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Business Accountz (PC/Mac) | 
 enlarge | From: Accountz.com Ltd
Category: Software
List Price: £69.99
Buy New: £49.98
You Save: £20.01 (29%)
New (1) Used (1) from £47.50
Rating:  14 reviews
Platforms: Mac Os X, Windows Xp, Linux, Mac Os X Intel, Windows Vista
Media: CD-ROM
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 10 x 8.7 x 2.4
EAN: 5060104130060
ASIN: B000JJBS8K
Release Date: October 27, 2006
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews:
 Innovative and Intuitive Product with First Class Support August 11, 2007
James Byrne (Hampshire, UK)
22 out of 22 found this review helpful
I am an Apple Mac user and while I could opt to run a Windows Accounting solution using Parallels virtualisation software, I prefer, where possible, to be able to run my applications on Mac OSX.
On the Mac the leading accounts package is probably MYOB. I took a look at their application but didn't like it. It seemed dated and the support desk told me that they had no current plans to update it to run as a Universal application. This means it would have to run under Rosetta emulation on my Intel Macs and that is not ideal.
Accountz was being advertised in Mac User magazine and came up in a few searches on the internet. The reviews were all good. It is Java based so it is actually possible to run the same application on Mac OSX, Windows and on Linux. I liked the option to change platform if need be and to be able to take my application (and data) with me.
The product took a little while for me to get used to. I am NOT an accountant, I have an IT background, but had to rapidly get to grips with bookkeeping having become the joint owner of a small company. Thankfully the 'Chart of Accounts' in Accountz mirrors the tax return for either a sole trader or a Partnership so that already starts to make life a little easier.
The product takes away the need to comprehend the traditional debits and credits of double entry bookkeeping. Instead you simply think about where the money is to come From and where it is to go To . Conceptually this is MUCH easier to grasp.
I was up and running in very little time but I did have a few questions, primarily regarding how to do certain things the right way. Most of my questions stemmed from my lack of any formal accounting background and consequent lack of confidence. Thankfully Accountz provide access to an online forum. My questions were taken seriously, even if I did sometimes feel a little dumb asking them. The response time was fantastic and when I remained unclear on how best to proceed, they were more than happy to enter into an exchange of dialogue until they were certain I was comfortable about how best to proceed.
I can enthusiastically endorse both the product and the excellent ongoing support. It's an innovative product and I hope it goes from strength to strength.
Excellent bit of kit April 27, 2007
David (UK)
21 out of 22 found this review helpful
I have had this software now for 2 weeks, and have entered all of last years accounts within the 30 days registration period. I have tried various different packages and nothing is as simple and easy as this.
The excellent telephone support and printed manual got my accounts set-up and I was away. Once the accounts were set up, making entries was so simple, with the wonderful "From" and "To" system rather then the traditional credit and debit. The Pre-set entries feature allowed me to set up common entries and enter them with a few clicks of the mouse.
The Chart of Accounts shows me all my accounts and balances in one single view. The tree structure allows me to expand account groups and see individual balances as well as group balances. Double clicking on groups or accounts shows detailed information on what is in a group and all my account entries. Adding groups or accounts was simple and straight forward.
When I came to do the VAT return I clicked on the VAT Return button and that's it. Brilliant! The Year End Wizard is a few simple steps and and I was done.
I issue lots of invoices so this was an important feature for me. I have set up a template and inserted my logos and details. Now I can create invoices very quickly and sales transactions are created at the same time. Amazing! This really is a Excellent bit of Kit *****
what a refreshing change May 4, 2007
Mr. EUAN J. Corrall (Bristol, UK)
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
This sophisticated software breaks the mold from the usual accountancy mumbo jumbo. Completely different in a refreshing way to the formulaic financial 'straight-jacket' jargon kinda software that is everywhere else.
For once this software is not double-dutch to me. It makes sense, and is really beginning to give me understanding and control over my accounts and business. Get it.
