Microsoft Money (PC)

Stick with Money 2004 which is practically the same and does not have a 2 year limit.

I don't know which genius at Microsoft thought this one up.


Functional but flawed.   August 14, 2005
Mr. Guy Mcevoy (Birmingham, UK)
151 out of 154 found this review helpful

Like many people I have been a Quicken user for years and years but suddenly found that Quicken was withdrawing from the UK market and stopping all user support at the end of 2005. I use some of the more advanced features like live portfolio updates so doing nothing was not an option. Given that the choice in this market had been Money or Quicken, it is now microsoft or nothing.

The software comes with a converter for changing your Quicken files to the Money format to help migrate your old data. I suspect if you only used the Quicken software at the simple level it will work fine. If like me you have complex transactions recorded like stock splits or share buybacks recorded then you will find the file converts with some errors. Also my mortgage account was thousands of pounds out for some reason (it was trying to make me reconcile against an incorrect starting balance). It seriously took me an afternoon to reconcile all the errors.

That said, if you have no data to import, or if your quicken files are simple, then what of the program itself? Well, they have tried to make the front end very 'web' like. It is all very integrated with the internet - and so interesting articles and links are onhand. The thing is I don't want my financial software to look like the web - I want it to look like an accounting package. It is not that obvious where to click to find your balances! In short the front end stinks.

The reporting is adequate - it can slice and dice your data any which way you like - but if you're not expereinced with reporting programs I fear the casual user will be lost getting Money to show your data the way you want to show it.

What does work well is importing downloaded credit card statements etc. This is far, far better then quicken with the program making very good guesses at the categories which really speeds up reconciliation.

Also good is the portfolio section - it manages to find even my most obscure stocks and update them real time (something that Quicken failed at). Again though, the front end of the portfolio manager stinks.

This software does the job but is flawed. Given there is no competition on the market I fear Microsoft now have little incentive to improve it. A real shame, as tracking my finances has been one of the more useful benefits I have got from my home PC.


Money 2005   October 19, 2004
135 out of 148 found this review helpful

I regret buying this
2004 is no longer available. MS have overcomplicated this product. It imports in US format therefore any transactions done after the 12th of the month do not import - handy when most people in the UK are paid at the end of the month.
You only find this out when you have loaded and started to use the product, then it is too late to refund. MS support is also too painful to bear.


A Waste of Money!!!!   February 15, 2006
124 out of 132 found this review helpful

Dont buy this software if you are concerned about security. I bought it without realising how much Microsoft have integrated it with their MSN Money online services. I was horrified to discover that to use the software fully, you need to agree to the MS internet service policy in which it states that the information you enter about your account access may be kept by Microsoft. It doesnt list exactly what is shared nor with whom so you are left with a lot of uncertainty about exactly where your private data is being sent. I ran a brief analysis of what happens when you set up an account in the software and the package talks to at least 6 different MS web servers during the setup procedure. Why does it need to do this? Why can it not clearly list out what is being sent and to where? With all the current security weaknesses in IT systems I am not prepared to have my financial data shared in this way. This doesnt have to be this way but it seems that Microsoft want to be more than just a software provider. Given this weakness, I have deleted this software from my PC and stuck it a drawer. So I basically wasted my money. Until Microsft come clean and list out exactly how your data is processed then dont use this software.


Highly recommended software   September 2, 2006
Robert Skinner
108 out of 120 found this review helpful

I cannot recommend this software enough, as it has really helped me save money. I upgraded from Money 2001 a couple of months ago, and have used it extensively since then. However, I notice that there are quite a few bad reviews here, given by people who just don't how to use it properly. My response to these criticisms is below.

Online banking doesn't work: This is down to your bank not supporting it, not Money. There's a list on the Money website, that clearly shows what banks support it, and in what way. Check this first if you want to use this feature!

Can't upgrade from trial version to this one: That's because the downloadable trial is for the US version, which is incompatible for obvious reasons. There's a lot more than just changing $'s to 's between the two!

It sends your data to MSN Money website: Only if you sign up for this feature (so you can see your accounts over the internet), which you can decline to during the set-up process, then it works offline just like previous versions.

Doesn't come with a manual: What does these days? There is plenty of help within the program if you need it.

There's no wizard to help set up your accounts: What, apart from the one that runs the first time you start Money?

Doesn't convert Quicken files properly: Then carry on using Quicken!?!

Then there are the people complaining that it's too complicated, and the people complaining it is too simplified. Make up your minds!