Interface Improvements Central to Money 2005

The latest release of Money, Microsoft’s personal finance software, is an incremental upgrade with an improved interface for easier setup and routine use of the product. However, bugs are creating havoc for users upgrading from earlier versions, particularly those who synchronize Money data with the online MSN Money service and use MSN Money’s bill-pay feature.

Streamlined User Interface

Personal finance software has become a two-horse race between Money and market-share leader Intuit Quicken, and since 2000 Microsoft has been jockeying for better position with a yearly release cycle designed to keep it competitive with new releases of Quicken. The latest in the series, Money 2005, does not contain any significant innovations or radical departures from Money 2004; most changes are modest, mainly target ease of use, and are aimed at winning converts from Quicken rather than enticing Money users to upgrade.

Money 2005 delivers some user interface improvements. Many screens, such as account registers, budgets, bills, and reports, now default to simpler “essential” views, although power users have advanced view options that show more detail. Money 2005 also makes initial account setup easier and more incremental, which allows new users to get up and running quickly and then add more details later.