Is Quickbooks Right for Me?

Question:

I am a Benefits Coordinator for a Children's Hospital and I am in charge of the Tuition Reimbursement Department. Currently we are only using Excel Spreadsheets and paper to track and execute the process. I was wanting to bring the program into the 21st Century and someone suggested QuickBooks.

Would this, in fact, be a viable solution to track and monitor all of the employees and the funds?

I truly appreciate your advice and help in this matter.

Answer:

I think that you have made a wise choice to switch from spreadsheets to an accounting software package. With all the choices in accounting software it can be a daunting task to make a decision.

Obviously I like QuickBooks a lot. Its simplicity makes it a viable option for most users, and I am sure it would work for you as well. From your question I am not sure how you will use the software from an operational standpoint, but QuickBooks gives you a lot of flexibility so I am sure it would allow you to meet your objectives. However, before you jump into it I would recommend that you get the free trial version and play with it for a week or so. (You can order a free trial, or download it by clicking here). I would also recommend that if you choose to go with QuickBooks that you have a professional, or at least someone who is familiar with the software help you set it up. For example someone with knowledge of your needs and the software could help you decide if you would be better off to set up employees as venders. It could make a difference depending on the reports you want to run.