Every small business needs to know where the money went - and is going. These top selling accounting software programs simplify your small business accounting tasks, and provide all the reports and tools you need to effectively use your financial data. Here is the best accounting software for small businesses. Unless otherwise noted, the small business accounting software programs linked below are single use versions; multi-use versions of these programs are also available.
1. Intuit QuickBooks Accounting Software
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QuickBooks is one of the best small business accounting programs around. Available in Basic, Online, Pro, and Premier editions, Intuit really knows its audience and caters to it. Features of the 2012 Pro version of this small business accounting software I really like include the Customer Snapshot, which gives you a consolidated view of your customer's history, a Collections Centre, which lets you identify overdue and almost due invoices, and email all collection notices from your Outlook, Yahoo, Gmail or Hotmail account, and the ability to quickly locate any account, report, or invoice with just a keyword in QuickBooks Search, but this version is loaded with nifty features.
2. Sage Simply Accounting Accounting Software
Simply Accounting is a full featured accounting and payroll package with all the features and reports any small business needs, including Internet and ecommerce features. This small business accounting software's data entry screens resemble their paper counterparts, and the screen tips and drag and drop functionality make the accounting program easy to learn. Professional versions include a time and billing module. Simply Accounting Pro 2012 is a Canadian made accounting software for small business that calculates and pays GST/HST and PST/QST, prepares government T4s, ROEs or RL-1s through print or efile, lets you switch from French to English on the fly, and lets you manage cash flow, budgeting and inventory.
3. Peachtree Complete Accounting Software
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The Complete version of this small business accounting software program includes over 125 reports and features such as in-depth inventory, time and billing and job costing. Peachtree Complete Accounting Software comes multi-user ready and "value packs" for three or more users are available; the 2012 version of this small business accounting software includes a Vendor Management Center, the Sage Advisor, providing on-the-go tips, and a Business Intelligence Center which gives a new suite of reports providing insight into your small business.
4. AccountEdge Accounting Software for Windows
This is the accounting software that used to be MYOB Accounting Plus. AccountEdge for Windows is the Swiss army knife of small business accounting software. If you need flexibility, this is the accounting software for you. For instance, AccountEdge's Inventory command centre allows for inventory control that includes multiple pricing levels, kit-building and negative inventory. When time billing, you can use multiple billing rates and easily track chargeable and non-chargeable time. It also offers over 200 customizable financial reports, and has the ability to sync with Enstore, a hosted web store application that lets you sell online. There's also an app for iPhones and iPads: AccountEdge Mobile.
5. AccountEdge Accounting Software for Mac
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AccountEdge small business accounting software for Mac users is very similar to the Windows version and has all the same features that make AccountEdge one of the best accounting software programs for small business. Other features that these two AccountEdge accounting products share that I really like are the ability to work in multiple currencies as a single currency is not locked in, the accounting software's configurable sales taxes, and the ability to import online bank statements.
