Microsoft Office Accounting Express

In many ways Microsoft Office Accounting Express could be the ideal package for a small business looking for a complete accounting system. Firstly it's free for the first 6 months and secondly as it's part of the Office Accounting range of software produced by Microsoft, if your accouting requirements grow you can always upgrade to the full version of the package.

Even though it's free, the Express version includes most functions a small business will need. All the basics are included such as producing invoices, quotes and credit memos as well as recording cash sales.

Additional features include built-in integration with Paypal as well as other online services such as Ebay and Equifax making e-commerce much easier for small businesses.

To get you started, Accounting Express can even import data from QuickBooks as well as Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Money.

There are some downsides to using Microsoft Office Accounting Express however. For one thing there's over 300Mb to download to get an installable version and, perhaps predictably, you do need to have other, non-free Microsoft software to use Express, e.g. you have to purchase the 2007 versions of Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel and extras such as Business Contact Manager.

All in all, Microsoft Office Accounting Express is definitely worth looking at if you are a small business with 1 or 2 employees looking for a low-cost accounting software solution.