MYOB Cashbook bug / ripoff

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DigiDog

51 posts

Master Geek

#56670 20-Jan-2010 17:02

In 2005 I purchased a copy of MYOB Cashbook, an accounting programme for small businesses. The software has worked nicely for four years, files export to my accountant at the end of each year and it provides the basic reporting I require. So far so good.

I’ve just spend three days inputting nine months worth of data for two companies. But when I tried to enter transactions for January 2010 the software keeps changing the year to 1910 with this message: "Warning: Date is not in the correct financial year."

https://cdn.geekzone.co.nz/imagessubs/blog6321cb7402df138fc0a4af7f91bed7f9.jpg

I contacted MYOB who told me, “The cause of this is a problem in the way the dates were coded in the older versions of this software.” They suggested that I upgrade to their 2007 version for a mere $120.38 including freight and GST.

Now I’m perfectly happy with my existing version. The only problem is that MYOB has hard coded the software to expire at the end of 2009. Had I have known this at the time of purchase I would not have bought the product. I’m disgusted that although MYOB have my email address on their database, they didn’t bother to inform me as a registered user that their product would expire. There is no mention of this in the manual, nor on the MYOB website.

I spoke with an MYOB sales person who assured me that their upgrade was good value for current software. I said that I didn’t want their latest version, but when I purchased their product I had a reasonable expectation that the software would continue to operate as described. She implied that most software expires after a few years. What a load of bollocks. How difficult would it be for MYOB to release a patch that allowed the year to roll over?

To complete this year’s accounts I will be forced purchase their upgrade or lose several day’s work if I swap to another vendor’s software. I find MYOB’s attitude extortionate. Am I being unreasonable?

And I wonder how many other people this “feature” will affect?

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973 posts

Ultimate Geek

#291586 20-Jan-2010 17:36

The joys of MYOB, with a user interface out of the early 90s and technical support team that's more there to make money than help you. I friend of mine who's head of IT support for a 250 person company and has a business on the side was having a problem with her version of MYOB (can't remember which exactly), where it would keep crashing when starting. MYOB wouldn't help her until she bought a support subscription, once she did that their answer was "reinstall your operating system". Nice.

If you're being forced to upgrade you might want to look at Xero, the only downside you might not like is it's a subscription based pricing model, but it's an awesome piece of software that saves me atleast an hour each week, meaning I can charge so more I'm ahead anyway (I'm a recovering MYOB user).

I had them call me up a couple of weeks ago asking how I was going with MYOB, I told them I was pretty busy at the moment and was going to hang up. They tried to keep me on the line so I told them exactly what I thought of it (and they had the audacity to call Xero an "inferior product"), so they offered to send me the forms so I can resell my copy of MYOB to a friend - my answer was "I don't know anyone who I want to inflict that much frustration and disappointment on". They hung up pretty quickly after that.

RedJungle

Phil Gale
1108 posts

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Red Jungle

Subscriber

#291589 20-Jan-2010 17:50

My experiences over the years with MYOB products have always been universally terrible.

I'd suggest having a chat to the guys and gals at Xero, I highly recommend them - and unlike MYOB I'm sure they'd go out of their way to help you out.

Good luck!

robbyp

1199 posts

Uber Geek

#291590 20-Jan-2010 17:53

DigiDog: In 2005 I purchased a copy of MYOB Cashbook, an accounting programme for small businesses. The software has worked nicely for four years, files export to my accountant at the end of each year and it provides the basic reporting I require. So far so good.

I’ve just spend three days inputting nine months worth of data for two companies. But when I tried to enter transactions for January 2010 the software keeps changing the year to 1910 with this message: "Warning: Date is not in the correct financial year."

https://cdn.geekzone.co.nz/imagessubs/blog6321cb7402df138fc0a4af7f91bed7f9.jpg

I contacted MYOB who told me, “The cause of this is a problem in the way the dates were coded in the older versions of this software.” They suggested that I upgrade to their 2007 version for a mere $120.38 including freight and GST.

Now I’m perfectly happy with my existing version. The only problem is that MYOB has hard coded the software to expire at the end of 2009. Had I have known this at the time of purchase I would not have bought the product. I’m disgusted that although MYOB have my email address on their database, they didn’t bother to inform me as a registered user that their product would expire. There is no mention of this in the manual, nor on the MYOB website.

