Customer Reviews

FirstEdge for Mac - Small Business Management and Accounting

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I was excited to install First Edge on my MAC and get busy setting up the accounting for my small graphic design business. The install went without a hitch. MYOB includes a lot of information about accounting in the box and after reading it all, I think I finally understand what double-entry bookkeeping is all about. Definately a plus.

The program provides most everything you need for a small business if you can figure out the somewhat weird interface you are presented with. Could stand improvement.

The biggest drawback to this product is the complete lack of tech support that ships with it. You get NO!!! support without paying [money]. I could not get it to link with my mail program to send email invoices and when I called, I was told I would have to spend [money] to sign up for 90 days of tech support. That [essentially raises] the cost of the program.

I am sorry I bought it. I have never purchased a piece of software where the manufacturer provided no help initially.

After having given up on QuickBooks Pro 2006 for the Mac because I found the product dangerously unstable and Tech Support seriously flawed, I switched to MYOB FirstEdge.

It was a good decision. The program is simple, stable and gets the job done. Setup was easy and while it lacks some of the features of a higher-end package, it is everything I need to run my professional practice.

I did buy a simple service plan--3 months--just in case I encountered a problem. During setup I did have one question. My call to Tech Support took ten minutes. The phone was answered quickly, the staffer was knowledgeable and polite and quickly resolved my issue. Similar calls to QuickBooks paid Tech Support took hours and the people at the end seemed to know less about the program than I did.

All-in-all I am very pleased with this program. All accounting software is somewhat complicated but this one is pretty clear and intuitive.

Read all the reviews - was a little skeptical but bought it anyway because MYOB is highly recommended by other Mac users - especially the Mac specialists and Apple retail consultants. MYOB's been developing for the Mac longer than anyone else including Quicken.

The interface has a diagram at each point in the product so I know what I can do in each section. Also the install and set-up is easy. The overall product was easy to use - did not have to call technical support - the online help system worked for me - plus there's a guide in the box. After a couple of sales invoices I was able to get the hang of it - and everythings linked - all my customer information gets saved including payments and deposits.

For the money spent on my business accounting - this was a good low cost investment to get me over the basics. Definitely better than trying to use a larger product like Quickbooks - which was way more than I needed or continuing to use Excel. I say give yourself at least 20 days of actually using the product before deciding whether or not its working. MYOB takes the product back within 30 days so there's no risk.

I'm a little confused by some of the negative reviews. MYOB offers a trial download. You can sample it to see if it provides what you're after.

FirstEdge is fairly simple, but provides the basics required for a very small business. It's worked well for my simple needs and does what it claims to do. Check the feature list and make sure you're covered.

This product is probably OK for its target market, but could stand some improvements. I use it almost every day for bookkeeping purposes for both my small businesses (web design and book publishing).

HOWEVER, I was infuriated that there was NO tech support for this program. Instead I was told I had to PURCHASE tech support, and this would have cost me half as much again as I had paid for the program.

MYOB should charge a higher price for the product, instead of deceiving people into buying something that definitely needs tech support--at least for the first couple of weeks--and then trying to force them to pay extra for support.

I didn't pay for the support, and have made it thus far (about six months). I am planning to upgrade to either QuickBooks or MYOB AccountEdge at the end of this year.

I wish that I had paid more attention to the critical reviews above. Instead, I thought a Mac product had to be good. Unfortunately, though it advertises great things, one can't even save changed versions of the forms it provides. There is no call in number for initial free tech support. The email advice their tech support people sent me failed to solve the problem. I am sorely disappointed and ready to return the product to Amazon, which sold it to me.

I have a very early version of MYOB for the Mac from the early 1990s. It worked very well once I learned its intricacies, which took some time. However I did not keep up with the new versions and now I can't use it at all with an Intel Mac so am looking into upgrading. The reviews presently are from 2005. Doesn't anyone have anything to say about it in 2009? I'm a photographer and educator, one man band, so a simple program is what I want. Quickbooks? Quicken? MYOB?

I purchased First edge last year right after I bought my new I Mac. Love my Mac hate this software program! I agree with the other reviewers, no tech support whatsoever! I had use Quickbboks on my old PC but never could figure this thing out so I returned it! I wonder how much business MYOB has lost due to the no tech support rule. They could use a crash course in customer service. Will never purchase any products from this company again unless they change their policies!
Marcus Allison

I have used this product for 3 years now and it has been great for me. I just need simple accounting software. Today I have found a major problem. I want to print a profit and Loss statement for this year, 2007. For some reason in reports it won't change the year to the current one and won't let you do it either. What do I do? Buy the new version or change software? I'm frustrated with this software right now.

Do not, I repeat, do not buy this program unless you love being frustrated at every turn. This program has screwed up my bookkeeping so badly - thanks to it's trial versions" that I am simply going to start over with Quicken. I now can't even access the program - the program I PURCHASED - and it will cost me a minimum of $40 ($4 per minute, $40 minimum) to talk to a tech support person. What a rip off. Bye-bye first edge, hello quicken.