We see and hear about it all the time - a Mac based business is running a virtual PC(s)s to maintain their old accounting system.  A business owner or company has made the commitment to become PC free but there is one major part holding them back - their accounting software.  These scenarios typically fall into three categories:

1. Running a stand alone PC with old accounting software
2. Running Virtual PC within Mac OS for a single user to maintain the old accounting software
3. Networked Mac OS computers with Virtual PC installed to maintain the old accounting software for multiple users.  (IT can cringe at this one)

Running a virtual PC with products like Parallels™ and VMware™ can be very cumbersome when trying to maintain mission critical information that revolves around accounting.  It is quite common for us to encounter a business using a virtual PC to maintain Quickbooks™ or Sage 50™ (formerly Simply Accounting™).   In most cases this is not by choice by rather that they just don't know what they can do to switch.

Aside from having to continue to run a PC when it is not needed, consider the cost of the following:

1. Virtual PC Software  (Parallels™ and VMware™)
2. Licensed copy of Windows™
3. Licensed copy of Quickbooks™ or Sage 50™ (formerly Simply Accounting™)
4. Anti Virus Software.  I think most would agree that running a PC without is extremely high risk
5. Additional Mac hardware upgrades to run a virtual PC comfortably.  For example, additional memory may be required to run adequately. 

If you add up the cost of these five items, you are basically doubling the cost of each workstation that uses the accounting system with a PC Virtual Machine.

We work with three products that are all viable replacements and run in native Mac OS:

• Accountedge™ for the small business.  Includes integrated payroll.
• Connected Accounting & ERP™ for small to mid sized business.
• CheckMark™ Payroll.  Stand alone Mac payroll.