I spoke with an MYOB sales person who assured me that their upgrade was good value for current software. I said that I didn’t want their latest version, but when I purchased their product I had a reasonable expectation that the software would continue to operate as described. She implied that most software expires after a few years. What a load of bollocks. How difficult would it be for MYOB to release a patch that allowed the year to roll over?

To complete this year’s accounts I will be forced purchase their upgrade or lose several day’s work if I swap to another vendor’s software. I find MYOB’s attitude extortionate. Am I being unreasonable?

And I wonder how many other people this “feature” will affect?

I use myob first accounts from 2001, and I don't have that problem. There is no reason for them to hardcode that in, and yes they are effectively putting an expiry date on a product that shouldn't have one, or was never advertised as having an expiry date. So they really should provide you with that 'fix' at no cost.
Personally I am not a cloud computing fan for accounting, so I personally would stick with software you install on your computer, and you are then responsible for your own backups. Problem with cloud computing, is that you are putting far to much trust in a third party company, that in it's terms doesn't have any liability to you if your data is lost. And yes there have been some high profile cloud computing companies that have lost their cusomters data.
You are also locked into that companies system, so they can raise their prices etc, not to mention that you have to be online to do any work on it.

Ragnor

8222 posts

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#291593 20-Jan-2010 18:08

Wow that's a shocker, not handling 2010 dates... I guess you may need to double check the terms and conditions and/or software license to verify there was not stated time limit.

Off the top of my head I think you would have a fairly strong case at the disputes tribunal if you didn't want to take it lying down.

I'd also look at switching to Xero

DigiDog

51 posts

Master Geek

#291600 20-Jan-2010 18:22

I will have to buy an upgrade if I'm to finish this year's accounts. But I will certainly be taking a case to the Disputes Tribunal to get a full refund as well.

I've heard nothing but good things about Xero, however I prefer to keep my financial data on my own computers and $29 mth adds up quickly. Four months of Xero costs the same as the entire MYOB upgrade.

Ragnor

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#291602 20-Jan-2010 18:33

Depends what you value your time at, most people say Xero saves them time compared to Myob.

robbyp

1199 posts

Uber Geek

#291605 20-Jan-2010 18:46

Ragnor: Depends what you value your time at, most people say Xero saves them time compared to Myob.

In what way does it save time, over what software you install on your computer would? Surely those features in Xero could be added by MYOB or Quicken in their future upgrades.

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sbiddle

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Biddle Corp

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#291612 20-Jan-2010 19:12

robbyp:
Ragnor: Depends what you value your time at, most people say Xero saves them time compared to Myob.

In what way does it save time, over what software you install on your computer would? Surely those features in Xero could be added by MYOB or Quicken in their future upgrades.

Which they can then charge you for. If Xero update something everybody gets that feature immediately, normally for free.

As for "saving time" - have you used both products? I know numerous people who have all moved away from MYOB. If you're an accountant many aspects of the old Solution 6 and newer MYOB interface may seem logical, to many people they are downright confusing. They find they save significant time and stress with a much simpler layout and interface.

I guess if the co-founder of MYOB thinks it's good enough to invest $18 million into things can't be too bad!

chiefie

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#291618 20-Jan-2010 19:20

Here's the news that SBiddle refers to: MYOB founder invests in Xero

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DigiDog

51 posts

Master Geek

#291628 20-Jan-2010 19:44

The sales lady from MYOB said that Microsoft wouldn't support software that was seven years old. I pointed
out that our accounts computer is running W2k Pro, and that Microsoft is still (so far) providing monthly
updates.

She was speechless... for a moment, before resuming her spiel about what a bargain I'd be getting by paying them $120 to make their software work again.

Yeah right!

robbyp

1199 posts

Uber Geek

#291657 20-Jan-2010 22:13

sbiddle:
robbyp:
Ragnor: Depends what you value your time at, most people say Xero saves them time compared to Myob.

In what way does it save time, over what software you install on your computer would? Surely those features in Xero could be added by MYOB or Quicken in their future upgrades.

Which they can then charge you for. If Xero update something everybody gets that feature immediately, normally for free.

As for "saving time" - have you used both products? I know numerous people who have all moved away from MYOB. If you're an accountant many aspects of the old Solution 6 and newer MYOB interface may seem logical, to many people they are downright confusing. They find they save significant time and stress with a much simpler layout and interface.

I guess if the co-founder of MYOB thinks it's good enough to invest $18 million into things can't be too bad!

