With QuickBooks 2006 just about to hit the streets, we’re excited about some of the coming changes. Here is a short list of my favorite changes:
QuickBooks will have a new database under the hood, which will really help you and your clients in the future as files grow, and as Intuit needs to add new functionality to the product line. This isn’t something you’ll see, but it’s a huge improvement to the product.
There are also some significant improvements in the inventory area, and a whole new look to the navigators.
I hope all accountants will agree with me that the improved treatment of forced bank reconciliations is a BIG improvement. If the client FORCES the bank reconciliation (that doesn’t balance), the automatic adjustment will be made to the bank account (as before), but instead of hitting Opening Balance Equity, it will now create a new EXPENSE account called Reconciliation Discrepancies. This is great news because it allows accountants to immediately spot errors, and make the appropriate adjustments. But even in the event that an error is not corrected, the error is sent through the P&L, and that is a big improvement over using an equity account.
My favorite feature in the 2006 Accountant Edition is the “Toggle Feature”. With the Accountant Edition, you can switch back and forth between all the other editions (Simple Start, Pro, Premier, and all of the verticals) using this Toggle to Other Edition feature. This means you don’t have to install every edition on your hard drive, and it allows you to see exactly what your clients see no matter which edition they have. If you haven’t looked at it yet, I really encourage you to play around with it.