Integration of all your finances is the key to Money's success and after
witnessing first hand the sort of information that is provided I do believe that
most users will be as impressed as I was. You can configure Money to log into
your internet banking to present you with your balances for each account without
having to actually visit the bank website itself.
I think that one of the nicest
things about Money is that is does have the goods to help your succeed
with your home finances. All the tools are at your disposal and are so easy to
use that debt reduction and funds management is not an impossibility for even
someone as useless with money as myself. The key to using this software is
honesty and accountability.
Microsoft also include the
ability for users to import their Quicken files over into Money in order to try
to reach that market. Whilst at the time of testing we did not have Quicken to
try this out, I did some research and did find that some users were finding
problems adapting to the new way of doing things in Money, however for the most
part these did sound more like teething problems than areas of true concern.
For those who prefer their data
in an easily digestible form can obtain output through Money in a number of
forms including pie charts that will tell you your overall status in easy to
understand glance. Each report can be customised in this way to assist users in
understanding what they are doing with their finances.
In addition to all the great
features on this piece of software, Microsoft sweetens the pie somewhat more by
allowing updating of shares on the internet allowing those interested in stocks
and the like to stay in touch with the performance of their shares
As with every year before it,
Microsoft has supported the new product with a swag of new extras to take
advantage of financial climates in order to make reporting and fund management
even easier than before. One of the really important things to take note of
however before purchasing this software is making sure that it is right for you.
For the ordinary person doing a household budget, this product is perfect,
however for the more advance user who needs something a bit more complex, it
might be worth upgrading to the Deluxe version of this software.
To see what version is most
relevant to you, please see the Microsoft site at:
http://www.microsoft.com/money/info/comparison.asp
There are a number of different
options to choose from, including applications for business. These are in the
business versions of Money and not applicable to this review.
Money is a great program that
will suit most users who are looking to effectively manage their home affairs
with one easy to use piece of software. Highly recommended!
- Tory Favro
