Progress billing, retainer management onboard

Acclivity has released an update to its small business accounting software, launching AccountEdge 2011 today. The premier feature of the new update is integration with AccountEdge Mobile for iPad and iPhone, with the iOS apps launching alongside the update. The new iPad app is launching with the release of AccountEdge 2011 and the iPhone version will arrive shortly. The iOS apps will sync cards, items, jobs and activities, while creating quotes, orders, billing for services or time and record expenses. The iOS apps communicate with the desktop software via the online storage service Dropbox.

The 2011 release also adds a new time tracking web app for remotely adding time sheets or activity slips, supporting time billing and payroll services. The web app is currently in beta and will carry a subscription fee when it leaves beta -- the price hasn't been determined for the subscription, but it is promised to be a modest fee.

Progress billing has been added to AccountEdge 2011, allowing users to bill as individual items are completed. The billing can be done as a percentage of the total quote, per line item or individual parts of a whole.

Retainer management is new as well, for designers and attorneys who bill via retainer accounts. Features include minimum retainer balances, replenishment requests and statement printing. Other features added in the 2011 release include a new PFDF engine, sales and purchase action buttons, updated search capabilities and increased sizes for notes, email and message fields.

AccountEdge 2011 requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher, with its OfficeLink features requiring Microsoft Office 2004 or newer. It costs $300 while the new mobile app is free, though the app does require the desktop software.

by MacNN Staff