Even if you're satisfied with your internal accounting controls, you'll appreciate the new audit tests in Sage Software's Peachtree by Sage 2006. I looked at three shipping versions of the new application: Premium Accounting, Complete Accounting, and the standard Accounting.
Sage, formerly Best Software, adds the new Internal Accounting Review feature in the three Peachtree editions that I tested for this review. (A fourth version, Peachtree First Accounting 2006, omits the accounting review feature, and I did not evaluate it.) The tool runs up to 15 audit tests on your accounting database to alert you to possible errors and suspicious transactions.
New in the Complete and Premium editions is Peachtree's Bill Pay service, which permits you to send electronic payments to your suppliers. Prices for the Internet-based service start at $16 per month (for 20 or fewer transactions).
Small companies that need only such basic features as financial statements, payroll, and simple inventory should be satisfied with Peachtree Accounting ($200, or $180 as an upgrade), a single-user app. Peachtree Complete Accounting ($300, or $260 as an upgrade) is multiuser-ready and adds advanced functions such as job cost, time billing, and enhanced inventory. Peachtree Premium Accounting ($500, or $400 as an upgrade) adds serialized inventory, extended three-year budgets, and more flexibility in creating financial reports.
Audit tests aren't sexy, but they could save your business plenty of headaches, making this upgrade worthwhile.
Good small-business accounting, with handy audit tests that make this a worthwhile upgrade.
Price when reviewed: Premium $500, Complete $300, standard $200
Current prices (if available)
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