Quick Poll - MYOB or Quickbooks

[divapromotions]

Ok, for those who have used either of those systems, which one do you prefer for your business and why?

I originally started out with quickbooks as a free subscription, and didn't mind it as my first foray into bookeeping. Then, so many people recommended MYOB that I went out and got that when my subscription finished.
Now, I'm wishing I hadn't! Quickbooks, in my opinion is so much easier to use.

So what about you?

[Rachel Reeves]

I used to use Quickbooks and Quicken for my clients and now I use various versions of MYOB for both my clients and my business. Give it time, you will get used to MYOB (well hopefully anyway).

My personal opinion is that there are aspects that work extremely well and also aspects that could use a bit of work on in both of these programs. Maybe if the two programs could be combined we would end up with the perfect financial accounting program!!

I prefer the reporting and how it works out the GST with MYOB and the ability to create account numbers. On the other hand I found that it was easier for errors to slip in there and harder to pick them up. I also found the account structure harder to manipulate.

With Quickbooks and Quicken I found that it was easier to find my way around, data entry was more simplistic and you could enter more detail in the transactions. I also found to be easier to pick up on errors. I didn't like the reporting, the forms or the backups so much in Quickbooks.

I am having trouble reaching a conclusion as all aspects are important to me.

[KarenC]

I've been using MYOB Accounting (which is upgraded each year on my subscription and is currently v18) because my accountant just uses my files to access info for my tax return, which is easy for me. And I find it much easier to use for my 3 monthly BAS and GST which I log myself.

However, many of the terms used in MYOB are not user friendly in the Help files. Unless you know what 'accounting term' to look for, it's difficult to find the right answer. Recently I had to reimburse an item and had no idea what to do. After phoning MYOB for help they told me I had to look for some other word to get the help files - but I said that MYOB wasn't using layman terms, hence my difficulty in finding the answers in Support files. They led me through the whole process, but there was no way I would have found it in the Support files.

Overall MYOB Accounting is ok.

[warrenc]

When GST was introduced a zillion small businesses thought they needed to embrace computerised accounting and MYOB was standing there with open arms.

Quicken had exactly the same opportunity but failed dismally to market themselves adequately.

MYOB is outstanding value for money with regular new versions issued and I don't think that Quicken will ever recover the ground they lost unless MYOB goes into liquidation.

It is easier to find an MYOB bookkeeper than a Quicken bookkeeper so unless you want to be doing your accounts for the rest of your life you need to also consider that issue.

[divapromotions]

well, thanks to the wonderful people at Quickbooks (namely Gerald) I now have a brand new copy of quickbooks, and I must say I'm so happy with it. Again, it is so easy to use, to record payments and to manage my accounts.

So I've now answered my own question I guess - quickbooks for me!!

Thanks everyone for your input.

[Adam Randall]

I used MYOB for about 4 years and then had to switch over to Quickbooks due to using a U.S based CRM package that only integrates with Quickbooks.

There are most definite advantages in MYOB, exporting and importing information in MYOB in my opinion is so much easier.

Quickbooks is way more intuitive than MYOB, its far simpler to use and has a much lower learning curve.

I do think going from MYOB to quickbooks was more difficult than starting from scratch because I was looking for the MYOB way in Quicbooks and it was not there.

The interface in Quickbooks is much nicer.

The way Quickbooks handles licensing and registration is an abomonation compared to MYOB.
MYOB does online activation and its the company file that retains the activation, not the program, which means I can install MYOB on 1000 machines and as long as my company is activated, it works.

Quickbooks makes you ring somebody up to activate which really irritates me, especially considering its only a 9-5 operation, its lazy, they should have online activation by now.


All in all though, they both do what they say they do. If I had the choice, I would probably stay with MYOB though mainly because as suggested before the accounting support base in Australia and of course the activation hurdles of Quickbooks.

[robbyst]

I've used Quickbooks for 4 years with no complaints to make.

[Glenn Wallace]

Yes they both have their advantages and disadvantages but they didnt have all the features I was looking for in the one program.

So I built my own alternative program.

One of my clients who uses the the system and program has changed 20 hours a quarter of "doing the books' into 10 to 20 minutes.

You do have to email me for the activation code and it is an executeable program that needs Windows 2000 or above and Microsoft Excel 97 or higher (except 2000) to run.

Regards,

Glenn Wallace
Chartered Accountant
http://www.thebusinessautomator.com
Turns 20 hours a quarter of "doing the books" into 20 minutes

[Burgo]

You trying to sell somethin

[Adam Randall]

Originally Posted by Burgo

You trying to sell somethin

Its a Claytons spam:)

After the day I had yesterday with Quickbooks, I think someone from there needs to be taken out an flogged.

Is it just me or is the online banking component STUFFED on Quickbooks?

I can download one out of 3 bank statements directly into quickbooks, the other two try and communicate with the bank and fail with errors.

The real kicker of it all is that I cannot even import a local csv or iff file into quickbooks even after the account is set to not be an online account.

Its driving me insane, so much so that I may in actual fact ring their support line.

Ah to top it all off I cannot install a quickbooks update, it just fails.

I changed my mind, MYOB wins hands down every category apart from ease of use.