Peachtree accounting solutions, targeted to small businesses, will release a new lineup of products June 13 that includes online banking, built-in bill pay and an internal accounting review that picks up errors and suspicious transactions.
Another key new feature is Rapid Access Reports, which gives the user access to key reports that pertain to the screen currently in use. For instance, when viewing an invoice, users can quickly bring up all open invoices for that particular customer, a list of items sold to that customer in a particular time period, and unbilled job expenses.
Acquired by Sage Software in 1999, the Peachtree lineup ranges from Peachtree First Accounting 2006, for very small, service-based businesses, up to Peachtree by Sage Premium Accounting 2006, designed for growing companies that need advanced reporting, business analysis and extensive accounting functionality.
Peachtree also has announced a series of vertical market solutions that will be released over the summer.
Peachtree First Accounting 2006 is a step above personal finance programs, aimed at small businesses that are transitioning to full-fledged accounting. Primarily intended for service-based businesses, First includes very basic accounting functionality but can be upgraded to other products in the Peachtree line as the business grows. The retail price is $99.95.
Peachtree Accounting 2006, which retails for $199.99, includes payroll, inventory management, business analysis tools and customized reporting. This version features Peachtree Today, which is the opening screen when the user starts the program up, and acts as a “dashboard” with a snapshot of key business statistics, such as key account balances and past-due invoices.
This version is for single users, and integrates with Excel for additional reporting. Users can also set up an e-commerce site through integration with Peachtree WebsiteTrader for an additional fee.
Moving up the line, Peachtree Complete 2006 is a network-ready package that includes online banking, electronic bill pay, advanced inventory management functions, job costing, time and billing, fixed asset management, and integration with UPS shipping.
In the inventory module, Complete can generate purchase orders for out-of-stock items. All reports can be customized, and the 2006 version features numerous enhancements to customer and vendor reporting. The retail price is $299.99 for a single user and $699.99 for the multiuser version.
Peachtree Premium Accounting 2006 is suited to businesses with as many as 50 employees. This version features progress billing, serialized inventory, company consolidation, employee compensation history and the ability to archive company data.
Business owners will be able to forecast three years into the future with the Budgeting module. Retailing for $499.99 for a single user and $999.99 for the multiuser version, Premium also features Crystal Reports for Peachtree for additional customization options.
The Premium version also will come in five industry-specific versions that include all of the features in the regular version, plus additional functionality for Construction, Nonprofits, Manufacturing, Distribution and Accountants. Each of these vertical market packages retails for $599.99 for single users and $1,199.99 for multiuser.
Peachtree Premium Accounting for Construction 2006 is targeted for general building contractors and specialty trade subcontractors who want work-in-progress reporting, insurance expiration date tracking, and the ability to track cost and revenue information in detail for each job. When a project is completed, one of the key reports compares the actual job cost and profitability to the original estimate.
Small nonprofit organizations are the target market for Peachtree Premium Accounting for Nonprofits 2006. New features for 2006 include a unified chart of accounts, United Way-based chart of account, industry-specific financial statements, and a statement of revenue and expenditures. Designed to help nonprofits keep their boards, grantors and donors informed, the program also includes security features and extensive reporting.
Click here for a review of Peachtree Premium Accounting 2005.
Manufacturing companies that want streamlined reporting and in-depth inventory management should take a look at Peachtree Premium Accounting for Manufacturing 2006. Features include enhanced bill-of-materials processing, shop-floor work tickets, and reporting that should fulfill the needs of small manufacturing companies, small job shops and make-to-stock manufacturers.
Peachtree Premium Accounting for Distribution 2006 is designed for small distribution companies that help fulfill customer orders, and it includes advanced inventory management and integration with UPS shipping. Features include the ability to buy and sell in multiquantity units, quantity price breaks based on percentage or dollar amounts, and multiple ship-to/remit to addresses. The ability to quickly change product pricing has been enhanced for 2006.
Accountants who serve clients running Peachtree accounting solutions can use Peachtree Premium Accounting 2006 Accountants’ Edition to manage their clients’ needs. It provides one access point to create and modify files in any Peachtree 2006 product format, and gives accountants the tools needed to restore clients’ backup files, perform company consolidation and generate three-year budgets.
Peachtree has updated its Peachtree Payroll Service for the 2006 lineup as well. New to this version is a link to Peachtree Bill Pay and Peachtree Credit Card Service. Employers can make use of the Peachtree Direct Deposit service, or subscribe to the Tax Update Service.
Each service is priced per employee or transaction; visit the Peachtree Payroll site for a personalized quote.
Peachtree 2006 products can be found at most large retailers as well as through online software distributors. Learn more at Peachtree’s Web site.
Check out eWEEK.com’s for the latest news, views and analysis on financial applications and services for the enterprise and small businesses.
