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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1877
118 MacDirectory
COMPANY PROFILE
COGNITO SYSTEMS > MAKING SURE MONEY WORKS
Although accounting may not be
everyone's favorite topic, it is necessary for
all businesses – large and small.
Consequently, using smart and cost-
effective software to get the job
completed is imperative. One reliable
company that tackles this daunting task in
an effective manner is a Canadian-based
company called Cognito Systems.
Specifically, Cognito Systems publishes a
family of business accounting software
solutions for small home offices and
medium-sized businesses with more than
20 concurrent users. First developed for
Mac in 1992 and for PC in 1998, Cognito
System's software was first introduced in
Canada in 2006 and in the United States
in 2008.
Today, MoneyWorks accounting software
solutions is used in more than 40
countries around the world.
MoneyWorks Software
Here is a brief summary of some of the
company's offerings:
Cashbook is a "Cash Based" accounting
system, and the transactions are recorded
when money is received or disbursed.
This product retails for $99.
Express is a basic "Accrual Based"
accounting solution, and the transactions
are recorded instantly. This product retails
for $279.
Gold is an advanced "Accrual" accounting
solution that is multi-user capable
(additional licenses are $179 each). Peer-
to-peer networking, cost centers,
inventory management, the pricing
matrix, departmental general ledger,
purchase orders, job costing with time
sheets are among the items covered with
this software. Specifically, the software
comes complete with powerful reporting
and analysis tools to help your company
track important company information.
This product retails for $599.
Datacentre is the company's "Server"
version of the software. This software
comes complete with three concurrent
licenses (additional users are $299 each).
By concurrent, the company means that
the application can be loaded on all the
computers (Mac or PC), but only three of
the computers can access the company's
file at any given time.
Datacentre is
unique in its price range as this software
often competes against PC applications
that cost $10,000 to $20,000. This
product retails for $1,999.
What Makes the Software Special?
The software is 100 percent cross
platform, which Robert Broadhurst from
Cognito Systems says is unique among
retail accounting software solutions.
"Other solutions can import/export across
platforms but generally the Mac version
and PC versions are different," says
Broadhurst.
Further, the software can operate in a
mixed environment with both Macs and
PCs having access to the company file.
Competing solutions with a similar feature
would be several thousand dollars and
would not be in a retail off-the-shelf
package, says Broadhurst.
Another favorable feature of this software
is that MoneyWorks operates seamlessly
with other systems. Thus, businesses do
not have to buy other items such as a
payroll package, CRM or Point of Sale.
Conversely, companies can simply use
FileMaker, Access, or other programs with
MoneyWorks.
Therefore, while the company concedes
that their software may not be as "pretty"
as competing software on the surface,
Cognito Systems asserts that it can "do it
better, easier and faster." More
specifically, the company states that it
does "basic, double entry, audit trail
accounting very well with a modern, high-
performance database engine."
Additionally, MoneyWorks is both easy to
use and sophisticated. In fact, there is a
purpose-designed powerful database
system lurking behind the clean user face.
For instance, some of the questions that
this powerful software can answer include:
What was the total margin on sales of this
product range last month? Who has not
purchased these products? Which
wholesale customers purchased this item
last year?
All in all then, if you are looking for
effective and efficient accounting
software, the MoneyWorks family of
accounting software should be seriously
considered. Visit