Microsoft Corp. Accounting and finance

The Bottom Line: Once again, we don't find this upgrade necessary, although some might come to rely upon the new Insights views of finances, and uber-organized users can link transactions to images of checks and receipts.

Specs: 1 PC, Complete package, 300 MHz, 1 GHz, CD-ROM, SVGA monitor, Internet connection, 300 MHz, 1 GHz, Windows

The Bottom Line: Once again, we don't find this upgrade necessary, although some might come to rely upon the new Insights views of finances, and uber-organized users can link transactions to images of checks and receipts.

Specs: 1 PC, Complete package, 300 MHz, 1 GHz, CD-ROM, SVGA monitor, Internet connection, 300 MHz, 1 GHz, Windows

The Bottom Line: If you work with Microsoft Outlook on a daily basis, this upgrade can make scheduling simpler and e-mailing more interesting. Still, we wish Instant Search and e-mail rendering were better.

Specs: 1 PC, Complete package, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP SP2 or later, 500 MHz, CD-ROM, 500 MHz, Windows, Internet Explorer 6.0

The Bottom Line: Microsoft Point of Sale is an expensive yet friendly retail-management package for mom-and-pop shops. It needs to polish its file-importing skills, though.

Specs: Complete package, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 733 MHz Intel Pentium III, 733 MHz, CD-ROM, SVGA monitor, Mouse or compatible device, 733 MHz Intel Pentium III, 733 MHz, Windows, Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine (MSDE) 2000

The Bottom Line: Microsoft Office Small Business Accounting 2006 is an affordable, well-designed bookkeeper that's a solid choice for users of Microsoft Office.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows 2000 SP3, Microsoft Windows XP or later, Intel Pentium III 450 MHz, 450 MHz, CD-ROM, SVGA monitor, Intel Pentium III 450 MHz, 450 MHz, Windows

The Bottom Line: Microsoft Works Suite 2004 delivers quality productivity apps for families, but there's not enough new this year to make Suite 2003 users switch.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows XP or later, Microsoft Windows 2000 SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, 500 MHz, 4x CD-ROM, Sound card, SVGA monitor, Mouse or compatible device, 500 MHz, Windows

The Bottom Line: Works Suite 2003 is a true bargain. It's the best at-home or at-school productivity suite--as long as you can do without Excel and PowerPoint--and it costs half as much as Office XP.

Specs: 1 user, Complete package, Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2 or later, 1050 MB, Intel Pentium 300 MHz, 96 MB, 4x CD-ROM, SVGA monitor, Mouse or compatible device, Intel Pentium, 300 MHz, Windows

Specs: 3 PC in one household, Complete package, Microsoft Windows XP SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP1 or later, 500 MHz, CD-ROM, SVGA monitor, 500 MHz, Windows, Internet Explorer 6.0