Peachtree Accounting 2008

Peachtree Accounting 2008 is a powerful accounting software program for small- and medium-sized businesses. The 2008 version of Peachtree Accounting uses the same interface as the 2007 version, which was thoroughly re-designed to make the software easier to use. The 2008 version retains the power and flexibility for which Peachtree is known.

Overall:

Peachtree Accounting 2008 is recommended for small business users who are looking for a premium software package at an affordable price. Businesses using Act! as their contact management software may want to use Peachtree for integrated customer information tracking across both software programs. What I like most about Peachtree is the highly informative "Business Status" home page. This single page displays information about account balances, profit and loss, accounts receivable and accounts payable. Providing these vital business finances in a single location makes Peachtree more informative and useful as a business management tool than Quickbooks' more task-oriented home page.

New Features in Peachtree Accounting 2008:

For 2008, Peachtree now lets users add attachments. You can add attach spreadsheets, photographs and scanned documents. This means users can scan in bills, receipts, invoices, and other documents to create a paperless accounting system. Peachtree has also added a broadcast invoicing feature that enables you to generate identical invoices for multiple customers. This could be a time-saving feature for businesses that send out recurring bills that don't change.

Personal Observations when using Peachtree:

I really like the Peachtree's interface. I find the layout and instant business information of the "Business Status" page a real timesaver since I don't have to run separate reports for outstanding receivables, bills that are overdue, or profit trends.

Input screens for billing, invoicing and payroll are very straightforward and easy to use. You can add an attachment right from the input screen by clicking the "add attachment" button. All versions of Peachtree Accounting integrate with Act! for synchronized contact information.

Peachtree First Accounting is the easiest version to set up and to use. Small businesses considering accounting software for the first time will want to compare Peachtree First Accounting ($69.99 MSRP) against free offerings from Microsoft Office Accounting and Intuit's Quickbooks Simple Start.

Peachtree Premium Accounting offers the most reporting tools and the most advanced options.

Peachtree Premium Accountants' Edition includes every product feature, including all the tools found in the various Industry Solutions.

Product Versions:

• Peachtree First Accounting
• Peachtree Accounting
• Peachtree Complete Accounting
• Peachtree Premium Accounting
• Peachtree Premium Industry Solutions for accountants, construction, distribution, manufacturing, and non-profits.

On the Web:

Peachtree by Sage
Peachtree Knowledge Base