In 2010, Microsoft released a replacement version, called Microsoft Money Plus Sunset, which allows users to open and edit Money data files, but lacks any online features or support. It is available in two editions: Deluxe, and Home & Business.
An interesting opportunity to get full-quality major software company retail money management, budgeting, and small business accounting software for free is now in affect. Microsoft has decided to get out of the business, in effect ceding the market to Intuit and its Quicken and QuickBooks software products. However, thousands of copies of Microsoft Money software are installed by users all over the world, and they depend upon Microsoft Money to manage their finances on the computer. Just abandoning these users would be bad, so Microsoft has released a new for download.
Unlike earlier versions of Microsoft Money, the newest version of MS Money does not have any online functionality. These kind of automatic Internet links to bank accounts and brokerage accounts require frequent updating and the company doesn’t want to get stuck doing that forever. Instead, Microsoft has released the last version of Microsoft Money called the Sunset edition. This version of Money contains all the functionality of the full-price retail version of the MS Money except for that online connectivity. The sunset edition is stand-alone software, meaning that it no longer links to anything. For some users this might be a drawback, but for small business owners and entrepreneurs looking for a way to manage their finances and handle basic business accounting, this is great news.
Microsoft has released sunset versions of all MS Money editions including. That means that small business owners can download and install Microsoft’s full small business edition of Money and use it forever for free. Keeping track of business expenses, invoices, and even is all a snap with MS Money Home and Business. The only reason I haven’t used something like it for a long time in order to handle my ‘s finances is because I did not want to pay for full version software, mostly because both Money and Quicken require you to keep paying for the software in order to keep getting the required updates. It would be one thing if not updating the software left you with only your current functionality (after all, there is no such thing as a free lunch), but these financial management software packages come with time bombs that eventually render them useless even if you don’t use the new functionality or features.
Of course, the excuse for this Quicken and QuickBooks scam is that it is for our own good because they don’t want us relying on out of date information. They have a point, but if you are, you don’t really rely on the generic advice provided by your computer software anyway, so it stinks for us. That is what makes this once in a lifetime opportunity to get financial software free from a major vendor such a great deal.
While Microsoft Money will never be updated again, it will also never be expired either. That means that once you get all of your MS Money accounts setup and working the way you want to, you can keep using them as long as you would like.
Even if you don’t have a small business, if you are even considering ever starting up a business you should download the MS Money Home and Business Sunset Edition. It has all the same functionality and features as Microsoft Money Sunset Edition Home edition plus the features needed for small business owners. If you don’t have a small business yet, just don’t and it will work just like the regular personal version. Just keeping track of equipment and taking the for business will make it worth your effort. It’s free, so get the best edition you can. You might need it some day, because this simple small business accounting software could last you a long time.
This is good news. I used Microsoft Money (Home Edition) from 2003 to 2010 and found it just perfect for the job – after I had disabled its irritating online features. Its UI was light and attractive, and it had many useful features, including budgeting.
In 2015 I wanted to start using it again to manage home and small business finances, and was prepared to pay $50 or so, and found that it was no longer for sale, and started looking at the alternatives. They were all quite expensive (eg.
Quicken), or moderately priced, but I couldn’t be sure they would work as well as Money always had for me. Based on my previous experiences with Money, and your review, I’ll be happy to make Money Plus Sunset Home and Business edition my first choice in 2015.
Click to expand.No. It is possible to have more than one year installed at a time. You have to pay attention during install to select to not have Money Sunset uninstall the earlier version during install.
The only caveats I can think of are the last-installed is set up with the file associations, so when you download an OFX or QIF, the last installed gets fed the file. To feed the file to both, save the file to disk, and do File-Import to both. Just clicking a link sends the file to the last-installed.
You could manually adjust the associations, or could reinstall 2007 to reset the associations. Copy your Money 2007 file to another filename such as Mon08.mny. Let Money Sunset convert that file, rather than to convert the Money 2007 file that you want to continue working with.