Intuit, Inc. — QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions

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From the Sept. 2008 Review of Mid-Range Accounting Systems

Ideal for mid-sized companies looking to remain in the QuickBooks family, QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions offers the same familiar user interface, with a lot more power behind the scenes. Considered top-tier in the QuickBooks hierarchy of products, Enterprise Solutions is a logical choice for those needing to move beyond the basics.

Ease of Use/Transaction Entry – 5 Stars
QuickBooks historically has prided itself on its ease of use, and the latest version of QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions continues that tradition. After installing QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 8.0, the user is prompted to choose an industry-specific edition. Available editions include General Business, Contractor, Manufacturing and Wholesale, Nonprofit, Professional Services, and Retail. After selecting the desired edition, the industry-specific files will be installed on your computer. New users can choose to use the Interview option to set up a new company. The program allows up to 20 simultaneous users.

The QuickBooks user interface remains much the same as it has in the past few years. A drop-down menu bar at the top of the screen provides access to basic system functions as well as access to all QuickBooks functions. Below this menu bar is a series of icons that provide access to various “centers” along with Reminders, Services, Payroll and Credit Cards. The majority of the main screen contains a flowchart type menu where the user can click on Vendors, Customers, Employees, Company and Banking functions.

Data-entry screens are easily navigated, and all contain the ability to add customers, vendors and employee data on the fly. You can also choose to view account history, search for specific data, send data via e-mail, or even check spelling from all main transaction screens.

Modules & Notable Features – 5 Stars
QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions offers a complete financial software solution with Customer (AR), Vendor (AP), Banking, Employees (Payroll), Sales Orders, Purchase Orders, and Inventory. New in version 8.0 is an advanced on-demand inventory solution that works with Velocity Software, and new dashboards using the online Business Intelligence application. QuickBooks Enterprise can run on a Linux server, and the 8.0 release also offers better Outlook integration, as well as easier data importing capabilities. Product-driven customers will appreciate the improved inventory functions. Utilizing the QuickBooks Controls & Permissions helps ensure that data is safe, allowing administrators to choose the level of product access for each employee.

Integration/Import/Export – 4.5
Stars One of QuickBooks Enterprise’s strongest features is that it’s all-inclusive and designed to work together. Intuit also offers a wide variety of add-on and third-party products (over 200) designed to work with or integrate with the QuickBooks line of products. Improved Data Import options included in the latest version ensures that importing customer, vendor or product information is easier than ever.

Reporting - 4.5 Stars
QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions offers solid reporting options, with more than 120 standard reports that can be modified as needed. The Report Center provides a comprehensive list that details each report available. Clicking on the link before the explanation brings up a sample report format. Once a report is customized, it can be saved in the Memorized Reports area for future access. The Financial Statement Designer lets the user select the report period as well as the reports that need to be updated or created. All reports are easily exported to Excel or can be e-mailed to recipients as either an Excel or PDF file.