Entered CNET Catalog: 08/05/2005
SKU: 294949
Manufacturer: Intuit Inc.
Manufacturer description
Plan, save and control your finances with Quicken Deluxe 2006. Quicken lets you see your finances your way, instantly, so it's easier to budget, pay bills, track your investments and maximize tax deductions - so you can find more ways to save.User opinions
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User Rating: 
1/10
Greate except for the built in TIMEBOMB
Pros: Good personal financial package.
Cons: Time Bomb requires you to purchase unneeded upgrade or loose ability to communicate with linked accounts at bank and other financial institutions--the principle reason for using quicken in the first place.
Review:
I will be happy to join a class action suit against Intuit for including UNDISCLOSED time bomb in Quicken. When I hear of such a suit I will join immediately.
User Rating: 1/10
One of the worst programs I've ever used
Pros: Can download bank/credit card statements
Cons: Unable to restore backups, requires repurchase every 3 years, multiple user interface errors
Review:
The only part of this program I found very useful was the ability to download bank statements and credit card statements and automatically enter them into the program.
Multiple downsides to the program include,
1. Unable to restore backups - I was very careful to keep backup files in case my computer crashed (which it did when the hard drive failed). Despite this, I was unable to restore from two different backups and consequently all of my financial files are lost.
2. Quicken requires a repurchase every 3 years by declaring the prior versions "unsupported". By "unsupported" they mean that they're turning off the ability to download bank/credit card statements - the one bright side of using this program. Anticipate having to shell out $50-60 every three years to use this program. This sort of thing should be made apparent to the user up front but it is not... what happens is that after three years, a window pops up informing you that you have 2 months to buy a new version.
3. The user interface is very non-intuitive and the Help files are quite skimpy. It took me a very long time to learn how to do some basic things with this program.
4. Once Quicken gets hold of your address (e.g. when you are forced to pay to download a more recent version), they will send junk mail to your address to push their various other products.
Ordinarily, I've found the CNET editors to be very good at assessing software so I'm quite puzzled as to how they could have assigned such a good rating to this junk. I suspect that maybe they hadn't used it very much; almost all of the shortcomings become quite glaring after about 6 months of use.
I haven't explored any of the alternatives yet but now that I've been unable to restore my backups (despite a couple of hours of trying), I haven't got any reason to stay with Quicken... I'll be looking around for a replacement soon!
Multiple downsides to the program include,
1. Unable to restore backups - I was very careful to keep backup files in case my computer crashed (which it did when the hard drive failed). Despite this, I was unable to restore from two different backups and consequently all of my financial files are lost.
2. Quicken requires a repurchase every 3 years by declaring the prior versions "unsupported". By "unsupported" they mean that they're turning off the ability to download bank/credit card statements - the one bright side of using this program. Anticipate having to shell out $50-60 every three years to use this program. This sort of thing should be made apparent to the user up front but it is not... what happens is that after three years, a window pops up informing you that you have 2 months to buy a new version.
3. The user interface is very non-intuitive and the Help files are quite skimpy. It took me a very long time to learn how to do some basic things with this program.
4. Once Quicken gets hold of your address (e.g. when you are forced to pay to download a more recent version), they will send junk mail to your address to push their various other products.
Ordinarily, I've found the CNET editors to be very good at assessing software so I'm quite puzzled as to how they could have assigned such a good rating to this junk. I suspect that maybe they hadn't used it very much; almost all of the shortcomings become quite glaring after about 6 months of use.
I haven't explored any of the alternatives yet but now that I've been unable to restore my backups (despite a couple of hours of trying), I haven't got any reason to stay with Quicken... I'll be looking around for a replacement soon!
User Rating: 
9/10
excellent upgrade for me - no issues
Pros: lots of guidance and help text if needed
Cons: many bells and whistles...keep it simple (initially) during your setup
Review:
I purchased QUICKEN 2006 Deluxe yesterday.
Definitely a good move from my previous 2003 Basic version.
