Rating: 
Summary: Gets better every year
Review: I switched to Quicken about four years ago and I never regretted it. Quicken is without question the king of personal financial software. It simply outperforms and out features all the rest. But this abundance of features is a double edged sword. For the new user of financial software, it is definitely overwhelming. It requires a good bit of setup to get the information you want. But for the experienced user, it is outstanding.Quicken 2001 Deluxe is extremely versatile. You can track dozens of checking accounts and credits cards, pay bills electronically, track your stock portfolio's current value online and have it update your net worth. It keeps track of your deductible tax expenses and has numerous pre formatted reports you can use to manipulate the data. Also, all the reports can be customized to include or exclude certain accounts, payees, dates, etc. You can also save customized reports that you use repeatedly. The feature I like is the snapshot, which gives you updated graphs and lists, customized by the user, of all the relevant financial information you want to see at a glance, like net worth, budget performance, credit outstanding, etc. The online support site can be directly accessed from within Quicken, you don't have to open a seperate browser. I've also had very good luck ordering my checks from Intuit. Quicken 2001 continues Intuit's progress on improving the software. The interface is more versatile, giving the user more options as to how to set it up. The financial reports are good and continue to improve. Quickens portfolio tracker is astounding allowing you to download tons of information on stocks in your portfolio or others you just want to watch. If you aren't sure whether to upgrade, I strongly recommend it. Overall, I would highly recommend Quicken to any experienced user. For new or technophobic users with needs for a lot of these features, I recommend you gut it out and spend some time with Quicken to learn how much it can do for you. If your fiancial needs are very simple and you buy a lot of the "XXXXX for Dummies" books, Quicken might be more than you need or want to take on. Still, it might be worth it to try the program. You may find it has uses you didn't anticipate when you were trying to balance your checkbook with pen, paper and a calculator.
Rating: 
Summary: Intuit--Need to Get Your Support Act Together
Review: I too have been a devout Quicken user since its very early inception (DOS versions) and have upgraded versions yearly without too many problems--at least never a requirement to contact customer support. I have found the need to upgrade yearly particularly since my financial needs have grown with the functionality touted with Quicken release enhancements. I have never been disatisfied at least until this release. Without a doubt Quicken 2001 is buggie. I can say this with quite a bit of confidence since I am an experienced computer user. Don't feel insecure if you have experienced the same problems. The call is now on Intuit to improve their next versions or else they will lose a rather devout customer base. This is apparent from the other reviews posted here as well. Note: Adament on upgrading to Quicken 2001? Be sure to backup regularly (even nightly is not too often) particularly if you use the on-line facility to update portfolio values. I have had data corruption over a dozen times using this facility. E-mails to customer support reporting the problem have not yielded a fix!
Rating:
Summary: Great way to organize
Review: I upgrade every year and this version wasn't a disappointment. The ability to track all aspects of my financial life has always been a focus, but this version is now helping me with the immediate future. Tracking bills, payments and deposits has never been easier and it is giving me more vision into what my family can and cannot do financially....
Rating: 
Summary: I was going to skip this release, based on reviews here...
Review: I was going to sit out a version, based on what people had said around here. I'd even bought a copy (at Costco) and returned it, after reading the complaints. Then I found one for sale at a computer show at a steep discount, and decided to try it out after all -- AFTER thoroughly backing-up my data. I'm happy to say that yes, things have gotten slicker, and bigger, but they've also gotten better. The last release (2000 Deluxe) had some "features" that drove me nuts, and these seem to have been addressed (I like to think because of my ... to Intuit's feedback e-mails). These fixes are enough to justify the upgrade, for me. Here's a list of what's immediately apparent: The Alt key works properly again. (Alt-F goes to the file menu.) There's an easily-customizable toolbar, to which I added things I had to search endlessly for in the past (e.g., how to pay my mortgagees -- scheduled transactions). There's a "recategorize" feature (which I found in the toolbar customizer) that let me fix up some old data in obsolete categories. (Probably it's been there all along, but I just didn't know about it. I've had that happen before with Quicken!) The help has gotten better but still could use some help. (Example: I'm in a credit card transaction. What does the Ref field hold? Hitting F1 doesn't tell me -- I have to do a search to find out.) Things they still haven't fixed: Making a loan payment still brings up invisible accounts under the "Choose Loan" list. (Obviously nobody at Intuit ever had their mortgage sold or refinanced. Guess that's what you get when your programmers pay for their houses in cash.) There are still ads for services, masquerading as Quicken features -- and you can't remove them. (Example: "Backup my valuable investment records".) I can't seem to find a "What's new in Quicken 2001" (there are lists for every previous version, though). I still approach download of transactions with the greatest of caution, having been burned by this software in the past. (It downloaded things I did't understand, and created duplicate transactions. Basically it made a mess. You have to decide: either enter data manually and reconcile to ensure correctness, or abandon reconciliation and correctness and use Quicken as a computer-based bank statement.) The situation is perhaps worst with online brokerage accounts. I haven't tried it yet with this release, to see if there's been an improvement. When I have a spare couple of evenings, perhaps I'll try it. Like maybe when I'm retired. (That's also when I'll explore all those new features they've added. There must be a cast of hundreds working on this stuff. Something for everyone?) In short, it seems like a decent upgrade. Some annoying problems were fixed. The database remains rock-solid. Undoubtedly many worthy features were added. Are they essential? (How have you gotten by, up 'til now?) Would I have bought it for $..., in retrospect? Sure. Quicken and I spend a lot of time together. My general advice remains: Stay away from automatic downloads and account updates (automatic ANYTHING) and you'll be okay, at least until the machine really does learn to think for you. Do you REALLY expect an answer when you click on "How should I invest my money?" (I expect it to say, "Upgrade Quicken!")
