Accounting Information Systems & Their Competitive Advantages
A variety of accounting information systems are available in the market. QuickBooks and Peachtree are geared toward small and midsized businesses and organizations. Larger entities may find Microsoft Great Plains better suited to their needs, though it costs more.
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QuickBooks
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Small businesses find QuickBooks especially appealing. An entry-level software package for businesses with limited accounting knowledge or experience, it sells for as little as $160. On the downside, it offers fewer customization options than Peachtree and Great Plains.
QuickBooks Options
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There are three QuickBooks options for businesses. QuickBooks Pro, priced at $160, is best for small businesses that do not need industry-specific support. QuickBooks Premier, which sells for $320, offers industry-specific support, business plans and sales-forecasting features. QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions, with prices starting at $2,250, is best for businesses in which at least five users must use the system simultaneously. Packages come with free technical support for up to one year.
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Peachtree By Sage Accounting
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Peachtree, too, is popular with small businesses. Like QuickBooks, it is an all-in-one accounting solution that aids businesses possessing little or no accounting background. Offering Crystal Report functions, it is more customizable than QuickBooks but not as expensive to implement as Microsoft Great Plains.
Peachtree Options
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Peachtree has four options from which to choose. Peachtree Pro, priced at $199, offers a basic package for a single user, consisting of payroll solutions and standard accounting tools. Peachtree Complete, which costs $299 for one user and $699 for up to five users, offers Peachtree Pro's basic features plus an audit trail and the ability to track fixed assets and job costs.
The next step up is Peachtree Premium, with customizable packages for sectors such as nonprofit organizations, construction companies, manufacturing and accounting. Premium offers Crystal Reports support and costs $499 for one user and $1,199 for up to five users.
Peachtree Quantum is best for midsized businesses that need support for a large amount of customer data. Businesses can buy a package to suit their particular size, at a cost ranging from $4,450 for 10 users to $13,150 for 40 users.
Microsoft Great Plains
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Microsoft Great Plains offers a business solution for companies that find QuickBooks and Peachtree too limiting. Highly customizable, the accounting software interfaces well with other Microsoft products, such as Excel. Its compatibility with Microsoft SQL Server databases is especially helpful. Depending on the features selected, the product can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Great Plains Options
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Great Plains comes in two versions: Business Essentials and Advanced Management. Both offer general accounting tools, including inventory management as well as accounts receivable and payable features. Advanced Management's customer relationship management (CRM) software lets companies better connect with their consumer base, and its work flow tools allow management to optimize business operations.
Pricing for Business Essentials starts at $2,250 for one user but can run into tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the number of additional users. Pricing for Advanced Management begins at $3,980 for one user and likewise increases with additional users.
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References
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