| Simply put, accounting is the lifeline of a | | | | 1. ePeachtree (Best Software) |
| business. Accounting deals with summarizing, | | | | |
| analyzing and reporting the financial data | | | | 2. MYOB Plus for Windows (MYOB Software) |
| and information about a business. An | | | | |
| accounting software records and processes the | | | | 3. Peachtree Complete Accounting (Best |
| accounting transactions of a business within | | | | Software) |
| its functional modules. Financial statements | | | | |
| consisting of the balance sheet, profit and | | | | 4. QuickBooks Online (Intuit) |
| loss account, and statement of changes in | | | | |
| financial position can be easily prepared | | | | 5. Small Business Manager (Microsoft) |
| with an accounting software. | | | | |
| | | | B. Low-End Accounting Software: |
| An accounting software is all about the | | | | |
| various functional modules that it has. Some | | | | 1. BusinessVision 32 (Best Software) |
| of them are- General ledger which takes care | | | | |
| of the company's financial dealings; Accounts | | | | 2. MAS 90 & MAS 200 (Best Software) |
| Payable where the company enters its bills | | | | |
| and pays the money it owes; Accounts | | | | 3. QuickBooks Pro 2003 (Intuit) |
| Receivable where money received is entered. | | | | |
| | | | 4. ACCPAC Pro Series (ACCPAC International) |
| The different categories or types of | | | | |
| accounting software are as follows:a) Small | | | | 5. Vision Point 2000 (Best Software) |
| business/personal accounting software which | | | | |
| are mainly meant for home users. They are | | | | C. Middle-Market Accounting Software: |
| simple and inexpensive with simple | | | | |
| functioning such as management of budgets.b) | | | | 1. ACCPAC Advantage Series Corporate Edition |
| Low end accounting software are for small | | | | (Best Software) |
| business markets that are capable of serving | | | | |
| a single national market. Such software are | | | | 2. Great Plains (Microsoft) MAS 90 & MAS 200 |
| characterized by 'single entry' products.c) | | | | (Best Software) |
| Mid market accounting software are for | | | | |
| companies with large businesses. These | | | | 3. Navision (Microsoft) |
| software are capable of serving the needs of | | | | |
| multiple national accountancy standards and | | | | 4. SouthWare Excellence Series (SouthWare) |
| facilitate accounting in multiple | | | | |
| currencies.d) High end accounting software | | | | 5. SYSPRO (SysproUSA) |
| are complex and expensive business accounting | | | | |
| software that are also known as Enterprise | | | | D. High-end accounting ERP Market: |
| Resource Planning or ERP software. | | | | |
| | | | 1. Axapta (Microsoft Software) |
| However, you have to keep certain things in | | | | |
| mind before buying an accounting software, | | | | 2. e-Business Suite (Oracle) |
| like the prices of the software, its | | | | |
| different features, its after-sales support | | | | 3. MAS 500 (Best Software). |
| and alike. Most of the accounting software | | | | |
| include all the important accounting modules. | | | | 4. Solomon (Microsoft) |
| The more specialized features a software has, | | | | |
| the more expensive it becomes. Your software | | | | 5. ACCPAC Advantage Series Enterprise Edition |
| features must be compatible with your | | | | (Best Software) |
| business. Also, the after-sales support is | | | | |
| important like FAQ package, local service | | | | In compiling the above list, a variety of |
| center and others. | | | | factors such as feedbacks from customers, |
| | | | scalability of the software, and after-sales |
| There are a lot of top accounting software | | | | support are used. Also, the different |
| available in every category. So, it is not | | | | attributes for different categories have been |
| easy to select the best ones. Below are top | | | | considered like for ERP software, attributes |
| five accounting software in every category. | | | | such as manufacturing solution, supply chain |
| | | | solution and database solution. The above |
| A. Small business/personal accounting | | | | compilation may not be all inclusive and some |
| software: | | | | people might choose to differ with it but it |
| | | | is almost near to perfect list. |