However, it seems to require more clicks to get certain tasks done, and some features of the program, such as creating custom reports, are far too hard to find. It’s clearly nicer to look at, and many aspects of it work much better than they do in Quicken 2007. Overall, I’m not sure what to make of the new interface. Type something in there, and Essentials filters the display to show only entries that match your search terms. At the top right of the Transactions window (and all registers) is a Spotlight-like search box. There are some useful tools, too-Transactions presents what is essentially a global account register you can use this to enter transactions in any account.

Quicken Essentials overview window gives you a summary look at your financesThe new interface is undeniably nicer looking than the old nobody who has used Quicken would ever describe its interface as elegant. To the right is a summary of your recent spending (we had a tax bill due in January, which explains the large percentage to one item), along with a preview of upcoming bills and an overview of your spending against your budget (not yet set up in my screen shot). Accounts are grouped by category, each identified by a unique icon. Down the left hand side is a list of your accounts, along with some standardized tools at the top and reports at the bottom. In Essentials, the program opens to an Overview window that could easily be described as such.

Quicken essentials for mac updates