had an accent but I guess I had an accent to him as well! He was real pleasant. I explained that I had purchased a 5 user edition, used one activation on my computer at home via the internet and needed to install at least 2 others at work . No problem. He checked my registration, gave me a code..yeah,,but would I have to call back to activate the other computers? No..the code would work for the others..He waited on line while I entered the code. Presto ! Instant activation. No problems. The program installed flawlessly on the other computer and the network worked instantly. The whole process took about 5 minutes! Painless.

The program
The GOOD:
It is significantly faster than QuickBooks pro 2002. There is scheduled backup and the backup process is a lot faster. Passwords are case sensitive; if you forget the caps lock key then problems...this happened to me once.

Joy of JOYS...refunds, write offs and under and over payments are now easy as one click. Issuing refund checks is easy as pie. In the previous 2002 version, to issue a refund or writing off bad debts required several complicated maneuvers that ended up confusing the accountant and me!

The screens are friendlier and better laid out. Easier search for invoices etc. If you have used QB before you will have no problems.

I have not seen any intrusive ads or banners advertising products. The check reminder popped up and I set it to the number that I wanted. It hasn't bothered me since. Yes, I use Intuit checks and they are lovely! Highly recommended.

My accountant loves the program and Invoices estimates etc can be emailed as pdf attachments.

The BAD
No manual payroll. I would have thought that certain editions for businesses would allow the truly small business owner to manually enter payroll say for up to 10 employees. More that that would require subscription to the payroll service.

Invoices when paid should automatically enter the payment method on them. I mean you have already entered the payment by cash, check or credit card to pay the invoice. (...) No multiple currency support.
Yes, we generally use one currency but for truly international sales or customers, they may pay in a different currency and QB should be able to set up foreign currency accounts and automatically convert it to your base currency. As it stands now I have to set up a back account in the foreign currency and manually convert to base currency in a sub account. Tedious , flawed and unnecessary.

Importation of AIF file impossible. My account made some changes and I tried to import the file. The program said that it needed to be the same file with no changes made to the original. In other words, I can do no business until the accountant is finished if I want to import his changes. Ridiculous!!

Overall. 4 stars. It is very good but there is plenty room for improvement for the small business owner. No need to be afraid. Purchase with confidence! 1 stars (There are better software out there!) - I agree with the above users, there are better software out there. Please look around and be more futuristic. QuickBooks is for very small companies only. It slows down when the size of your database goes up. I tested some software and found some really good, with reasonable price: BusinessWorks, Small Business Manager (microsoft.com), Quick Business Manager (bisaim.com),Vision Point 2000 (ACCPAC), BusinessVision 32 (Softline).

Good Luck in your search.
QuickBooks Pro 2005 (5-USER) Features:
Computer software (programs)
Accounting (Account)
CD
Exchange data with Microsoft Excel and 325+ other software applications
Track employee time and job costs; compare estimated costs to actuals
Financial management software for small businesses
Easily pay bills, print checks, track expenses, and much more
Customize 100+ pre-designed forms to create a unique look

QuickBooks Pro 2005 (5-USER) is the CD-ROM version. The full version can be purchased by clicking on the "CLICK HERE TO ORDER" button below for around 579.99USD.