Microsoft Accounting Express 2007 is a sleek package that is offered free for limited use. So what's the catch? It does NOT inventory, and it does NOT allow kits and physical items. However, it is a great way for a service company to generate quotes, invoices, and reconcile accounts. And best of all, it is free. Obviously, Microsoft would much rather for you to pay for the $150 upgrade to the "Pro" version. We'll discuss whether it's necessary or not.

When you start the program, you are prompted to start setting up a company, and its fiscal year. Both of which are easily done in a few clicks.

Then you are taken to a sort of "workflow" screen, with various functions presented in a clear diagram/flow-chart form. Click on Quote to generate a Quote, or convert a Quote to Invoice. You can also enter an invoice directly. So on and so forth. You can then generate statements (which summarized several invoices) and so on. If you look to lower left, you'll find more options such as vendor flow (buy inventory, order inventory, count inventory, etc.), employee flow (payroll, etc.), and more.

Each screen is very clearly laid out, and all the screens are customizable. Too many fields in the grid? Edit the screen info and remove a couple, add them back later if you wish. However, I found a severe limitation regarding invoice: impossible to list any "surcharges" that is a percentage of the total cost. For example, if there is a "penalty" of 2% for every 10 days, you cannot add that as a lineitem. Instead, you must add it as a type of "discount" (except -2% "gain") which is a payment term.

Another annoying thing is that Microsoft has added some advertisements about additional Microsoft Office add-ons and such into the main menu screen, even in the paid "Pro" version.

While Express (and Pro) Accounting have eBay and Paypal integration, it's clear that Express will not be of much use for eBay sellers as it does NOT track kits or actual physical items, but only services and non-inventory items. You'll need the Pro version to do that. However, the powers included in the Express version is quite impressive, as it integrates with many versions of data downloadable from online banking, helps with credit card receipts and validations. You can even sign up to have credit monitoring services started for your company if you wish.

All in all, the Express Accounting 2007 is an interesting entry into the field of accounting software, right now dominated by Quickbooks (and with Peachtree Accounting) in a distant 2nd place). However, it is more of a limited function demo to make sure you pay up for the $150 "Pro Accounting 2007". And some of the odder limitations are surely annoying, not to mention the ads. For that $150, you may as well go with Quickbooks. This likely will not convince you to switch.

Learn more about this author, K. Charles.
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