Business on a Mac: Accounting Software Just Isn’t For PCs

We all know that you can create pretty photo albums, compelling home movies and energetic music playlists quite easily — and quite impressively — on a Mac.

But Apple’s iMac desktop or MacBook laptop is also a great business computer with plenty of business tools at a user’s disposal. And while accounting software has traditionally gone hand-in-hand with Windows-based computers, the Mac can just easily handle — if not better — your day-to-day accounting tasks like a champ.

Here are a few accounting software options that have dedicated versions for Mac users:

–QuickBooks 2014

One of the more popular options for accounting is QuickBooks. Like past versions, QuickBooks 2014 lets you create invoices, track sales, bill for time and expenses, and most importantly for Mac users, integrates with iCloud, iCal, and your address book and contacts.

The 2014 version of the software adds some much-needed customization options. Now users can create shortcuts for certain tasks, customize customer profiles in a dedicated module, and run reports that identify top sales performers, for either employees or vendors.

The 2014 version also improved the ability to adjust sales tax paid to accounts, including sales tax paid from credit card accounts.

–Xero

If you’re tired of getting lost in the mess of Excel files and never-ending spreadsheets, Xero’s product follows the Mac mantra: It just works.

The Mac accounting software is completely cloud-based, meaning it’s available anytime you’re online from any device with an Internet connection. With today’s smartphones in our pockets, that means being able to check your accounts from anywhere in the world.

If you’re looking to switch to Xero, you’ll be happy to know there are no setup fees or contracts. You can have unlimited customers with unlimited customer support, and all updates are free and download automatically.

Like anything that operates in the cloud, the idea of losing data can be scary. But Xero uses automatic backups for safety and security.

While Xero offers similar features to its competitors, the idea of being able to sit down and actually enjoy what you’re looking at and using is certainly present. It’s as easy to use as Apple’s iLife suite, and also as attractive looking. Finally, users won’t mind opening up their business software.

–Side Job Track

This is a completely web-based product, meaning you could use it on your Mac, or on a Windows PC. As long as there is an Internet browser, you can access your accounts via Side Job.

While geared toward the smaller kinds of small businesses, Side Job lets you track job progress, invoicing, reporting and various project management tasks.

Oh, and another bonus: It’s a free service. Of course, there are more premium features built in that you can pay for, but if you’re an independent contractor, and just want to make sure everything’s adding up, you can’t go wrong with Side Job.

–Freshbooks

Like Side Job, Freshbooks is also web-based. Unlike Side Job, it can cost up to $39 per month.

But it’s a little bit more user friendly, includes an iPhone app and the dashboard widget is really easy to use, according to its users.

All the basic functions are there: creating invoices, managing contractors, tracking expenses and tracking time.

Got the idea? Now get to work.