Intuit's QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions Embraces Linux

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Answering the call for an open source option from Information Technology professionals, Intuit Inc. (Nasdaq:INTU) announced today that businesses will soon be able to operate QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions^® from Linux servers. It is the first time the company has made one of its products available to users of open source systems.

“The fact that Intuit – a company with a long and positive track record with small and mid-sized businesses – is giving customers the option to run QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions on Linux servers is another significant indication of the value and credibility Linux brings to business.”

The offering will enable the tens of thousands of growing companies that are passionate about using open source environments to take advantage of Intuit’s award-winning mid-market system while maintaining the increased security, manageability and lower total cost of ownership of Linux. The decision to extend the offering beyond Windows, made at the QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions User Conference, is part of Intuit’s effort to continue to meet the needs of more complex businesses.

“IT professionals are an integral part of a mid-market business’ success and have shown real enthusiasm for working with the Linux platform. We are committed to giving them the tools they need to effectively serve their companies, regardless of the computing platform they prefer,” said Angus Thomson, vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Mid-Market Group. “This is a natural progression for QuickBooks Enterprise and a significant step forward for Intuit in serving growing and more complex businesses’ evolving needs.”

Until now, companies running QuickBooks Enterprise over server-based local area networks had to store the system’s database on a Windows server, even if their other applications were running on Linux. This required IT professionals to purchase and maintain a separate server for QuickBooks Enterprise, which was expensive and time-consuming. Using the new, free Linux Database Server Manager application, QuickBooks Enterprise can now reside on the same Linux server as a company’s other applications, enabling IT staff to more effectively manage their technology investments.

Responding to Customer Needs

According to IDC’s May 23 Worldwide Quarterly Server Tracker press release, businesses are increasingly adopting Linux servers. In the first quarter of 2007, Linux servers posted their second consecutive quarter of double-digit growth, with year-over-year revenue growth of 10 percent for a total of $1.6 billion. Linux servers now represent 12.7 percent of all server revenue.

“For the thousands of businesses using or considering Linux, flexibility and interoperability are extremely important as they strive to meet their IT needs with the least amount of complexity,” said Kent Erickson, vice president and general manager of Workgroup Solutions for Novell. “The fact that Intuit – a company with a long and positive track record with small and mid-sized businesses – is giving customers the option to run QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions on Linux servers is another significant indication of the value and credibility Linux brings to business.”

Unique Combination of Ease, Power and Affordability

The benefits associated with operating Linux, coupled with the power, scalability and ease-of-use of QuickBooks Enterprise allow mid-market businesses to truly work the way they want to work. This flexibility is yet another reason tens of thousands of mid-market businesses have chosen the software over costly and complex solutions.

Companies can rely on QuickBooks Enterprise, powered by an underlying Sybase iAnywhere SQL database, as they grow without affecting the product’s performance. The software also gives customers the choice between five, 10, 15 and 20 concurrent users, enabling them to easily select a version that is tailored to their size and add more users when necessary. In addition, administrators can customize user access with more than 115 areas and activities for security.

Pricing and Availability

The software starts as low as $3,000, making it the most affordable solution available for mid-market companies. The price also includes one year of Intuit’s Full Service Plan, which entitles customers to 24/7 technical support from a dedicated support engineer, product upgrades, data recovery and reporting services and interactive training tools. Other solutions may charge thousands per year for upgrades alone and charge additional fees for support. To further its commitment, Intuit also assures customer satisfaction by offering a 60-day money-back guarantee.

The Linux Database Server Manager is free and will be available for download on June 25 via the in-product update tool or at http://quickbooksenterprise.intuit.com/Linux. This functionality is only available for users of QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 7.0 or later. More information is available at www.quickbooksenterprise.com.

About Intuit Inc.

Intuit Inc. is a leading provider of business and financial management solutions for small and mid-sized businesses; financial institutions, including banks and credit unions; consumers and accounting professionals. Its flagship products and services, including QuickBooks®, Quicken® and TurboTax® software, simplify small business management and payroll processing, personal finance, and tax preparation and filing. ProSeries® and Lacerte® are Intuit’s leading tax preparation software suites for professional accountants. The company’s financial institutions division, anchored by Digital Insight, provides on-demand banking services to help banks and credit unions serve businesses and consumers with innovative solutions.

Founded in 1983, Intuit had annual revenue of $2.3 billion in its fiscal year 2006. The company has more than 8,100 employees with major offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and other locations. More information can be found at www.intuit.com.

Intuit and the Intuit logo, among others, are registered trademarks and/or registered service marks of Intuit Inc. in the United States and other countries. Linux is a registered trademark of Linux Torvalds.