ANTenna Blog -- Services

SaaS financials vendor Intacct introduces a sweeping upgrade with new features and global reach and a channel partner program slashes the implementation and subscription costs.

Like most SaaS providers, Intacct constantly updates its software to refine features, fix bugs, and improve reliability. Continuous improvement is great, but the thing about incremental progress is that no one notices.

To remedy the inherent lack of sizzle to ongoing rolling rollouts, Intacct has unveiled Intacct Winter 2009, a three-tiered launch of "more than 100 client- and partner-driven product enhancements."

Two legs of this tripod will be welcome to current customers and may lure new business from competitors:

• Global Consolidations, for businesses with international operations, offers multi-entity and multi-currency accounts
• Intacct MAX for QuickArrow offers integration between sales, service, and finance to help businesses better manage customer engagement.

But it's the third leg of the tripod that should capture the attention of business owners in the so-called SMB market. Intacct has built a channel network and that the VAR program provides yet another avenue for the "life after QuickBooks" strategy that Intacct has played so well. The question that led to the VAR program, according to Intacct senior VP of marketing and business development, Dan Druker, was "How to we remove the risk of migrating to Intacct?"

Not surprisingly, the Intacct VAR network has some tools to address exactly that rhetorical question, notably a portfolio of vertical templates that speed the transition to Intacct for businesses in host of industries regardless of whether they are moving from QuickBooks, Excel, or some other solution.

Intacct's party line has long been that small and midsized companies are best served by VARs who can provide customization and high-touch service. The service level offered by the VAR relationship has value for many businesses, but the new pricing will likely bring in businesses that previously considered Intacct's product beyond their reach: the starting price is now $400 per month, 50% less than before. And the Intacct Business Solution Providers (aka VARs) are offering migration from QuickBooks for less than $2,000.

As Druker said of the new pricing, "Instead of $10k and $10k,now it's $4,800 and $2k," for the first year of Intacct. In these tight times, that's a welcome reduction for any business desperate for better a financial package.

More From bMighty:

• Q&A With Daniel Druker of Intacct: Application Suites vs. Best-of-Breed
• Q&A With Angus Thomson of Intuit: Why QuickBooks Makes Sense
• Q&A With Mike Braun Of Intacct: When Your Business Outgrows QuickBooks