What's New in QuickBooks 2004

1. Microsoft Word and Excel Integration

QuickBooks 2004 Regular now offers integration with Microsoft Word and Excel (previously only in Pro and Premier). QuickBooks 2004 Regular will launch Microsoft Word and automatically format documents with customer information and selected financial data from QuickBooks. All QuickBooks users can now easily create letters in Word with customer data, saving even more time by using some of the many customizable pre-written pre-formatted business letters e.g. thank you letters, collection letters, change of address etc. With a click of a mouse, users can automatically send report data from QuickBooks to Excel, including formulas and report formatting. Once the report is in Excel, users can change the format or manipulate the data to meet the needs of their business. It’s now easier to create custom reports as there is no need to re-enter data.

2. New Real Language, Question based Help

QuickBooks in product help is expanded and easier to find. Get access to QuickBooks help from anywhere in the product; just type a question in your own words, and QuickBooks instantly finds the answer. It couldn’t be easier!

3. More options for backing up your data

Now, users can schedule backups of their QuickBooks data to take place automatically, either when exiting the program or anytime they find convenient. You can even have QuickBooks validate the integrity of your data before backup-you'll rest easier, knowing it's sound. QuickBooks 2004 also offers a wider variety of backup media, including floppies, a hard drive or CD-ROM-if you're running under Windows XP. Protect your critical financial data...effortlessly.

4. More Form Customisation Options

Add multiple logos and other images (using the most common file formats like bmp, jpg and gif e.g. pictures of products) anywhere on the form and in any size you want. Add multiple text comments like disclaimers or agreements anywhere on the form.

5. More Form Printing Options

Print forms on more page sizes (including legal, standard page, landscape and more) and pre-select a default printer for each type of form. QuickBooks "remembers" the paper size, page orientation, and the number of copies. And you can manually override those settings for any printing session. You can also print a payment remittance slip either on a separate page or at the bottom of the invoice

6. Improved Customer Statements

Customise customer statements to look the way you want, including layout changes, adding logos and printing on letterhead or pre-printed forms. You can automatically suppress printing of statements for customers with inactive accounts or no account activity. You can also opt to print statements for customers with balances over a specific amount.

7. Enhanced Class tracking

Now you can track all your income and expenses in more detail, for example by location, department or funding source (for non-profits). Use three new account levels to see your finances broken out into different categories on your balance sheet and other QuickBooks reports.

8. Buy, Sell and stock items in different units of measure

This feature will allow QuickBooks users to buy and sell in different units of measure. For example, users can now buy in packs, stock in cases and sell in individual units. The user can set the quantity associations between the three units: 5 cases per pack; 6 each per case.

9. Assembly for Inventory Items

(Track inventory by components and finished goods) Assemble a new inventory item using any combination of inventory or service items. Manage your inventory with more accuracy and less manual tracking. Now you can create an inventory item in QuickBooks for each finished good by specifying which component of your current inventory you need to produce it. QuickBooks will automatically adjust your inventory items and finished goods and track them separately, so you always know what you actually have on hand. QuickBooks tracks these assembled items for more accurate reporting.

10. VAT Tracking Improvements

For users who submit their VAT Returns on an accruals basis, the new VAT reconciliation feature ensures that the Returns are accurate by automatically marking all items that have been included in a VAT Return. Any entries made after the submission of the Return will be automatically included in the following period’s Return, thereby saving time and avoiding the need for any manual reconciliation. This means the VAT Return is always accurate even if entries are made to earlier periods. The VAT Reports can be modified to show filed and/or unfiled VAT items. What’s more, this new feature will be of particular benefit to statutory auditors and HMCE VAT auditors as it will no longer be possible to delete or amend transactions already filed. Changes have to be made via journals.

11. Multi-currency improvements

Users now have the ability to make entries in foreign currency registers, ability to report in foreign currencies, cheque formatting. Foreign currency Accounts Receivable ageing report.

12. Easier Budgeting

QuickBooks automatically creates a complete budget from your historical company data that you can easily update and compare against your actual expenses. Enter and edit your figures in an easier-to-use spreadsheet format.

13. Advanced Budgeting

QuickBooks instantly creates a monthly budget based on your actual QuickBooks data. Break down budgets by department or location. Compare your company’s financials with what you budgeted to earn or spend against actuals to date. View and edit the figures in a new spreadsheet format so you can quickly see what’s been budgeted in other areas without running a report. Then you have the option to manually adjust or change income/expenses by a percentage rate of growth.