Intuit Inc. on Monday announced QuickBooks: Pro 6.0 for Mac, a new version of its business accounting software that runs natively in Mac OS X and Mac OS 9. The new version adds a variety of new features, including data sharing with its Windows counterpart.
Intuit first released a Mac OS X-native version of QuickBooks for Mac last year with 5.0’s introduction. The popular accounting software had languished on the Mac platform for several years, despite Intuit’s Mac OS X efforts with Quicken, its personal accounting software package. When Intuit released the Mac version of QuickBooks 5.0 last year, the company announced that it was the first in a series of planned annual upgrades. Intuit reiterated that plan in a recent call with MacCentral and said that they’re already at work on what features to add for next year’s release, as well.
QuickBooks: Pro 6.0 provides Mac users with features like job costing, time-tracking, estimation and payroll. The software is customizable with different reports and functions depending on the business users’ needs.
When QuickBooks: Pro 5.0 debuted for the Mac in 2002, one limitation greatly upset Mac users — the software lacked an easy way to share its data with the ubiquitous Windows version of QuickBooks, relied upon heavily in many businesses and accounting practices. Ultimately Intuit offered a couple of different methods for converting the Mac data to Windows, including a fee-based service available through Apple Stores — but no solution offered the transparency that Mac users wanted.
This year, QuickBooks: Pro 6.0 gains data sharing capabilities with its Windows variant: Users can export their Mac data files to a Windows-compatible version by selecting a menu option, and can then import the data back again once any changes have been made on the Windows side. The data exchange works with QuickBooks Basic, Pro, Premier and Premier Accountant for Windows versions 2004, 2003 and 2002. Premier Contractor for Windows versions 2004, 2003.
QuickBooks: Pro 6.0 for Mac also gains the ability to export report data to Microsoft Excel v.X for Mac, or Excel 2001. Users can export formulas for subtotals and totals, font formatting and more.
QuickBooks: Pro 6.0 adds a one-step Email as PDF feature that enables the software to send off invoices, statements and reports as Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files using Apple Mail, Entourage v.X and Eudora.
The new version of the accounting software package can also automatically backup data files, offers additional customization options, has a more flexible toolbar, and more.
QuickBooks: Pro 6.0 costs US$299.95. Existing users can get a $100 rebate. It’s available from leading retailers and e-tailers as well as direct from Intuit.