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If you keep the books for a small business, you're probably using Intuit's QuickBooks. Its simplicity, power, and attractive design have long made it the runaway market leader. The newest upgrade, QuickBooks Pro 99, simplifies routine tasks for users who also work with Office 97: You can now write letters to customers and turn financial reports into spreadsheets without having to leave QuickBooks.

But QuickBooks Pro 99 arrives only six months after the last upgrade, QuickBooks Pro 6.0, added long-overdue support for multiple users on a network. Why the big rush? Intuit is playing catch-up. Competitors Peachtree and Bestware, which also led the way in networkability, introduced Office integration in their small-business packages last year and the year before, respectively. QuickBooks Pro 99 boasts several other innovations, but anyone who bought last summer's upgrade should think carefully about whether the added capabilities justify the hefty price tag.

SUMMARY

QuickBooks Pro 99 PRO: Can create Office 97 letters and spreadsheets from within the QuickBooks program. CON: Expensive for users who just bought the last upgrade. VALUE: Excellent small-business accounting choice. Upgrade worthwhile for those who didn't buy version 6.0; added convenience may justify expense for some who did. $219 (single user); $599 (five-user pack). Intuit 800/446-8848 www.quickbooks.com