The Zen of QuickBooks: 2013 Edition for Mac Helps Small Businesses Master Finances

Updates Save Time – Get Started Quickly, Get Records Organized, Simplify Common Tasks

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Small businesses can master financial management and work more productively with QuickBooks Zen, the code name for the 2013 edition of QuickBooks for Mac® from Intuit Inc. (Nasdaq: INTU).

New features in the 2013 edition bring Zen simplicity to help small businesses save time by getting started quickly, getting records organized, and simplifying common tasks. The product is scheduled to become available on Sept. 24.

“As the Mac gains wider use among small businesses, we’re investing more resources in developing QuickBooks for Mac,” said Dan Wernikoff, senior vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Financial Management Solutions division. “The 2013 code name reflects the even greater simplicity we’ve brought to the product to help small businesses save time managing their finances. It’s easier to get started and delivers new or improved features that existing customers want most.”

Get Started Quickly

The latest release helps small businesses new to QuickBooks for Mac get up and running faster and reduces the learning curve. Updates include:

Data Import. Populate contacts and products or services bought or sold by importing contacts automatically from the Address Book, or by copying and pasting contact or item information from spreadsheets. Data Import speeds up and simplifies the process of getting key information into QuickBooks.
Improved New User Experience. Learn how to use QuickBooks fast. Helpful tutorials and tips, including video how-to’s, offer in-product guidance when the user needs it.

“When I first checked out QuickBooks for Mac, I felt overwhelmed. I didn’t know where to start and didn’t feel like I had the time to learn the program,” said Abhijeet Kumar, owner of Rendewoo in Redwood City, Calif. “The improved 2013 edition has turned the tide for me. The Guide Me feature is intuitive, informative and really helps me learn QuickBooks as a first time user.”

Organize Records

Small business owners will have the information they need right at their fingertips with the new Document Attachments feature, which attaches contracts, proposals, receipts and more to related records for easy reference.

“When I’m on the phone with a customer, I need all relevant information in the customer’s record handy so I can be prepared to answer questions and be on top of what I need to complete the job,” said Joseph Kovalck Jr., owner of Parkhurst Properties in Brooklyn, Conn. “Document Attachments has helped me get a lot more organized, and has even helped me improve customer service.”

Simplify Common Tasks

Eliminating steps on common, and sometimes repetitive tasks helps save time and reduce errors. New features simplify common tasks, including:

Batch Invoicing. Streamlines the process of invoicing multiple customers for the same service by creating a template and invoicing all customers simultaneously.
Intuit PaymentNetwork. Enables small businesses to get paid faster. It provides a way for a small business’s customers to instantly pay their invoices electronically. Payments easily sync with QuickBooks. Bank payments cost the small business owner 50 cents each.
Improved Reconciliation. Helps minimize errors and easily identify discrepancies through optimized filters and searches when reconciling QuickBooks data with bank statements. Users can view previous reconciliation reports for snapshots of their businesses over time.

“I love the convenience of Intuit PaymentNetwork. I run a lot of payments remotely, meaning the customer is not in front of me with a card, and often they don’t offer their information over email or phone,” said Michael Sonntag, owner of Studio C Artists in Hollywood, Calif. “The option to pay directly online not only saves me the trouble of running the payment manually, but also means that I get paid faster and give my customers that added sense of security by putting them in control of their sensitive information.”

Pricing and Availability

QuickBooks for Mac 2013 is scheduled to be available directly from Intuit at www.quickbooks.com/mac or by calling 888-729-1996 beginning Sept. 24. It is expected to be available at Apple retail stores, Apple.com, Amazon, Best Buy, Costco.com, Fry’s, MacZones, Office Depot, OfficeMax and Staples on Oct 7.

Suggested retail prices are:

1-user: $249.95
2-users: $499.95
3-users: $749.95
4-users: $999.95
5-users: $1,249.95

QuickBooks for Mac is part of a family of financial software and services from Intuit that includes:

Resources:

About Intuit Inc.

Intuit Inc. is a leading provider of business and financial management solutions for small and mid-sized businesses; financial institutions, including banks and credit unions; consumers and accounting professionals. Its flagship products and services, including QuickBooks®, Quicken® and TurboTax®, simplify small business management and payroll processing, personal finance, and tax preparation and filing. ProSeries® and Lacerte® are Intuit’s leading tax preparation offerings for professional accountants. Intuit Financial Services helps banks and credit unions grow by providing on-demand solutions and services that make it easier for consumers and businesses to manage their money.

Founded in 1983, Intuit had annual revenue of $4.15 billion in its fiscal year 2012. The company has approximately 8,000 employees with major offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India and other locations. More information can be found at www.intuit.com.

Intuit, the Intuit logo and QuickBooks, among others, are registered trademarks and/or registered service marks of Intuit Inc. in the United States and other countries.

Intuit Inc.
Monica Appelbe, 650-944-5648
Monica_Appelbe@intuit.com
or
Access Communications
Whitney MacDonald, 415-844-6294
WMacDonald@accesspr.com

Source: Intuit Inc.

Released September 10, 2012