Excel

[Brian]

Something else to consider is that an accounting s/w isn't *just* a convenient place to generate invoices/packing slips and track job costs-it has all sorts of reporting tools that let you do useful stuff with all of the information you've input and generated over time. Getting your info ready for tax time is quite easy-you can just generate a P&L statement for the last year. QB has got payroll functionality if you ever need to do that (although it's an add on-not free), ditto for taking credit cards, etc.

I'd definitely get a better-informed opinion than mine, though-it seems like QB has more expensive, and I think they're pushing folks onto the subscription model now too (sound familiar?).

[neurosis]

Can you buy quick books anymore without a subscription?

[Flycut]

Can you buy quick books anymore without a subscription?

I don't think so.
I vaguely recall a conversation with my accountant where he might have mentioned that I have an automatic QB subscription with his services.
I'll check in with him this week.
Someone strongly recommended that I learn Excel and I figured I could kill 2 birds with one stone.
I have so much on my plate these days it might be simpler to just go with a proven system.

[CNCAppsJames]

So, when I need to create a thing (Spreadsheet, MACRO, probing cycle, etc...)
I write it out. I need to track this, I need to add this and that, I need to find the other thing, etc... I define it, parameterize it, figure out where the dependencies are, what information I need to calculate first, second, etc. .

That usually is enough to get me 80% of my goal. Then I fine tune it to a point where it's acceptable for testing, then refine as needed. 

Just a thought.