Among the latest features in Microsoft Money Plus is enhanced background banking which makes using a Live ID. Passport has been discontinued.
Microsoft Money Standard and Essentials
Microsoft phased out Money Standard in 2007 and Microsoft Money Essentials, now the most basic Microsoft Money version, does not import Microsoft Money data. This leaves Microsoft Money Standard users with the alternative of upgrading to Microsoft Money Plus Deluxe, or entering transactions manually and losing some of the Internet-driven features in Money Standard.Microsoft Money Plus Insights
Microsoft Money Plus Deluxe, Premium and Home and Business include the new Insights feature. Insights are visual financial reports pulled from Microsoft Money and presented in the Windows task bar. The benefit of Microsoft Money Plus Insights is that you need not open Microsoft Money Plus to be alerted to when you are close to budgeted spending limits, when bills are coming due or to get a quick look at account balances.Microsoft Money Plus includes Cash Flow Insights, Spending Insights and Bills Insights.
Image Linking in Microsoft Money Plus
Another new feature in Microsoft Money Plus Deluxe, Premium and Home and Business is the ability to link image files and other file types to transactions. This is useful for documenting expenses entered into an account register with a scanned or copied and saved image. For example, if you pick up the tab for a business lunch, you can scan the receipt, save the digital image and link to that image file from the transaction in Microsoft Money Plus. Many files types can be linked to Microsoft Money Plus transactions because Money does not actually execute the linked file (it opens with its associated software application).
Microsoft Money Plus Investing Tools
Microsoft Money Plus Premium and Home & Business includes some new investment tools:
- Morningstar ratings in MSN Money ETF center
- Participate in stock ratings with Motley Fool CAPS
- Track U.S. world markets, currencies and more MSN Money Market Dashboard
- Daily Top 10 StockScouter stock ratings
Microsoft Money Plus Performance
I had no problems with Microsoft Money Plus performance as long as I had the browser settings (Tools >> Settings >> Browser Settings) set to browse the Internet from within Money Plus. Your experience with Microsoft Money Plus performance will depend on what processes are running at the same time, your video card and RAM.Microsoft Money Plus system requirements call for a minimum of 1 GB of RAM and 32 MB of graphics memory. Money will run very slowly on this set up. Advertisements are liberally sprinkled throughout Money Plus, which may contribute to slow response times for PCs that are only running minimal required resources.
To Buy or Not to Buy Microsoft Money Plus
Microsoft Money Plus Pros- Bills Insights
- Image file links
- Free trial
- StockScouter
- Customizable home page
- Multiple currencies
- Clicking on some features brings up a web site with financial news rather tools to analyze finances
- Too many advertisements
Microsoft Money vs. Other Personal Finance Software
Compared to the competition, primarily Quicken desktop personal finance software, Microsoft Money offers a 60-day free trial and a lower price. Money is not quite as elegant as Quicken, but it provides essentially the same personal finance tools. There are also many online personal finance management options now available.
Microsoft Money Plus Versions
Microsoft Money Essentials: For those who have not previously used financial software. Does not include new Money Plus features.Learn more about Microsoft Money Essentials
$19.99 annually
Microsoft Money Plus Deluxe: Fully featured personal finance software. Does not include capital gains and investment-related tax tools.
Learn more about Microsoft Money Plus Deluxe
$49.99 retail
Microsoft Money Plus Premium: All Deluxe version features including capital gains and investment-related tax tools, and free offers for products like H & R Block Deduction Pro, Carbonite Online Backup and more.
Learn more about Microsoft Money Plus Premium
$79.99 retail
Microsoft Money Plus Home & Business: All Premium version features and small business features like invoicing, estimates and Schedule C reporting.
Learn more about Microsoft Money Plus Home & Business
$89.99 retail