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I'm another disappointed user of the new 2001 Deluxe. There were initial problems when I installed the program with my data from 99. The latest update from 11/00 totally screwed up my stock pricing history for the last 10 years. Technical support SUCKS! I'm switching to Microsoft Money & suggest that anyone looking at Quicken, look at Money as an alternative.
Rating:
Summary: It wasn't broke but they "fixed" it anyway!
Review: I've been a Quicken user since 1990. My favorite feature was "Scheduled Transactions." I let Quicken automatically post recurring bills and income to my checking account 90 days in advance. This gives me a quick view of my cash flow for the next 3 months. (Scheduled Trans allowed posting up to 999 days in advance). Quicken 2001 changed the Scheduled Trans to a 30-day limit. Oddly enough, when you convert from a previous version of Quicken, 2001 will accept and post Scheduled Transactions with advance days greater than 30. But if you attempt to change ANYTHING on the scheduled transaction, an error message appears and prohibits you from saving your change until you "correct" the number of days. I'm sticking with my old version until Intuit lets me do it my way.
Rating:
Summary: Quicken Slows Down ... ... Why?
Review: I've been using Quicken for years, dating back to the early part of 90's. I've been very happy with Quicken until I bought the Qucken 2001 Deluxe. Why? Like I said in the title, the new Quicken slows down many of the functions such as and especially the "Security Detail" function to an unbearable degree. It used to be instantaneous as you move from one security to another but now it takes several seconds, making it impractical to use. Why is it slowing down while most, if not all, software improves performance with each upgrade? Does not make sense, does it? The answer may lie in the word "marketing", which brings out another irritating problem with the Qucken 2001. It does annoying advertisement right inside your own Quicken. I've already paid a lot of money for the product, it isn't free like Yahoo or Internet Explorer, why do I have to be annoyed by the ad in a software that I've already paid for? These ads are not static ads, the picture movies annoyingly and consumes your PC computing power at the same time. Intuit got a new CEO at the beginning of last year pushing to become a dot.com rather than a software company. They are doing their best (or worst) to get us to use quicken's online service. They even added a charting tab right inside your quicken but it's really not part of the quicken but rather a link to Quicken.com. They really want us to use Charting that link to Quicken.com so they can make money out of advertising instead of Security Detail charts where no ads can be posted. As a loyal customer for almost a decade, I'm very upset at the Intuit's new practice and the direction the company is going. They've forgot about serving their customers. Instead, they seemed to be doing everything they can to rip the last penny out of their customers while providing worse performance than before. Will I buy another Quicken product? No!
Rating:
Summary: Wait for Quicken 2002
Review: I've been using Quicken since the 2nd DOS vesrion and this is the first time I've returned a release. There's virtually nothing new in it, it's buggy and now it's slow (Security Detail windows used to display instantly now take 3-7 seconds to write -essentially disabling the ability to scroll through securitys). Features that disappeared three releases ago still haven't returned (e.g. The Price & Value History graph that used to be the defalut graph in the Security Detail Window is still supremely inconveniently buried ten levels deep in the Investment Performance Graph section.) I track over 200 stocks in six brokerage accounts. My data files (even after validation and year end copy) are 15MB. I account for every penny coming in and going out. In short I'm a power user of Quicken and should be one of their strongest advocates. In the last few years however, Intuit's self serving business practices and blatant disregard for customers have me looking for alternatives. Unfortunately, I've tried mirating to Money and not found the grass any greener in Bill Gates' yard. (See the reviews for Microsoft Money) If you're already on Quicken 2000. Don't waste your money on Quicken 2001. If you're a potential new comer to Quicken, consider this: There is NO TECHICAL SUPPORT - unless you consider paying $2/minute "support". I call it something else and it's illegal in every state but Nevada. If all you need is an automated check book, either Quicken Basic or Money Basic will suffice. My advice to those needing to track investments, wait for the next one.
Rating:
Summary: There's no other way to manage your finances.
Review: I've been using Quicken since the first DOS versions. It only gets better and better. I can't imagine managing my finances any other way. This software is very easy to use and will definitely help you get your financial life in order. I haven't used a paper check register in over 6 years. Your financial institutions (banks, credit cards) can send your transactions directly into Quicken. No need to visit the individual sites and "bank via the web". Quicken does it all. Order it now. Just do it.
Rating:
Summary: Intuit--Need to Get Your Support Act Together
Review: I've owned all but two versions of Quicken going all the way back to the DOS versions of the 80's, so I'm no new hand at this. Quicken has taken one step backward with every two steps forward along the way to Quicken 2001. This version, the most diasappointing upgrade I've taken, they've taken two steps back. I use the Porfolio and Security Detail screens a lot. This version has slowed those screen displays to a virtual standstill. If you track more than a very small handful of stocks, this version will drive you nuts. Screens that used to display in an instant now take as long as seven seconds to display on my 200mhz Pentium II and up to three seconds on my 500mhz Pentium III. Scrolling through the charts on the Security Detail Screen is virtually impossible now. In Quicken 2000, this was instantaneous. My advice, stick with 2000 until Intuit decides to return to the program some sembelance of user friendliness. There are some new fields in the portfolio view in 2001 that weren't there in the 2000 version, but frankly, the snail's pace required to access these negates their usefullness. The rest of the 2001 "improvements" are all glitz. Wait for 2002 to see if Intuit reacts to customer disatisfaction (for once).
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