Have you been wondering why professionals are choosing to move QuickBooks and other applications to the cloud? Check out this info graphic that highlights the most common reasons for outsourcing IT and application management.
The question of “Which is right for me?” comes up when people are looking at, or comparing QuickBooks Online with QuickBooks hosting. The fact of the matter is, although QuickBooks Online is consistently adding features and capabilities that bring it closer to the desktop version, there are still many reasons to stick with the desktop version you know. If you’re looking to access your QuickBooks remotely, or give multiple people the ability to access the same data files regardless of geographical location, then hosting your QuickBooks is the route you probably want to take. Though there are benefits to both, the question comes down to what capabilities you need and what your plans for the future are.
First, the pros of QuickBooks Online. It’s great for small businesses or individuals with income producing hobbies. It’s fast to set up and get working with. Intuit has also recently added many features that make QuickBooks Online competitive with their desktop versions. Mainly, the ability for multiple users to access it. Online now also has inventory tracking, purchase order sending, analytical tools and it integrates better with Excel. In short, QuickBooks Online is going to be great for small businesses with basic bookkeeping and accounting needs. The decision to go with hosting comes up when an individual or business thinks that they will need additional features now or in the future, since the most advanced version of QuickBooks Online still barely competes with QuickBooks Pro.
When you move your desktop version of QuickBooks to the cloud via a hosting provider, you’re simply giving yourself the ability to access your currently owned software over the internet. Since it is your desktop version, you have the same interface and functionality that you are used to and familiar with. You also have the ability to use additional software that syncs with your QuickBooks for deposits, payments, scanning and more. This includes being able to integrate with popular applications like ACT! and Outlook. These are major selling points that the Online versions don’t offer.
Yet another compelling reason to go with QuickBooks hosting instead of using the online version is storage, back up and data transferring. With a hosted version of QuickBooks, your applications and data are stored in secure data centers and then also backed up off-site. You also have the ability to backup and save files or data on your local machine. This is not only an extra safety feature that may be enticing for some, but it also becomes important when considering what you will do if/when you no longer want to work in the cloud. With QuickBooks hosting, you can easily copy files down to your local machine. This way you can either continue working locally, or you can move to another accounting solution. With QuickBooks Online you not only cannot backup and store files locally, but when you decide to upgrade to a desktop version (hosted or local), the ability to transfer data is limited and difficult.
In summary, there are benefits to using both QuickBooks Online and having your desktop version hosted by an expert application hosting provider. Although Intuit is slowly bridging the gap, there are enough major differences between the desktop and online versions to consider what your accounting needs are before making a decision. For small enterprises, QuickBooks Online might be all that is needed. But if a business needs anywhere, anytime access to QuickBooks Pro, Premier or Enterprise, along with supporting applications, making the move to a hosted version of their QuickBooks is an obvious choice that will allow them grow, expand and easily work in the cloud with QuickBooks and other desktop software.
Occasionally the question comes up…What happens when a person is on the road or unable to use their laptop or PC but still needs to access QuickBooks? Although it would be too difficult and time consuming for a person to try and do all of their work with an iPad, some situations allow the popular tablets to be used for a variety of QuickBooks related tasks in the cloud to keep business moving.
A CPA with a growing firm in Arizona was using QuickBooks in the cloud to work on client files from a single office location. Although he knew that using his hosted QuickBooks on an iPad was possible, he didn’t have cause to try it until a client contacted him while he was on the road. The client was about to make a major purchase, and wanted to know how it would affect his taxes. The CPA was able to pull over, bring up the client’s QuickBooks file on the iPad, and in less than a minute provide the client with financial advice that helped him make a better purchasing decision.
Although the client could have waited until the next day to get the financial advice he was looking for, the CPA was able to come off looking like a rock star by getting the info right there on the spot. The client was happy, and the CPA was able to offer the type of service that guaranteed him a client for life. All because the CPA was able to simply look at a QuickBooks file on the fly.
Another person, a Florida-based bookkeeper using InsynQ as her QuickBooks hosting provider, found herself up a creek when her computer started having problems right as several clients needed their payroll processed. While waiting for her PC to be fixed at a store, she was able to use her iPad with a keyboard accessory to connect to her hosted QuickBooks and run payroll for her clients. By the time her computer was done getting fixed, her client’s payroll was done.