A refreshing approach to accounts July 7, 2007
S. Badham (UK)
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
I bought Business Accountz prior to some of the less favourable reviews below. I had tried MYOB which claims to be ultra-simple and I had also used Quickbooks 2003 and 2006. I do not regret my decision to buy Accountz! I found MYOB to be too "wizard-like" and the funky terminology used made it difficult to know what was really going on. Quickbooks I found too "accountanty" and very inflexible and unforgiving when trying to correct any errors.
As Jen Roberts states, the user that cannot "delete" data is missing the point. Accountz simply "hides" it instead, which is a similar concept to the way both Mac and Windows machines move things to trash or the recycle bin - it's all still there until you empty the bin! The other thing that's neat with the concept of hiding items is that you can show the hidden items and then edit them into new ones, so you can keep all your transaction numbers sequential. I also have not experienced any of the crash issues mentioned by one of the other reviewers but of course, everyone's mileage varies.
It is true that to run more than one company you have to add extra licences at 25 each, but I believe they have a multi-company version in development. Even so, it isn't as though these guys are charging Micro$oft money for the initial software or the licences.
Pros: Very easy to use given the complexity of the subject. I also invested in a training day at 200+VAT which was well worth the money if you want to become an instant expert. The company's support structure seems much more personal and approachable than some of the major competitors'.
Cons: A couple of missing features that I understand will be in the later Pro release such as recurring / automated billing and advanced purchase order creation / stock control. However, I'm told that an upgrade to the Pro version will only cost the difference between the two packages and the files will be compatible so I don't see any real downside to purchasing now and staying with the product as it evolves.
 I tried .... hard .... but--- July 1, 2007
Brian S (London UK)
12 out of 16 found this review helpful
I've been using Quicken 98 for years, not just for personal accounts but for my business accounts and local society accounts, too. So I thought it was time to upgrade to something more modern.
Moving from one package to another is always problematic. One gets settled in one's ways - the problems that one originally experienced setting the old package up and getting it to work the way one wants it are long since forgotten. So all the bits that the new package can't do the same way as the old seem like unnecessary problems and a step backwards. You have to keep reminding yourself that the reason for buying a new package is to do things different and better.
So I persevered. The first minor grievance was to discover that the license only allowed one set of accounts. I would have to pay an extra 2x 25 to add on my other two sets of accounts. I discovered that they do tell you that in the FAQs, but NOT in the promotional blurb.
A much bigger problem is that the software is very unforgiving of mistakes. Once you've set up an account or made an entry it's impossible to delete it (other than going back and restoring a backup). So experimenting to find the way of doing things that suits you best is very fraught - you either finish up with loads of clutter (OK you can hide it, but it's still there) or you have to throw out and re-do all the bits that were OK by restoring a backup (if you remembered to make one at a suitable point).
I am used to conventional double-entry bookkeeping and so found the To Account and From Account process a bit confusing (though, no doubt, I would have got used to it eventually). I also found the way of setting up groups and account very restrictive and frequently found it difficult to create accounts where I wanted them. And compared to Quicken 98, where the "split" function means that you can easily itemise several items on, say, a single payment, the necessity in Accountz to enter them separately into a holding account in order to reconcile them to a single item in the bank statement was somewhat tedious. This was a particular problem with paying salaries where you need to make both payments (the base salary) and deductions (eg: PAYE/NIC) in the one transaction.
So, over a period of several days (and a good number of hours) I have struggled to get Accountz Business to work the way I want it to.
And I've failed!
So I'm uninstalling it, writing off the 50 I spent on it as one of life's little mistakes and going back to Quicken 98.
I suppose that, since Quicken software is no longer available, if you've got to buy something Accountz Business may be the best compromise between cost and functionality (which is why I've given it 2 stars instead of none). But - with apologies to Amazon - if you're going to give it a try, pay the extra and buy it direct from Accountz. They offer a "no quibble money back" guarantee. So if, like me, you find it doesn't do what you want, unlike me you can at least get your money back
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