| Microsoft Money '97 is a program comparable to Quicken
6. MS Money '97 is user friendly. The financial management features are
very similar to Quicken 6. This version of MS Money has added improvements
in the area of online banking.
This program can import data in .QIF or ASCII format. The Conversion Wizard for Quicken walks you through the steps required to drop existing Quicken data files into Money '97. When entering data, you can assign every financial action a set of customizable categories. These categories can be designated as tax-related and even assigned to the correct IRS form or schedule, simplifying preparation at tax filing time. The data entry screen for all accounts contains a check-book like register at the top and a set of forms below. Each form contains tables representing the types of transactions that can be completed. Basic features are the Payment Calendar which allows you to mark dates when payments are due; the Payment Reminder brings up a message on the selected day; and the Report and Chart Gallery gives you various ways to view expenses, investments, etc. There are Planning Wizards for loan repayment, retirement fund accounts, etc., much like Quicken 6. You can set up portfolios to manage stocks, bonds and mutual funds. For Internet users, the MoneyZone is the MS Money home page on the Web. There you can find answers to Money questions; financial management tips, upgrade information and links to Web sites of participating financial institutions as well as stock quotes from the NASDAQ, NY or Amer stock exchange and bring them into the portfolio automatically. I found this program as user friendly as Quicken 6. It is easy to set the categories/sub categories to suit yourself and to move through the program. A handy feature is the ability to right-click on an item and get a drop down list of tasks you can do with it. The Paycheck Wizard tracks regular deductions such as taxes, retirement
contributions, etc. The Auto Complete may take some getting accustomed
to. When you begin entering the name of the payee, Money looks for a previous
entry to that payee and fills it in automatically. Once you tab out of
the name field, the rest of the line is filled in based on the previous
check to this payee. Ok if you use this feature for a bill that is the
same every month--otherwise remember to change the amount.
Notes on converting from QuickenWhen Money converts a Quicken file, it does so from a copy. You can convert individual accounts back into Quicken by exporting them from Money, then importing them into Quicken. Money supports up to 63 of each of the three major types of accounts: bank, investment and loan.Money imports up to 250 categories/subcategories. If you have more in your Quicken file, Money converts the categories that you use most. Money supports only one budget. By default, in Money you enter transactions on forms that look like checks and deposit slips. It is possible to change this setting to make entries directly into your register. Type = or - in a date or check number to increase/decrease the entry by 1. In Money, a transfer is its own transaction type To enter a transfer, use a transfer form. The Tools/Find command in Money is analogous to Edit/Find in Quicken. You can search for a transaction or group of transactions from anywhere in Money --not just the Account Register. The calculator in Money works the same way as in Quicken. You can use the printer checks you ordered for use with Quicken. You can move between accounts using the menu at the top of the Account Register. In Money, you can right-click any transaction or account name to see a menu of things you can do with it. Most tasks are represented by buttons so you don't need to use
the menu bar at the top of the screen.
System Requirements:
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