Although it won’t solve every issue, it never hurts to have a backup, plan-b or a spare. When you have applications like QuickBooks hosted, you essentially turn any internet connected PC, laptop or tablet into your backup option for accessing software and files. Most financial professionals would agree that their computing demands require a desktop PC with multiple screens. But in a pinch, it never hurts to have the option of using an iPad to access your hosted QuickBooks in the cloud.
Learn more about application hosting solutions and cloud computing options that will allow you to access QuickBooks in the cloud at http://www.insynq.com/application-hosting.html.
Aside from having certified secure data centers and a proven track record for reliable up time, a great reason to go with an Intuit authorized hosting provider is because they are allowed to lease QuickBooks. As part of Intuit’s Commercial Hosting program, select providers have the ability to rent licenses for currently supported versions of QuickBooks Pro or Premier. This gives businesses and professionals that work in the cloud a competitive advantage that can’t be beat.
Since most businesses these days are looking for an online solution for their QuickBooks, but still require the full capabilities of QB that the online version doesn’t offer, hosting is the perfect service to take advantage of. Because price is often a selling point when it comes to business services, leasing is a great option to have. If you’re a business owner that tends to upgrade the version of QuickBooks you use each year, leasing QB licenses from a hosting provider makes transitioning from version to version easy since you never have to deal with installing software or updates.
If you’re an accountant or bookkeeper looking to work with clients in the cloud, giving them the ability to lease their license is a selling point that might save them money and allow you to provide a better service. Offering the chance to have access to QuickBooks over the internet for one low monthly rate even has the potential to expand an accounting practice since more work can be done, regardless of ones geographic location. It also makes adding new or temporary QuickBooks users, like additional clients or bookkeepers, as simple as placing an order.
To learn more about QuickBooks hosting and contact one of the leading commercial hosting providers for information about leasing QB licenses visit www.insynq.com.
Upgrading to QuickBooks 2013 with a hosting provider gives people the features of the latest version of QB along with the safety, security and anytime access of cloud computing. Whether you move your current QuickBooks to a hosted platform, or make the move while upgrading to QuickBooks 2013, combining the popular accounting software with the latest in cloud computing technology offers a variety of benefits.
Cloud computing has been proven to increase productivity, reduce costs, and when combined with the new features of QuickBooks 2013 make managing the financial side of a business easier than ever. As a general design upgrade, QuickBooks 2013 implements naming conventions, navigation structure and icon designs that are similar to popular online websites and tools. This makes finding the right path to completing your tasks easier and faster. The toolbar at the top of each transaction displays the most commonly used elements for direct access, so you don’t need to dig for them.
Managing customer information is an aspect of the software that desperately needed an upgrade. With all information located in tabs that are found in the middle of a Customer record, you can handle almost any aspect of receiving or making a payment. Now you can process invoices, set “To-Dos”, run reports and make notes that are easy to find for each of your accounts. As a time saving feature, the new way of managing notes in QuickBooks 2013 reduces the need to use a separate CRM or SFA tool.
Along with easy to understand and use Customer screens comes an improved way to edit your Customer information. Add, edit or delete a variety of information in fields found in any one of the main tabs including address info, setting selections for payment and taxes, and more. With QuickBooks 2013, you can quickly make changes while working with an account contact.
When it comes to making the move to the cloud, whether you are upgrading or not, the question of licensing usually comes up. So here are your options for QuickBooks 2013. Supply an authorized hosting provider like InsynQ with the licensing information you currently have for the version of QuickBooks you use on a local device. Or, purchase a QuickBooks 2013 license, give it to the hosting provider, and they will deploy you with QuickBooks 2013 in a hosted environment. A third option that is increasing in popularity is renting a license. If you require multiple versions of QB, or plan on upgrading often, leasing your QB license will save time and money.
