Conservative Choice for Linux Accounting Software?

mikosullivan asks: "I'm a programmer for the Roanoke Rescue Mission in Roanoke, VA. The mission provides meals, shelter, and other help to the homeless. We're looking at upgrading the mission's information systems to a Linux-based network, from server to desktop. One of the major wrinkles in our plans is finding a good accounting system for Linux. My manager strongly feels (and I sympathize) that they should stick to accounting software that is already used by established accounting firms. There are certainly a plethora of Linux and open source accounting packages out there, but she wants to stay away from the bleeding edge, at least for accounting. She wants a tried-and-true, established, conservative choice for accounting software. What accounting software for Linux is most accepted and established in the marble and wood-paneled world of conservative bean counters? It doesn't have to be open source, but cost is a major issue, and open source is, of course, preferred."

Comments

I want

[finkployd]

I want the ability to link up to my bank, credit card companies, morgage companies, retirement fund, etc. and download the latest data like I can with Quicken. This is the only reason I keep windows (and quicken) around, and it is hard to live without once you get used to it. Gnucash is quite nice, but until it can do that, it is ultimatly not much more than a spreadsheet all set up for financial data.

Unfortunatly, there isn't a simple programming solution for this, it requires partnerships with all of these financial institutions. That is something I imagine would be difficult for an open source project.

Finkployd

Re:Not applicable to /.

[bwatt]

Er, I might point out that it is when you don't have buckets of cash, that you should be most concerned with tracking how much you have and what you spend it on...

[Gak! That sounds highly responsible, no?]

Why I don't like Quicken

[vegetablespork]

Even if Intuit released a version of Quicken for Linux today, I wouldn't use it.

Strike 1: Intuit charges me for the software--then has the audacity to attempt to force me to give up personal information to use it (astalavista.box.sk to the rescue again).

Strike 2: Intuit spams me with sales pitches based on information entered into the program. I already paid once, thank you.

Strike 3: Using the online services requires me to go through Intuit as an intermediary, rather than keeping the relationship only between me and my financial institution. Given their proven propensity to bother me with ads, I don't exactly trust them with my financial details.

Yer out!

Quicken and clones thereof are for home use.

[Old.UNIX.Nut]

Small business and organizations with a need for accounting will not get by with the "designed for home use" accounting packages. If this were not the case then the Quicken people would not have also created Quickbooks for business people.
Based on my experience with small business people this individual needs a package for Linux that approximates the functionality of PeachTree Accounting (or a competing product with similar functionality).
Since all of my customers with accounting needs are married to Windows I cannot recommend a package for Linux, but a Quicken replacement will NOT do the trick.
The only package for Linux I've seen that looks like it might have the right stuff is SQL-Ledger http://www.sql-ledger.com/features.html, but I cannot recommend something I've never tried.
More details from the person asking about this might help get a recommendation based on required functionality.

I know I'm going to get flamed for this....

[HotNeedleOfInquiry]

But what you're asking for is a nearly perfect application for Win98se/Win2000 and Peachtree. Peachtree is robust, Win98 works and nobody other than the slashdot and Apple crowds would find fault with your decision. We've used Peachtree for years and it works just fine. *ANY* accountant or auditor would have no problem reading it's reports or dealing with it's methods. It's nicely extensible, moving from a single-user setup to a peer-to-peer network with zero complications. If you need to use open source for political reasons, I can't help you. If you want the best return on investment for your group, I would seriously consider the above system.