Quicken Deluxe 2004 Packs Solid Features

Quicken Deluxe 2004 Offers Better User Interface and Investments Features

Many Quicken users are opting to use Intuit’s Quicken Deluxe 2004 rather than upgrading to Quicken Deluxe 2005. This is mainly due to the QIF file format for data import and export being phased out in the 2005 version. Quicken Deluxe 2004 offers better investment-tracking features and account setup is much easier than in past versions.

Fresh User Interface in Quicken Deluxe 2004

The user interface is cleaned up a bit in Quicken Deluxe 2004, with the usual separate task centers for Cash, Investments, Property and Debt, etc. Each center has its own customizable reports and options for analysis. Graphs and reports are much easier to read in Quicken Deluxe 2004 as well. In addition to this cleaner look, Quicken Deluxe 2004 loads faster than before.

Fast and Easy Setup

At one time new Quicken Deluxe users had to enter information from account statement, but now Quicken Deluxe 2004 new Express Setup allows users to automatically construct accounts from data downloaded from their financial institutions. If the user already has an online account with a financial institution, it’s just a matter of selecting the institution and entering the user ID and password for the account. This download in Quicken Deluxe 2004 is only limited to the total data download the institution allows. Express Setup gets new Quicken Deluxe 2004 users set up and ready to use accounts, reports and graphs in a minimal amount of time.

Express Setup also downloads the latest quotes, news, and alerts that pertaining to stocks recorded in portfolios in Quicken Deluxe 2004. This version of Quicken works with over 2,000 financial institutions, allowing more users to take advantage of these online enhancements.

Investment Enhancements in Quicken Deluxe 2004

Quicken Deluxe 2004 lets investors compare their portfolio’s average annual return against key market benchmarks such as the NASDAQ and Dow Jones Industrial Average. Another beneficial feature is that asset allocation targets can be set up to ensure that investment portfolios are properly balanced. Quicken Deluxe 2004 will also keep mutual fund investors current on Morningstar Rating changes and hidden investment fees, and will estimate after-tax performance.

Click on a brokerage account in Quicken Deluxe 2004 and instead of seeing line-by-line register you will see the redesigned view which resembles a brokerage statement. A tab in the Financial Overview Center tracks net worth by various assets, and the Investing Activity Year-To-Date Snapshot in Quicken Deluxe 2004 lists contributions and withdrawals to show whether balance increases are due to contributions or to changes in market value.

Cash accounts linked to investment accounts to hold uninvested funds are a thing of the past. These cash accounts were clumsy and added time to managing investment information. Now manage both investments and the uninvested cash related to that account in one place.

Who Should Upgrade to Quicken Deluxe 2004

If you are upgrading from Quicken Deluxe 2003 and you are looking for beefed up investments features and a program interface that’s easier on the eyes, you’ll want to upgrade. I gave Quicken Deluxe 2004 a 4 star rating instead of 5 because this version doesn’t do anything new over Quicken Deluxe 2003. However, many people would benefit from the easier data entry, cleaned up interface and faster loading of Quicken Deluxe 2004. Those who use versions prior to Quicken Deluxe 2003 will definitely want to upgrade to Quicken Deluxe 2004 or Quicken Deluxe 2005.

Both the Deluxe and Premiere versions (with even more investment tracking options and small business features) of Quicken 2004 can be found on the internet and in some stores for around $20. OEM versions of Quicken Deluxe 2004, which are legal program CD’s without the packaging, can be had for about $25.

System Requirements

Operating Systems: Microsoft Windows 95, 98, XP, 2000, and Millennium Edition
Min hard drive space 75 MB
Min processor type Intel Pentium 200 MHz
Min RAM size 32 MB
Interface devices 2x CD-ROM, SVGA monitor
Additional hardware/software required: SVGA monitor, Microsoft IE 5.5 or higher