sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Computers & Programming Computers, Software, Accessories Quickbooks

My mission is to convert from Peachtree to QB Pro by 1/1/2011 :-) My accountant suggests that it's easier, but I'm pretty set in my ways, especially since Sage just made me a really sweet offer to get PT 2011.

My whole inventory system is based on 3-digit prefixes which are used to sort product into groups. Since I've used those codes for over 25 years, I'm not about to consider changing them.
I like the idea of custom designed invoices and email and the ability to web archive files, so maybe it's time.

Any suggestions to smooth over the transition?

Carl

You used to be able to get a trial copy of QuickBooks. GET IT and play with it ahead of time.

Better yet, if you are sure you want to go that route, just buy QB and setup a dummy company 1st and play with it. Set up the inventory just like you do now, practice setting up your invoices, etc.

It'll be a learning curve, but it works well. Many of us are using QB.

I would hire a Quick books pro Ive seen several customers using them

quick books certified conslutants

I dont think the free version will do you much good if you plan on using pro ...

I switched to QB a year ago and I'm still trying to get used to it. It works good and was easy to import most of my data. Get it and play with it for a while by the 1st of the year you maybe ready to switch over.

Or better yet, stick with PeachTree...

I converted to QB about two years ago, and it drives me crazy. I understand that on a single-user system, I would probably not run into these issues, but on a network there are locking and contention issues. Not to mention there are just things it can't do. For example, when you enter a customer the first and last names are in seperate fields, yet you can't search on either one of them. Can't search by phone number either, so when someone leaves a message, but I can only make out the number, not the name, I have no way of looking them up.

We used to use DacEasy, another Sage product, and I would highly recommend it over QB. Or, just stick with PT.

+1

I support them both actually.
Home/Small Business users like Quickbooks because a. they've seen the commercials b. it's far less expensive.
Accountants like Quickbooks because it's portable "I've got QB 2008, you have QB2008, shoot me over your *.QBx files and i'll see what's going on" Not a bad thing at all. And any software is "easier" when you've been using it for years. That's a very relative statement.
Med businesses will generally go with Peachtree because it's stable, built from the ground up for multi-user environments. And without being a database snob, I trust a Pervasive Database over a Sybase/Adaptive with my data anyday. Peachtree also comes with Crystal Reports...so if you need custom reports, you don't have to pay them to do it. IIRC there's not really a solid Sybase ODBC connector (maybe there is in newer) other than 3rd party connectors.
Hardcore number crunchers and large corporations are using customized Accounting software, Goldmine mods and the like, it's not feasible for them to use 'out of the box' software.

So you gotta ask yourself where you fit in. Screw what your Accountant says, if Peachtree works for you, use it. Chances are data entry isn't your full time gig, so do you have time to learn QB?
My opinion is that Quickbooks is a generic one-size-fits all accounting software that you can pick up at BestBuy in a pinch (talking regular and Pro). Maybe that's all you want/need. Peachtree is an investment. It'll take 30 companies without flinching (I support a couple instances like this). As much as I hate to admit it, I trust Peachtree. I don't trust portable databases, they're handy but think of the future.

Again "easy" is a relative term. I think it's easier to backup static files with a scheduled batch file to a network drive while other's use NTBackup, at the end of the day tomato tomato.

Yabbut :-)

I"m going to go along to get along. I'll play his silly game and set up QB Pro. I actually own 2009 and PT 2008. If I can make QB behave in, say 40 hours, then I'll think about switching, if not, I'll keep my PT Complete.
It's kind of academic since I don't do payroll, or P&L's, I just use it to do the billing and count the beans. Any more now, each job tends to be unique unto itself and the surplus only gets added to the inventory system. Except for transition stuff, everything in the warehouse is surplus and valueless. I always remark that if the place burned to the ground, I'd take $3K, hope my tools and laptop were in the van, and run.

Carl