Professional Accountants Network Launched

A new partner program, called the Professional Accountants Network, will build market buzz for Microsoft’s forthcoming Small Business Accounting (SBA) product. Microsoft has also announced tentative pricing for a stand-alone product and how SBA will be bundled, but not priced, when included as part of Office.

Aimed at small businesses that need a minimum of professional help or customization in setting up their books, SBA bears a strong resemblance to other Office products and guides users through many common financial scenarios. However, the purchase of financial management software for a small business is often heavily influenced by the company’s accountant, who typically provides basic advice and uses the customer’s accounting data to prepare tax returns. In an effort to court accounting professionals, Microsoft has created a special partner program to reach these influential partners.

Program Details

Available today, even though SBA itself will not ship until Sept. 2005, the Microsoft Professional Accountants Network (MPAN) is part of Microsoft’s larger Microsoft Partner Program and offers various accounting-related benefits, including the following: