Back to 'QUICKEN'

After I'm not sure how long.. finally, two days ago, I was back using Quicken (the accounting software I used during university study), as it was getting a bit too much to try to record and analyse my personal and family finance manually (with the help of MS-Excel). My husband has also been having difficulties in understanding what I intend to show in my spreadsheets and calculations! Not to mention remembering the due dates for payments (Haha..)

As I am determined to 'successfully work' from home, I really need the help of a good accounting software that can record my transactions well and provide a good analysis on how things are going on the financial side of my life.. So, my husband gave me a latest version of 'Quicken'! (yess!!)

After trying it for a few days.. I found that this latest version of Quicken is a lot different from the version I used back then (it was around 1997 when I used it the first time), and I am still trying to figure out how to show the 'non-cash' transaction in the journals I post.. hmm..

Along the time I was working (about 5 years), I was using SAP Financial, and although the program was not perfect (as nothing in life is perfect), but the way SAP presents the journals of transactions is very 'real' just like we are doing accounts manually.. the only difference is that the ledger and statements are done by the time our journals are done! (that is what I love about accounting software).

While SAP is more 'common accounting' .. Quicken, on the other hand is more concerned about analysing the financial position that we are in for any given time span. This is a good thing for someone who would like to know how they have been doing financially and what should they do to set and achieve their financial goals in the future.

However, the chart of accounts (categories) have been pre-set for us in Quicken, and in some ways that helps, but in others, it does create some confusion.. I guess, (a blind guess, anyway), the categories were set for people who would like to handle their personal finance without much external help and without any basic accounting knowledge..

Maybe what I really need is another software that is more concerned about journals and reports/statements.. but, (blind guess again).. my husband will be more assisted with Quicken, as the details of each asset/liabilities and accounts (bank accounts, insurance, etc.) are recorded and presented in detail and very clearly..

Hmm.. let me think about this a bit more as I go through this program a little further. I will write again soon, and let you know of how I'm going.. Oh, almost forgot.. please leave a comment if you have any suggestions for me.

Thanks and see you again!