I read several negative reviews ( ie -- CNET review ) and was reluctant to make the upgrade to 2006 Deluxe. Frankly, I didn't experience any issues... or frustration during the set-up process.
I manage several family investment accounts and was amazed at how smooth the financial downloads became. It is important to read and understand all options during the setup process however. I did make a few ( operator error ) mistakes along the way... but quiclky resolved the issues without any assist from QUICKEN or any of my financial institiutions.
Excellent product.....and a good value
( or maybe I was just lucky ??)
wwrr-trainman
Definitely a good move from my previous 2003 Basic version.
I read several negative reviews ( ie -- CNET review ) and was reluctant to make the upgrade to 2006 Deluxe. Frankly, I didn't experience any issues... or frustration during the set-up process.
I manage several family investment accounts and was amazed at how smooth the financial downloads became. It is important to read and understand all options during the setup process however. I did make a few ( operator error ) mistakes along the way... but quiclky resolved the issues without any assist from QUICKEN or any of my financial institiutions.
Excellent product.....and a good value
( or maybe I was just lucky ??)
wwrr-trainman
User Rating: 1/10
Use pen and paper instead
Pros: Er, it comes in a nice box
Cons: Too many to count
Review:
Save your money and go back to pen and paper to balance your accounts. I upgraded from Money '03 and was excited to dis the "evil empire."
What a disappointment. Windows pop up and don't resize. Strange "placeholder" transactions show up when I try and download my retirement information. Transactions are duplicated for unknown reasons.
I used to balance my books regularly, every month (yeah, I'm a little OCD like that). This program is such a pain that I have five months worth of receipts and statements stacked on my desk. I can't bear the hours of trying to figure out how to make this thing work. At this point, I'm just wanting for the Empire to put out a new version of Money.
What a disappointment. Windows pop up and don't resize. Strange "placeholder" transactions show up when I try and download my retirement information. Transactions are duplicated for unknown reasons.
I used to balance my books regularly, every month (yeah, I'm a little OCD like that). This program is such a pain that I have five months worth of receipts and statements stacked on my desk. I can't bear the hours of trying to figure out how to make this thing work. At this point, I'm just wanting for the Empire to put out a new version of Money.
User Rating: 1/10
Junkie Scam in a box!
Pros: good advertising
Cons: Time bomb included
Review:
Three years from now, Intuit will download an "update" to your software that will make it stop working. The "fix" is to buy a new version. After a little longer, they won't even let you access your data.
Repudiate these greedy dogs. Don't buy this software and dump Turbotax too.
Repudiate these greedy dogs. Don't buy this software and dump Turbotax too.
User Rating: 1/10
Awful Changes
Pros: I am used to quicken 10 years plus
Cons: Will NOT import QIF files anymore!!!
Review:
The new version will no longer import QIFs for bank accounts. Quicken suggests
- Change banks
- Sent hate mail to your bank
This is Pathetic. I think I will change programs (MS Money) instead of changing banks!!!!
- Change banks
- Sent hate mail to your bank
This is Pathetic. I think I will change programs (MS Money) instead of changing banks!!!!
User Rating: 
2/10
Only getting worse
Pros: none over older versions
Cons: cannot download from most checking or savings acounts
Review:
I have been using quicken for many years. The most recent versions have been more than disappointing. Quicken makes you use an automatic download function in 05 and 06 versionss for your bank account. They also make the banks pay for this so most smaller banks cannot afford it. So, I cannot use these versions and have to stay with 2004. Intuit is a greedy company with almost no customer service available unless you want to pay more than what the software costs.
User Rating: 1/10
Alternatives to Quicken and MS Money
Pros: Like Microsoft,their strength is advertising,not product quality, or customer service
Cons: Gets worse every year, trying to force users to upgrade, pulling support for older products, etc...
