Amazon.com Amazon.com Review (ISBN 0201699648, Paperback)

Quicken 2000 for Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide does an excellent job of introducing the newcomer to computerized financial record-keeping for individuals. If you're thinking about making the leap from paper check registers and scattered credit card statements, this book can help you convert your records to digital form and develop a better picture of where you stand in terms of what you have, what you owe, and what you expect to happen in the future. This book is best for people who don't expect to strain Quicken's accounting capabilities. Its documentation of the program's mechanisms for tracking checking account transactions, loans, and credit card balances is very good, but investment coverage falls somewhat short of the mark. (There's nothing about recording the details of a stock split, for example.)

Still, the Visual QuickStart style works well as a tool for introducing novices to something potentially confusing with a minimum of pain. Small screen shots appear next to the column of text containing the steps to follow; you just need to glance back and forth to see how your computer's display should look as you progress. If you run Quicken 2000 on a Mac and want a gentle introduction to its essentials, this book has your number. --David Wall

Topics covered: Elementary and intermediate aspects of Quicken 2000 for the Macintosh, including accounts, categories, transactions, registers, and reports. There's also coverage of balancing an account, working with Quicken's Internet features, and managing loans and investments.