The 'free' upgrades are actually built into the monthly fee. It is just a different pricing stucture. MYOB would probably work out as significantly cheaper over the long term, even if if you regually buy upgrades.

I haven't had the need to try it, as my current software more than fits the purpose I need. I am using an old version, so if it ain't broke. However as I regually work from a very remote beach house, which doesn't have any phone or internet, it wouldn't be an option. I just wonder why it needs to be a solely cloud computing product, as accounting software has very low CPU usage anyway. Making it a cloud computing product, means they have all the control over pricing, which is what makes me uneasy.

The whole charging an ongoing monthly subscription is a good business model. Obviously the former MYOB sees real potential in it due to it being a subscription service. Microsoft are now moving into this themselves with windows.

meesham

973 posts

Ultimate Geek

#291665 20-Jan-2010 22:39

robbyp:
The 'free' upgrades are actually built into the monthly fee. It is just a different pricing stucture. MYOB would probably work out as significantly cheaper over the long term, even if if you regually buy upgrades.

I haven't had the need to try it, as my current software more than fits the purpose I need. I am using an old version, so if it ain't broke. However as I regually work from a very remote beach house, which doesn't have any phone or internet, it wouldn't be an option. I just wonder why it needs to be a solely cloud computing product, as accounting software has very low CPU usage anyway. Making it a cloud computing product, means they have all the control over pricing, which is what makes me uneasy.

The whole charging an ongoing monthly subscription is a good business model. Obviously the former MYOB sees real potential in it due to it being a subscription service. Microsoft are now moving into this themselves with windows.

I agree, thinking of it as "free" upgrades isn't correct, the cost of their ongoing development is built into the price, but for me the rate at which they're releasing updates and improvements is good value.

Doing a web based application in my opinion makes it easier in a lot of respects, both for the user and for Xero themselves. No having to roll out updates to each user and making sure they actually apply the update, having to worry about differences in operating systems (I use Xero in both Linux and Windows) and the user doesn't need to worry about backups (I still keep downloaded PDFs of my reports, just in case). The thing that saves me so much time with Xero is the automated bank feeds and being able to create transactions and reconcile at the same time, when I switched to Xero I went from 1-2 hours a week to about 15 minutes. The former MYOB exec who bought into Xero obviously sees them as a company that's going somewhere and profitable, and what's wrong with that if they're also providing a great service? They're allowing me to go earn more money instead of doing my accounting, I'm happy for them to make money at the same time.

I completely understand that you're happy with your current software and don't feel the need to change, but in the case of the OP it IS broke, and they WON'T fix it.

exportgoldman

1202 posts

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#291681 20-Jan-2010 23:26

DigiDog: I will have to buy an upgrade if I'm to finish this year's accounts. But I will certainly be taking a case to the Disputes Tribunal to get a full refund as well.

I've heard nothing but good things about Xero, however I prefer to keep my financial data on my own computers and $29 mth adds up quickly. Four months of Xero costs the same as the entire MYOB upgrade.

I can say that after 5 years of battling MYOB and not knowing the financial ins and out of my company without help I moved to Xero and the time it has saved me is a godsent!

I can attest that the MYOB support is shocking, we look after a few retail outlets which run MYOB's RetailManager which is based on a Microsoft Access 1993 database format, and corrupts approx 2-3 times a week and needs restoring.

MYOB Support say it's a network error which is only corrupting MYOB data, not any of their other files and don't want a bar of it, and the people which actually cut the code are based in Australia so you can't talk to them anyways.

I would suspect that MYOB didn't mean to build a time bombed product, it was simply their very own version of crap programming, a Y2K10 issue so to speak. You would have thought with all the hoopla with Y2K programmers would be aware of date rollovers.

The general rule of thumb is software suppliers release for free patches to fix flaws in their products, but new features are what you have to pony up the money for which is simple and fair.

It looks like MYOB are trying to charge you for something they sold you which should have worked as is. Thats double dipping.

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JasonDarwin

33 posts

Geek

#291690 21-Jan-2010 04:01

I use Moneyworks. It's by cognito.co.nz and they have been going since early 1990's. Give them a try. They have a demo on their website.

DigiDog

51 posts

Master Geek

#291754 21-Jan-2010 09:50

Good news. I had a call from the GM of MYOB this morning. He admits that they screwed up and they've decided to issue a free upgrade to everyone who is affected by this bug. That's the best solution and well done to MYOB for putting things right.

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread.

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