http://www.freep.com/tech/quick6_20000106.htm

Y2K bug zaps Quicken users

Software glitches arise in some older versions

January 6, 2000

BY HEATHER NEWMAN FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

People using the country's most popular checkbook software have been bitten by the Y2K bug.

Some Quicken program users, especially those with older versions of the software, opened a can of worms when they used their program for the first time after New Year's Eve. For some, the budget function didn't work correctly; for others, checks wouldn't print with the 2000 date. Still others couldn't bank on-line.

Ed Hansen, a retired Sterling Heights plastics engineer, popped open his Quicken 99 over the weekend only to see that the total he had budgeted for yearly income and spending had plummeted from $89,000 to $16,000.

"I went to budget and clicked on it and it dropped $70,000," he said. "I thought, 'Oh, my word, I'm in trouble.' "

A few customers, victims of a mutual fund reporting error not caused by Quicken but affecting Quicken and Microsoft Money customers, saw their fund portfolios jump to 100 times what they were actually worth.

But don't ask the company for sympathy. They've offered Y2K fixes for months over the phone and on their Web site, public relations manager Cecilia Denny said. Quicken even mailed the 2000 version free to its credit card holders.

"A lot of people didn't bother to upgrade," she said.

Michiganders using Quicken 2000 or the business version, QuickBooks 2000, reported having no problems. But Quicken 98 and 99 are showing some quirks; older versions, including those used for on-line banking, are having bigger problems.

The company has offered a free copy of Quicken Deluxe 98 for Windows or Apple computers to users of older versions, which when installed with the necessary Y2K fixes reads both 1900 and 2000 correctly. (If the program is mailed rather than downloaded, there is a $9.95 shipping charge.)

"We're actually surprised that more people haven't taken advantage of the free solution," Denny said. "We think people are probably waiting until the last minute."

Hansen said he had regularly downloaded updates for the program, so figured he was safe.

"It's frustrating. How accurate is what I have now?" he asked.

The problems and the usual January rush of people who got Quicken on their new holiday computers or who are buying Intuit's TurboTax software for 2000 jammed the company Web site and phone lines Sunday where the fixes and updates are available. Intuit's not surprised, Denny said.

"January is always the busiest month for technical support," she said.

For updates to Quicken or the QuickBooks business program, free copies of Quicken 98 and Y2K information, visit www.intuit.com/y2k or call 888-925-3335.

-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), January 06, 2000

Answers

Thanks Homer; That's my first nip from the ten thousand ducks. :)

-- Michael Erskine (Osiris@urbanna.net), January 06, 2000.

I expect Intuit is a good one to for your portfolio today.

-- Michael Erskine (Osiris@urbanna.net), January 06, 2000.

But we all know that Y2k was HYPE. Thankfully, updates exist and those who were in denial can upgrade. This will only cause headaches for many small businesses.

The new version is certified compliant, right?

Now, what about those custom apps for the big corps out there? Humm...

Mike

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-- Mike Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), January 06, 2000.

I read a thread below regarding Quicken 99 having Y2K problems. Since I used Quicken 98 up until 12/20/99(before switching to Quickbooks Pro 99) I thought I would throw in my experiences with this software.

On Jan 1 the first thing I did was verify my network was working fine, files were being dated correctly, and my Access databases were not corrupted. Then I began using the accounting tools on Monday. Reports were not run until today. These reports are both Quick Books and Excel based. The Excel And Access versions are Office 95. I have 2000 but have not installed it yet (too lazy)

All the data seems to be intact and the software is functioning properly in BOTH Quicken 98 and Quick Books Pro 99. My decision to pursue no Y2K compliance updates for either of these programs was based in part on the following press release from Intuit:

"All Quicken customers in the U.S. either already have a version that meets Intuit's Year 2000 Compliant Standard or can easily obtain one via Intuit's Year 2000 Resource Center. The most recent updated versions of Quicken for Windows (versions 98, 99 and 2000) and Macintosh (versions 98 and 2000) meet Intuit's Year 2000 Compliant Standard. Intuit is offering Quicken Deluxe 98 for Windows or Macintosh as a free Year 2000 solution to customers who have non-compliant versions of Quicken or are concerned about the Y2K compliance of older versions"

A few minutes ago I contacted my accountant who converted me to Quick Books in December. She watches over several systems, including one company doing $30m annually.

Zero Problems. In fact she was jokingly peeved that I told her she should work all day New Years Eve running backups.

The previously posted article quotes some retired plastics guy as saying he downloaded an update and his Quicken 99 failed. I have installed Quicken and Quick Books at probably 10 companies. Out of those 10 I would say 2 had people using the software who were of medium skill in PC use. The other 8 were entirely capable of making "pilot errors" and calling them anything, including Y2K problems. Most of them were capable of crossing the skill hurdle of doing backups only with substantial prompting. I would imagine the plastics guy falls into this category.

I would also think that this cross-section of users is probably typical for Intuit users. None of my people has reported any Y2K errors at all. In fact, most of them are feeling somewhat sheepish about how worried they were regarding their private information systems.

I wonder how many consultants out there played on those fears and billed for God only knows how many hours of "Y2K preparation"? It never occurred to me last year, but I could easily have funded an extensive vacation on some nice island. I bet I made less than $300 total for the year from Y2K.

Crap. I should have tapped into those trillions. Honesty can be a real hindrance when it comes to making a living. ;-)

-- H.H. (dontscrewme_2000@yahoo.com), January 06, 2000.