AccountEdge Makes Its Return to Canada

The last time there was a new version of AccountEdge in Canada, Jean Chrétien was prime minister, the loonie was struggling against the U.S. dollar, and Montreal was home to a Major League Baseball team. A lot can change in eight years, obviously, as Stephen Harper and the Washington Nationals can attest. And the return of AccountEdge to Canada is one of them.

Software maker Acclivity on Tuesday released a new Canadian version of its small-business accounting program, marking a return to the land of the maple leaf after an eight-year absence.

AccountEdge's reunion with Canada had been expected. Acclivity-owned MYOB US detailed plans to revive the Canadian edition of AccountEdge at this January's Macworld Expo. What's more, the developer said Canadian users wouldn't have to wait for the next update of AccountEdge--which typically appears around the fall--for a version they could call their own.

Indeed, the Canadian version released Tuesday features an evolved command center--excuse me, centre--with a more streamlined design. There's a new Task List, a sliding drawer that gives users quick access to frequently used windows and reports. And AccountEdge's Business Insights features offers trend-based data for year-over-year looks at profits, turnover, and balances. AccountEdge for Canada also features Address Book syncing, iCal integration, MobileMe backup, and other OS X-flavored goodies. You can get the full rundown of features at Acclivity's Canadian-targeted site for AccountEdge.

The release of the Mac version of the accounting program in Canada wasn't the only bit of news to come out of Acclivity Tuesday. The company also confirmed that it would develop a Windows version of AccountEdge for Canada in 2010.

As for the Mac version, it costs $399--that's in U.S. dollars, my fellow North Americans--and can be downloaded at the AccountEdge for Canada site. (The company is offering a $100 rebate for users with older versions of AccountEdge or QuickBooks Accounts for Mac.) The network edition for multiple users costs $549.