Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU), the leader in small business accounting software, today released QuickBooks® Premier 2002: Accountant Edition, the first industry-specific QuickBooks solution under the company's new "Right For My Business" strategy. With features such as remote access and a password-protected closing date option, the product demonstrates the company's ongoing commitment to help accountants better service their clients, increase their own productivity and grow their business. In addition to the QuickBooks Accountant Edition, Intuit also released today its full line of QuickBooks 2002 products for small businesses. (See related release, Nov.27, 2002, "QuickBooks 2002 is Right For Your Business.")
"Since accountants use QuickBooks much differently than most small businesses, we have created a product just for them," said Dan Levin, vice president and general manager, QuickBooks Management Solutions. "On average, accountants who use Intuit products have 80 small business clients, so they need a flexible software solution with time-saving tools that will allow them to not only serve multiple clients, but serve multiple clients with varying needs."
Currently two and a half million small businesses use Intuit's best-selling QuickBooks accounting and financial management software to help manage their accounts payable and receivable, invoicing, time tracking, and inventory. Of those small businesses that use QuickBooks, 86 percent also use an outside accountant at least once a year1.
Helping Accountants Become More Productive
The new remote access service in QuickBooks Premier 2002: Accountant Edition offers accountants the convenience to access and modify their clients' QuickBooks 2002 files from anywhere they have Internet access2. This remote access feature will not replace the value of in-person consultations, however for the first time, accountants will have the flexibility to consult online with QuickBooks clients to perform transaction reviews, generate financial and management reports, make modifications and troubleshoot. All data will be saved in the client's QuickBooks software, giving accountants and small businesses additional convenience and peace of mind.
QuickBooks Premier 2002: Accountant Edition provides a host of features that offer accounting professionals improved control and greater flexibility in managing their QuickBooks clients' finances, including:
- Improved general journal options for faster data entry;
- Optional password-protected closing date to control, track and view any changes made to a prior reporting period;
- Improved reconciliation feature to help manage client data more effectively;
- Remote access to give accountants the flexibility to work from anywhere;
- New sales tax revenue and liability reports to easily tabulate, categorize and report sales taxes owed; and
- Ability to import and export customized report templates to enable more consistent reporting across clients.
Features of the new QuickBooks Premier 2002: Accountant Edition work with all versions of the new QuickBooks 2002 products which includes QuickBooks Basic 2002, QuickBooks Pro 2002 and the new QuickBooks Premier 2002.
"I am constantly evaluating new technology that can streamline both my own and my clients' workflow. This new QuickBooks accountant edition definitely fits the bill," said Susan Davis, CPA, president of an accounting firm that serves multiple small business clients in various locations. "The improved reporting features will save my clients and I an immense amount of time. I would upgrade to 2002 for the improved bank reconciliation and discrepancy report alone."
Integration With Other Applications
Like its QuickBooks 2002 Pro and Premier counterparts, QuickBooks Premier 2002: Accountant Edition will integrate with third-party business and industry-specific applications. Beginning in December, professional accountants and their clients will have access to more than 25 optional third-party applications that exchange data with QuickBooks. Integration with these business and industry-specific applications will improve the efficiency of QuickBooks by minimizing the need to duplicate data entry into numerous software applications. (See related release, Nov.27, 2002, "Intuit Releases First-Ever QuickBooks SDK.")
With these new third-party applications, accountants can take advantage of solutions such as time and billing applications and shipping software. Their clients may take advantage of applications for specific industries including construction, property management and law. These third-party applications will be made available via the QuickBooks Solutions Marketplace, as well as the third-party application developers' regular marketing and sales channels. More information on these specific applications can be found at http://marketplace.intuit.com.
Pricing and Availability
QuickBooks Premier 2002: Accountant Edition is now available to purchase at www.intuitadvisor.com, www.QuickBooks.com/accountant, or by calling 1-800-267-8379. The product is expected to be available in retail near the end of December 2001. Suggested retail price of QuickBooks Premier 2002: Accountant Edition is $499.95. A $120 mail-in rebate may apply to certain QuickBooks users upgrading from any previous version of QuickBooks.
Intuit currently has relationships with more than 115,000 accounting professionals who use QuickBooks small business accounting software. Nearly 24,000 of these accountants have become members of the QuickBooks Professional Advisor Program designed to help them build their business and better support their clients. To learn more about becoming a member of the Intuit Professional Advisor Program and to enroll, log on to www.intuitadvisor.com.
1Intuit 2001 User Study
2Twelve months of service included at no charge, valid for customers who purchase and install QuickBooks Premier 2002 software before December 31, 2002. 12 months of service begin at the time of installation of QuickBooks Premier software. After 12 months, Premier users can subscribe to the service for a fee. Service subject to change.