Learn more about moving your QuickBooks to the cloud or upgrading your current hosted services to include QuickBooks 2013 today. www.insynq.com | 866.207.1781
Professionals often have questions about what exactly it means to run a hosted version of QuickBooks on a virtual desktop. A large chunk of the confusion stems from the question: What exactly is a virtual desktop? A virtual desktop looks just like the desktop you are used to seeing when you start up Windows on a PC. It has applications, icons, a start menu and quick launch icons on the task bar. Your QuickBooks programs and accounting files are saved, stored and accessed similar to the way you would on a local device. The difference is that your applications are securely run and stored on a remote server instead of your local PC.
Your virtual desktop is accessed via the internet and is therefore available from any computer or device from anywhere in the world. It doesn’t require any fancy software, complicated installations or expensive machines to ensure smooth performance. All that is needed is a machine or device with an internet connection and you will be able to access the same desktop you’re used to seeing with your QuickBooks software and data files. It doesn’t matter if you are using a PC, Mac, smartphone or iPad. Everything will look identical to what you’re used to working with.
There are many advantages to operating QuickBooks on a hosted desktop. With InsynQ’s QuickBooks hosting for example, you are given an entire custom-built virtual desktop featuring vital software such as the Microsoft Office suite. The ability to use necessary supporting applications gives people working in the cloud a huge advantage. All financial professionals will agree that the two most frequently used programs in their lives are QuickBooks and Office. However, many have other applications they would like to access from any machine or device they happen to be near at the time. Virtual desktops give professionals the ability to move these other programs to the cloud. Hosting QuickBooks integrations and add-ons on a virtual desktop opens up the option of accessing the files and data you need at anytime and from anywhere, on a platform that is easy to use.
The familiar environment housing your accounting software and data, means you are always ready to access and edit files in real-time and share between clients and co-workers instantaneously; that is what virtual desktops are all about.
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There are a myriad of reasons why businesses and organizations are interested in running QuickBooks on their Mac. Perhaps the company is multimedia-based and runs Apple’s hardware exclusively but still needs a bookkeeping program. Or maybe the organization simply prefers the Mac interface. Whatever the reason is, it is quickly apparent that the Mac user will encounter problems and limitations with QuickBooks. The biggest problem arises when attempting to interface QuickBooks data between Macintosh and Windows.
A quick perusal of Intuit’s support site will show you the process used to convert QuickBooks for Mac files to QuickBooks for Windows. It begins with preparing the file by removing special characters, deleting all memorized transactions and reports, rebuilding the company file, running detailed reports and editing the memo portions before beginning the 9 step conversion process. Right away it is clear that this isn’t a viable option for file sharing. On top of this, Intuit has reported multiple QuickBooks features that simply aren’t available on the Macintosh platform. If your business is interested in creating an accountant’s copy, using QuickBooks Payroll, utilizing other add-on applications that integrate with QuickBooks, operating online bill pay, setting different prices for the same item, or using Premier or Enterprise Solutions then you simply cannot operate your QuickBooks on a Mac. If any of this applies to your business then it is vital that you consider another option. Perhaps you aren’t interested in switching your operation over to a PC. That’s where the cloud comes in.
Running a hosted version of QuickBooks in the cloud solves the problems associated with company file sharing and data integration between a Mac and PC. InsynQ offers the exact same options for QuickBooks and data hosting regardless of device. This means that the software will run on your Macintosh, PC or tablet the same way every time. When you load your virtual desktop on your Macintosh, what you will see is a Windows desktop running flawlessly on your Mac. Your QuickBooks files and company data will all be there, ready to access from any computer or device connected to the internet at any time. Performance does not suffer one bit. In fact, many Mac users have reported an increase in performance when switching from running QuickBooks locally on their Mac to using a hosted version of the accounting software with a provider like InsynQ.
With InsynQ, you are now able to easily operate a fully working version of QuickBooks on your Mac, plus you have gained the benefits of using QuickBooks in the cloud. The ability to work together between offices in real-time, access your information and programs remotely from anywhere anytime, eliminate frustrating issues such as frequent data backup and security updates, makes QuickBooks more cost efficient for your business. Any business or organization looking to manage their finances with QuickBooks for Mac need look no further than cloud hosting.
