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REVIEW

iCash

Issue: 4.4 (March/April 2006)
Author: Norman Palardy
Article Description: No description available.
Article Length (in bytes): 3,388
Starting Page Number: 9
Article Number: 4404
Related Web Link(s):

http://www.maxpro.com/

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iCash starts with a well-done icon, a set of well-done resources and a nice simple drag and drop install. The About iCash document clearly outlines requirements for using iCash and some of the basic concepts used.

The overall first impression of iCash is that it is a well-done, well-supported, and well-presented application.

Starting iCash quickly reinforces this as it generously offers to set up the default set of accounts and categories for you. It has default sets for home and office. The defaults seem quite reasonable and it quickly sets everything up once you select a default set.

iCash can handle several set ups simultaneously, a feature that can be handy so you can keep your personal and company accounting separate with a minimum of hassle.

Unfortunately, iCash doesn't let you add new account types. You can add as many categories within each type as you like though.

Adding a transaction is quick and simple. While the interface is not the Quicken Check metaphor that many other packages present, the interface it does use is simple to understand. It also adds other fields for making it simple to track income and expenses on a project by project basis if you set up the default set of business accounts.

iCash also allows you to set up a group of favorites that you can use to quickly enter a new transaction from one of these favorite templates. This is very handy.

iCash includes a scheduler for setting up repeated items (either payments or income). Setting up a repeated item also is quick and easy. You enter a transaction type, a from and to account, the repeat frequency, and a few other details, and the repeated item is set up. However, the repeated items don't seem to have a link to iCal.

iCash also has a built in contact manager that you can use. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to use the built in Address Book on OS X.

iCash includes a built in graphing module that permits you to chart various items over time. This can be quite handy for revealing trends visually.

A number of standard reports are included, and iCash permits you to preview them or print them. There are balance sheets, profit and loss statements and summaries, various tax reports, and account detail or summary reports.

Everything about iCash simply reinforces the initial view that this application is well done and performs its task as advertised.

End of article.