Do you wonder if you should get QuickBooks Accountant instead of QuickBooks Pro? After all, QuickBooks Pro is cheaper. Is QuickBooks Accountant really better than QuickBooks Pro? Would QuickBooks Pro be sufficient? If you are an accountant, bookkeeper, tax professional or QuickBooks consultant, then you really should get QuickBooks Accountant. QuickBooks Accountant has the following unique features and functionality to help accounting professionals be more efficient and productive.
- New in 2011 — Multi-Instance — Work in two different QuickBooks files at the same time.
- New in 2011 — File Manager — Open and manage QuickBooks files quickly and easily. Also, batch upgrade files and store passwords in the password vault.
- Client Data Review — Here’s a blog post with details about Client Data Review. Client Data Review allows you to find and fix problems in QuickBooks files quickly and efficiently with these tools:
- Troubleshoot Prior Account Balances
- Reclassify Transactions (and assign a class)
- Review List Changes – Chart of Accounts, Items, Fixed Asset Items and Payroll Items
- Fix Unapplied Customer Payments and Credits
- Clear Up Undeposited Funds account
- Write off Invoices
- Fix Unapplied Vendor Payments and Credits
- Fix Incorrectly Recorded Sales Tax
- Compare Balance Sheet and Inventory Valuation
- Troubleshoot Inventory
- Find Incorrectly Paid Payroll Liabilities
- Accountant’s Copy — Work with an Accountant’s Copy from your client and export changes for them to import into their file. This allows the client to keep working in their QuickBooks file. There is one year of backwards compatibility with an Accountant’s Copy.
- Toggle — Toggle into QuickBooks Pro, Contractor, Non-Profit, Retail, Manufacturing & Wholesale, Professional Services and Premier as needed).
- Intuit Statement Writer — Create financial statements and reports with a live link to the QuickBooks data file. Customize a template once and reuse it in the future or with other QuickBooks files. Intuit Statement Writer is sold separately and requires Microsoft Word and Excel. Here’s a blog post with details about Intuit Statement Writer 2011 along with a link to a free webinar to learn how to use it.
- Working Trial Balance — Tied to the QuickBooks data so changes or adjustments are updated automatically. Great at year end and includes a field to enter workpaper references.
- Fixed Asset Manager — Maintain details for fixed assets, calculate deprecation and post the entries to QuickBooks.
- Adjusting Journal Entries / Reversing Journal Entries (plus totals on the journal entry window) — Using Adjusting journal entries show in the adjustments column of the working trial balance and differentiates your entries from other general journal entries. Plus, click reverse to enter a reversing journal entry.
- Sample Data Files for Industries — Jo Ellen Peters of Top Notch Bookkeeping states “What I really like are all the different sample files that are available….the Accountant Edition has several: product, service based, non-profit, contractor, manufacturing, wholesale/distributing, consulting, engineering or architecture, graphic design or advertising, law firm and retail.” QuickBooks Pro includes the sample product and service based business files only.
You may want to consider joining the ProAdvisor Program which includes QuickBooks Accountant plus many other benefits. Here’s a post about why I recommend joining the ProAdvisor Program.
Also, Intuit Academy offers free webinars (which include free CPE and PDFs that are a great reference to have available). Some of the courses include:
- Learn What’s New in 2011 from QuickBooks (including a section with more details on QuickBooks Accountant Edition features mentioned above)
- Save More Time with Client Data Review 2011
- Intuit Statement Writer 2011: Your Financial Statement Solution
- Common Mistakes Clients Make and How to Fix Them
- Maximize Your Reach as a ProAdvisor
- plus many more!