Review:
Alternatives:
http://www.moneydance.com/
http://www.simpleplanning.com/
http://www.simplejoe.com/
http://www.felitec.com/ax.html
http://www.justapps.com/
http://www.snowmintcs.com/products/budgetmac/
http://members.aol.com/wadesoftware/products.htm
http://www.othersoft.co.za/
http://www.gnucash.org/
http://www.keepsoft.com/
http://www.homemoneymanager.com/
http://bellsouthpwp.net/c/l/clknoxjr/HomeWorks.htm
http://www.maxprog.com/iCash.html
http://jgnash.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
http://www.liquidledger.com/
http://www.empowers.com:8080/empowers/jsp/index.jsp
http://www.mjksw.com/
http://www.thezeal.com/software/manager/
http://www.moneybox.ai/
http://www.rsisoft.com/Products/money.html
http://www.mybudgetplanner.com/
http://www.myfinancialsoftware.com/
http://www.pcbcheckbal.com/
http://www.personalaccounts.co.uk/
http://www.shortcutsoft.com/personal-finance-software/
http://www.idiogensoftware.com/smartmoney/
http://www.waverlystreet.com/ezmoney.html
http://www.moneydance.com/
http://www.simpleplanning.com/
http://www.simplejoe.com/
http://www.felitec.com/ax.html
http://www.justapps.com/
http://www.snowmintcs.com/products/budgetmac/
http://members.aol.com/wadesoftware/products.htm
http://www.othersoft.co.za/
http://www.gnucash.org/
http://www.keepsoft.com/
http://www.homemoneymanager.com/
http://bellsouthpwp.net/c/l/clknoxjr/HomeWorks.htm
http://www.maxprog.com/iCash.html
http://jgnash.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
http://www.liquidledger.com/
http://www.empowers.com:8080/empowers/jsp/index.jsp
http://www.mjksw.com/
http://www.thezeal.com/software/manager/
http://www.moneybox.ai/
http://www.rsisoft.com/Products/money.html
http://www.mybudgetplanner.com/
http://www.myfinancialsoftware.com/
http://www.pcbcheckbal.com/
http://www.personalaccounts.co.uk/
http://www.shortcutsoft.com/personal-finance-software/
http://www.idiogensoftware.com/smartmoney/
http://www.waverlystreet.com/ezmoney.html
User Rating: 
3/10
Don't upgrade to Quicken 2006
Pros: None that I have found
Cons: Cannot upload bank transactions
Review:
The worst part of my experience with Quicken 2006 is that Quicken technical support was ill-prepared to help solve my problem. After spending over 8 hours trying to solve the problem, I realized that Quicken support's approach (both online and phone support) was more "shot-gunning" than problem solving. I am forced to go back to Quicken 2003 and investigate Microsoft Money if Quicken stops supporting Quiken 2003.
User Rating: 2/10
waste of money
Pros: somehow managed to get cnet to rate it 8!
Cons: not even worth a 2!
Review:
OK full disclosure: I have Quicken Deluxe 5.0. Supposedly there aren't too many differences so I decided to post here.
I've had the software for about six months now and haven't managed to fully set it up because it's just too confusing. I'm not a brain surgeon but I am an engineer. The interface is not intuitive at all. I've even tried reading the directions! But they don't offer much help.
In a nutshell, the software has too many bells and whistles that the average person--make that most people--are never going to use. And they're interconnected in the most bizzare ways and not at all in other ways. They seem to do this to justify releasing another "upgraded" version. Why can't they just make a simple, straight-forward personal finance program?
And Cnet rates MS Money as worse. I would hate to try that program. (I won't because I'm not too keen with keeping my financial records with Billy G.)
If you do go with Quicken, good luck.
I've had the software for about six months now and haven't managed to fully set it up because it's just too confusing. I'm not a brain surgeon but I am an engineer. The interface is not intuitive at all. I've even tried reading the directions! But they don't offer much help.
In a nutshell, the software has too many bells and whistles that the average person--make that most people--are never going to use. And they're interconnected in the most bizzare ways and not at all in other ways. They seem to do this to justify releasing another "upgraded" version. Why can't they just make a simple, straight-forward personal finance program?
