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Microsoft woos accountants

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19th Nov 2007
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Following the launch last week of Microsoft Office Accounting 2008 in the UK, the company has set its sights on the accounting profession.

Membership of the new Microsoft Professional Accountants’ Network (MPAN) is now open, and the good news is that it’s free and provides accountants with some valuable incentives to start using and recommending the new accounts software:

  • Free unlimited support until September 2009, which will help firms get to grips with the new software, plus
  • a complimentary license of Microsoft Office Accounting Professional 2008, plus
  • a complimentary license of Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2007

Eventually there will be a register of certified MPAN members accessible from within the accounts software to connect users with experienced advisers. Membership is expected to require passing a Microsoft certified examination, details of which have yet to be announced.

The inclusion of a free copy of Office 2007 enables accountants to experience the integration of the new accounts software with the latest version of Office. The clue as to where Microsoft is going with the new software is in the name: Office Accounting. It is the first specialist addition to the Office stable aimed squarely at small businesses. The accounts software may be free, but if Microsoft can sell a few more copies of Office the overall result is going to be highly profitable for them!

Microsoft seems to have got the message as to the importance of accountants for small businesses when it states “Our goal is to help you grow your practice and reinforce your role as a trusted advisor to your clients.” Accountants now need to be persuaded to promote the new software.

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By User deleted
20th Nov 2007 06:50

Free to gain market presence but ......
Free is relative - look at the M$ approach for other software

MPAN (Accountants Club) Membership may initially be free but what about their certification costs http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcpexams/register/default.mspx

The sting in the tail is that every time M$ release a new version of the software such as Office you need to become certified for the new product and it becomes a never ending cycle

Furthermore if the M$ approach with previous software is a guide, in a year or so they will start setting standards on how the profession should operate - 'The M$ accountants best practice guide'

Guess the question needs to be 'what is the M$ agenda?' and in this respect history tells a story http://www.theregister.co.uk/1999/01/05/why_microsoft_wanted_to_buy/ The disappointing thing about this episode is that because of M$ predatory nature it probably induced Intuit to eventually dump an excellent program like Quicken so that they could concentrate on meeting M$ head on - unfortunately the only looser with the M$ antics is the user because a good little program was withdrawn

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By djcoulter
21st Nov 2007 14:32

Too Soon!
It does not appear that this is ready for the UK as the registration pages don't give "United Kingdom" as an option.

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By adrianking
22nd Nov 2007 10:09

US version is setup differently
The US version may not include MS Office free - but for an annual sub of $299 you receive a 10-user version of both MS Office and MS Accounts.

Seems like quite a good deal if they offer something similar over here, but meanwhile there can be no complains having one version for free

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Nigel Harris
By Nigel Harris
21st Nov 2007 22:41

Try again - but don't hang aroung
I think you must have found your way onto the US site by mistake, Deborah. Try the link above again, it certainly worked for me - I downloaded my free software at the weekend and have been happily using my free copy of MS Office 2007 ever since!

I don't know what happened when the software launched in the US, but I see that membership of the MPAN there currently doesn't include a free copy of Office, so this may be a limited offer. I recommend that you get yours now while stocks last!

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By Tim Robinson
22nd Nov 2007 16:47

I think Microsoft may have chosen their moment well...

As someone who has recommended Sage for the last 15 years I doubt that I will continue to do so. I am fed up with an annual 'upgrade' which makes Sage's accounting program less and less user friendly so I will definitely consider the MS offering, along with others. And you can't ignore any MS product.

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Stephen Quay
By squay
24th Nov 2007 11:21

MS Office Downloads
worked fine and were free. My first glance at the accounting package made me think I'll stay with TAS as I'm an Accountants' Club Member and have used TAS for 13 years. MS Accounts appears to try and be all things to all people and clicking on payroll required an optional upgrade.

The MS Office Small business Edition 2007 is a welcome upgrade to my old Office 2000. I use all of Digita's applications and they integrate with MS Office nicely.

Thanks MS and thanks to our West Country Practitioner who first alerted me to this freeby.

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By User deleted
26th Nov 2007 12:04

Free copy of MS Office 2007
This is quite interesting. So the question here is what is stopping one from acquiring a Licenced Free copy of one MS Small Business Office 2007 and MS Office Accounting 2008 after become a member and then dropping out later if it does not seem to be relevant?
Hopefully, the software applications should not stop working after one drops out from the membership?

Any comments/observations?

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By AnonymousUser
27th Nov 2007 11:36

Jerry
I suspect that the terms and conditions that you will be required to sign will say that the license is valid only whilst you are a member of the MPAN.

The software will still be on your machine and working but will in effect be illegal.

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