Microsoft ceases to distribute Microsoft Office Accounting.

In a sudden announcement Microsoft has decided to discontinue its Microsoft Office Small Business Accounting product. Microsoft has only given SMEs six weeks' notice for the payroll and integrated banking modules to cease working.

However BITS believes there is no need to panic unless you are using the payroll module or the integrated banking. And even in those circumstances you could run the payroll outside of the accounting package.

Although Microsoft is transferring support to Mamut software there may be implications for businesses requiring product enhancements, for example to keep up to date with legislative changes. Businesses affected by this would need to switch software.

At the time of writing other software providers were stepping in to help “stranded” Microsoft customers. Sage are offering a 25% discount and Kashflow are offering to migrate data to their system free of charge along with a 60-day free trial.