And Cnet rates MS Money as worse. I would hate to try that program. (I won't because I'm not too keen with keeping my financial records with Billy G.)
If you do go with Quicken, good luck.
User Rating: 2/10
Very disappointing
Pros: Great if you only have a checking account
Cons: Frustrating if you own stocks
Review:
In Quicken 2003 and prior versions, I used to be able to edit investment register transactions. This was very useful when downloading information from my financial institution, since sometimes the transactions come down with the wrong type. For example, interest sometimes comes down as a generic deposit.
In Quicken 2004 we received a new "feature" that requires that all investment transactions be entered using a form, rather than through the register. This would be OK, except when editing a transaction, certain transactions can not be converted into certain other transactions, and I receive the "you have to delete this transaction and start over message". I see absolutely no reason why the Quicken program can not figure out some way to transform any investment transaction into any other. Even if only the amount is retained through the transformation.
I was sorry that I ever switched from Quicken 2003 to Quicken 2004. I had hoped that this terrible "feature" would be fixed in 2005, but it wasn't.
I was very happy to see that in Quicken 2006, the "new" feature was added to allow editing transactions in the investment register, so I purchased a copy. I was very dissapointed to find that, again, only certain transactions can be transformed into other certain transactions. This feels like a very bad joke.
I believe that someone at Intuit believes that once an investment transaction is entered, "who would ever what to change it?" This person has obviously never actually used the download transaction feature, since quite often the transactions that come down have the wrong type and have to be changed. Having the program force me to delete them and enter them over again, suggest that I should forget about the download entirely and just type them in by hand. In fact, why not just use a paper journal?
Don't buy this program if you own stocks and want to track an investment account.
In Quicken 2004 we received a new "feature" that requires that all investment transactions be entered using a form, rather than through the register. This would be OK, except when editing a transaction, certain transactions can not be converted into certain other transactions, and I receive the "you have to delete this transaction and start over message". I see absolutely no reason why the Quicken program can not figure out some way to transform any investment transaction into any other. Even if only the amount is retained through the transformation.
I was sorry that I ever switched from Quicken 2003 to Quicken 2004. I had hoped that this terrible "feature" would be fixed in 2005, but it wasn't.
I was very happy to see that in Quicken 2006, the "new" feature was added to allow editing transactions in the investment register, so I purchased a copy. I was very dissapointed to find that, again, only certain transactions can be transformed into other certain transactions. This feels like a very bad joke.
I believe that someone at Intuit believes that once an investment transaction is entered, "who would ever what to change it?" This person has obviously never actually used the download transaction feature, since quite often the transactions that come down have the wrong type and have to be changed. Having the program force me to delete them and enter them over again, suggest that I should forget about the download entirely and just type them in by hand. In fact, why not just use a paper journal?
Don't buy this program if you own stocks and want to track an investment account.
User Rating: 2/10
Stick with earlier versions or move to Money
Pros: updated interface
Cons: OFX file format
Review:
I still use Quicken 2003. Version 2004 had many bugs, and both 2005 and 2006 dropped QIF. The key sentense in this review is: "Quicken 2004 and earlier stalwarts should consider upgrading, but check first to see if your financial institution will charge you for using the new OFX file format for online banking."
User Rating: 3/10
No significant functionality changes since Quicken 2002
Pros: more reports, look & feel improved
Cons: bugs remain, no significant change in functionality
Review:
I've been a Quicken user since version 2.0 -- 1997 I think, and I use TurboTax and Quickbooks so I guess you could say I'm a bit partial to Intuit products -- that loyalty ends with this release.
While the interface is now more web-like, the product still has data integrity problems and lacks functionality improvements. The windows version does not appear to release all the memory it has used when you close it, leaving less room for running other software and making me reboot more often.
If you trade options, have a cash account with a brokerage, transfer securities or need to track investments for tax AND performance purposes, you'll have problems that have gone unrepaired for years. If you like to keep a multi-year history, you'll find the data integrity problems an issue as well.
