A basic version of its Office Accounting 2008 product being made available for free download from 15th November.

Click here to download the free 60day trial version of Office Accounting Professional 2008. If you select the link and pause before downloading, the accompanying audio prompts you with comments such as "Is anyone home?", "What are you waiting for?", "I don't meant to be pushy but are you ready to buy?" and "Trust me, numbers really can be your best friend".

Of course, it's not just Microsoft helping small businesses sort their finances. It's a clever marketing exercise to entice start-ups to begin using their accounting Microsoft and entice them away from competitors like Sage.

Any business wanting to use the full range of features on the new software would need to upgrade from the Express edition or buy the Professional version, which comes with a £149.95 price tag.

In addition to the two month trial a free Express version is also currently available.

Speaking at the software's launch in London on Thursday 15th November, Microsoft SMB apps and services general manager Rajat Taneja said the firm was tapping into a lucrative, growing market.

Typically SMBs plump for Excel or a pen and paper to do their accounts, neither of which was adequate for the modern business world.

The logic, was to group everything together to build an accounts system that works with all the Office programs, alongside a Web 2.0-shaped community network.

According to Taneja the Express version of the software has already been downloaded by two million people since its launch in October 2006.

Microsoft said that a retail version of Office Accounting 2008 will be available early next year.