The new version of MYOB, AccountRight 2011, holds much promise, but we recommend holding off while all the bugs are ironed out.
The release has been much anticipated. There are many good new features, though most are long overdue. The key for us though is that the platform will enable MYOB’s move to the cloud (sort of, Xero would disagree) which will make working with it more efficient for businesses, their bookkeepers and advisers.
All that sounds great and we like it, but the release has been a shemozzle. It’s a concern that the release came with an offer (not from MYOB) to buy an upgrade manual at over 200 pages. We did study this very good manual, and unfortunately agree, it’s necessary! No wonder cloud providers talk up the benefits of their version-less software, a 200 page manual for a software upgrade is a big turnoff.
Quite apart from that, it seems the software doesn’t yet really work. Pretty soon after its release mid November, user forums, then the press, started filling with horror stories. See for example, here, and here. We’ve played with it on sample data files, but have not yet upgraded any clients. MYOB have agreed to continue supporting the current v19.6 and to release the 2012 tax tables for that version, so at this stage we’re not risking the time and effort.
Eventually we’re confident MYOB will get it right, and presumably pretty soon. The release is said to be more of a complete re-build than mere upgrade, which may account for some of the pain. We’re keeping a watch on developments, and will advise readers and clients when we think the time is right.
