Microsoft has launched a new set of accounting tools as a free download.

Aimed squarely at home businesses and start ups - particularly those who deal on the Internet - the software not only provides the basic functions of sending invoices and receiving payments electronically, but also acts as a hub to a wide variety of other business services. Microsoft says it can integrate fully with eBay and PayPal and so allows businesses to list and sell merchandise, track inventory and accept payments.

Surrounding the product, Microsoft is also offering a number of third-party integrated premium online services such as processing payroll through ADP, running credit reports from Equifax, and sharing financial

A more advanced version, known as Office Accounting Professional, will be available in retail stores for an estimated retail price of $149 in the US at the beginning of 2007. The Professional version will offer a business dashboard, cash flow management tool, purchase and sales orders, job costing, and a wider range of financial reports. At the time of writing we were unable to confirm whether the retail product would be available in the UK.

Posted: 11|1|06 at 7:33 am. Filed under: Auction News.