Working on a budget and managing your money positively can often be a challenge, and for a while Microsoft provided an excellent tool for Windows users with their Microsoft Money product, which after fierce competition with Intuit became quite slick and full-featured.
Unfortunately the app was discontinued in 2010, leaving loyal users scurrying to find an alternative. Microsoft was however kind enough to release a free version for the app which let users continue to keep their accounts in the software, meaning I suspect many users are still happily using the app, but wishing for updates and new features, such as support for mobile platforms.
Now Microsoft Money fan RJ P has started a petition asking Satya Nadella to reconsider, and restore the app to service, adding it to the Office 365 subscription.
He writes:
Satya Nadella has done a wonderful job putting Microsoft back on the map with his “productivity first”, “mobile first” leadership at Microsoft. However Microsoft has a very glaring omission in its Office productivity suite, one that it didn’t have not so long ago, the omission of Microsoft Money for personal and small business finance.
A lot of people use Intuit’s Mint for personal and small business finance. However Intuit pulled its popular personal finance app from the Microsoft store last year leaving Windows users without a proper finance management app. Since Intuit refuses to support the Windows platform, Microsoft should step up to the plate and do it themselves. They certainly know how! Microsoft Money was a great application that my wife and I used for years. We only switched to Mint after Microsoft stopped selling Money.
Having looked around myself I agree that no apps available currently is quite as user-friendly while still being full featured, and I still have to see Money’s forecasting feature replicated elsewhere.
RJ P notes the new app needs the following features, already strengths of the old app:
- Be able to connect to all our online accounts and aggregate the data using one single-sign-on to Money
- Be able to do Budgeting
- Show us our bottom line “net worth”
- Be easy to query spending trends and look for tax write-offs
- And as part of its business model it should partner with credit card companies and other financial institutions to offer financial products to its users based off typical usage
He also wants the following improvements:
- A free “mobile” version for screens smaller than 10.1 inches on the iOS, Android, and Windows 10 platforms
- A “full” version available on devices larger than 10.1 inches as part of Microsoft Office or the subscription based Office 365
- A “web” version, as part of Office Online, where we can log in from any computer, whether we are at work, the library, a hotel, and manage our finances
As a current user of Microsoft Money who still cant find anything better I can fully get behind this petition. If you agree you can add your signature -.