Telephone support at $25 per incident appears to be in New Delhi, though their call center staff is better than most located overseas. Most times I have called I am told to restore a backup or rebuild a data file rather than have the problem fixed. The solution has failed more often than not, and I am forced to find workarounds.
I would have stayed with Quicken 2002 had Intuit not required an upgrade if wanted to continue to be able do download transactions from banks, credit card companies and investment firms. It felt a bit like a hostage situtation.
At one time, I could issue a one-step update where I could "call" all my online accounts and have them downloaded with a single click. While I can still do that with some accounts, most institutions make you go to their site and request a download from their site. (e.g. American Express, Bank of America Visa, US Bank Visa) A customer support rep told me this was because Intuit began charging institutions to offer this feature to their customers.
In my view, Intuit has gotten too greedy. They're spending their development efforts at making the product more visually appealing and not spending enough effort on reliability, bug fixes or functional improvements. Next time they force me to upgrade, I'll switch to a competitor's product. For now, I'll roll back to Quicken 2005.
- dmc
While the interface is now more web-like, the product still has data integrity problems and lacks functionality improvements. The windows version does not appear to release all the memory it has used when you close it, leaving less room for running other software and making me reboot more often.
If you trade options, have a cash account with a brokerage, transfer securities or need to track investments for tax AND performance purposes, you'll have problems that have gone unrepaired for years. If you like to keep a multi-year history, you'll find the data integrity problems an issue as well.
Telephone support at $25 per incident appears to be in New Delhi, though their call center staff is better than most located overseas. Most times I have called I am told to restore a backup or rebuild a data file rather than have the problem fixed. The solution has failed more often than not, and I am forced to find workarounds.
I would have stayed with Quicken 2002 had Intuit not required an upgrade if wanted to continue to be able do download transactions from banks, credit card companies and investment firms. It felt a bit like a hostage situtation.
At one time, I could issue a one-step update where I could "call" all my online accounts and have them downloaded with a single click. While I can still do that with some accounts, most institutions make you go to their site and request a download from their site. (e.g. American Express, Bank of America Visa, US Bank Visa) A customer support rep told me this was because Intuit began charging institutions to offer this feature to their customers.
In my view, Intuit has gotten too greedy. They're spending their development efforts at making the product more visually appealing and not spending enough effort on reliability, bug fixes or functional improvements. Next time they force me to upgrade, I'll switch to a competitor's product. For now, I'll roll back to Quicken 2005.
- dmc
User Rating: 1/10
Basic register function doesn't work!
Pros: Good tool for keeping track of your spending habits
Cons: Have register glitch and terrible tech support
Review:
I was excited to receive my 2006 version of Quicken (I've been using the 2001 version). I decided to not transfer my old data and start from Jan 2005 transactions on this new version of Quicken. As I started entering the transactions in the register, I realized that the ending balance changed to a wrong amount when I go to an entry I put in earlier and go back to add/modify (account, memo, etc.) even though I didn't change the $ amount. I thought it was a one time thing and tried it on a register for a different account. Same problem. Searched options, menu, help topic for any mention of this problem. No help. Finally called Quicken tech support. After spending 30 minutes explaining the problem and doing few of the things the tech support suggested without finding a solution, I was put on hold without any notice and transferred to another tech support who doesn't even handle the Quicken software I was using. I called again when I got into work and once again explained the situation to a different tech support and was told that checking the "One-line View" option under the View menu of the register would fix the problem for sure. Nope. Only thing it did was hide all my memo entries. In conclusion, although there may be fantastic features in this Quicken as the CNET review has mentioned, if the program can't do the basic function of calculating the correct register ending balance, then all the fancy schmancy functions don't mean much. Also, the tech support is too clueless to help with the problem. I've never posted a review of anything on line before but I was so upset with my experience with the tech support and dissappointed with the problem I found in my new Quicken purchase, I had to share my thoughts...