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The market for QuickBooks cloud hosting is growing. Cloud services in general are being adopted by more and more businesses and organizations in an effort to gain infinite agility, reduce IT spending and streamline growth. Businesses and financial professionals need to be able to respond quickly and efficiently to the ever-changing needs of their company and clients. When working in the cloud you are utilizing a subscription-based service which means that not only will the up-front cost of installation by eliminated, but companies will also be given the ability to adapt and change the applications they use in the cloud as need be.
Adding users and programs is incredibly simple when using a hosting provider such as InsynQ. This gives financial professionals and businesses alike the ability to add a software suite such as Microsoft Office or Intuit’s QuickBooks to their cloud whenever it is needed. The list of hosted programs doesn’t stop there, as InsynQ currently hosts over 300 applications. The possibilities this flexibility offers companies is limitless and also incredibly affordable. No longer must a business drop gigantic sums of money into software and in-house IT services.
Mobile computing is currently growing faster than any other platform or tool has in the history of technology. Morgan Stanley estimates that by 2015, mobile web will be bigger and more widely used than typical desktop internet usage. What does this mean for financial professionals using programs such as QuickBooks to best assist their clients? It means that they need to be able to access the files and information stored in their QuickBooks software from the road in order to best assist their customers. With QuickBooks in the cloud this becomes instantly and easily possible. Subscribers are able to instantly access their software and data from the road using any computer or device connected to the internet including laptops, desktops, smartphones or tablets.
This is quickly becoming the norm, and accountants who choose to ignore the cloud are finding that more and more of their clients are seeking other financial professionals who are utilizing a hosted QuickBooks service. To better illustrate this point, one needs not look further than the current statistics and projections of the cloud computing industry itself. In 2010, Gartner estimated the cloud computing market to be at roughly $54 billion, escalating at a rate that would have the industry pushing $150 billion by 2013. So far, the estimates are well on their way to becoming a reality. This is due to the fact that businesses are quickly realizing the benefits of managed IT services. As the cloud continues to rise and QuickBooks hosting becomes the norm, it is increasingly important to consider adopting your business to this growing trend.
Accountants currently using QuickBooks on local desktops or in-house servers deal with a number of headaches on a daily basis. A CFO often handles the corporate books while each division of the company continues working with semi-recent data copied and pasted into spreadsheets for them to access. The data is then handed to a CPA which is left to review and verify the accuracy of the data. This inevitably leads to confusion and errors as professionals are forced to determine who had the most up-to-date information. Hosting QuickBooks in the cloud eliminates these problems entirely and adds advantages that are impossible to replicate via any platform outside of the cloud.
Consider a small to midsize business looking to run QuickBooks. Average companies often purchase entry-level software due to a limited budget. Running QuickBooks in the cloud opens up the option of adopting the most sophisticated and current version of the software, and at the same time reduces cost dramatically. Instead of the gigantic initial costs associated with software and server purchases, financial professionals are able to move to a structured monthly payment plan. This allows the accounting firms to help decide which version of QuickBooks their client’s business should use. If the accounting firm is already working in the cloud with QuickBooks, it becomes easy to transfer or add a new client to the same platform.
On-premise software suffers from the inability to cope with growth. It is expensive to install, difficult to maintain, and as a business’ needs increase, servers becomes taxed and slow down. Eventually these in-house systems will go over capacity and become unusable, forcing professionals to purchase and install new machinery and software. While this is technically a good problem to have due to the fact that it shows your company is succeeding, it can put a serious damper on growth and frustrate both accountants and client businesses in the process.
Running QuickBooks in the cloud alleviates this concern and allows for infinite growth. Hosting the software gives you the ability to add or remove users as needed, on a simple platform, giving all users the ability to edit financial data in real-time. This eliminates all of the problems and headaches that can arise with a typical accounting firm and the clients they have running QuickBooks software in-house.
QuickBooks Hosting is the answer many accountants and financial professionals are looking for. As the number of businesses utilizing a hosted cloud environment continue to grow, accounting firms are realizing the power waiting to be unleashed. The early adoption of this highly expansive technology will help determine which firms can continue to provide clients with the service they demand, and help set them apart from firms that are reluctant to review cloud-based QuickBooks hosting services.
Intuit has released new editions of QuickBooks 2013 including Pro, Premier and Enterprise, each of which are currently available to be hosted on InsynQ’s cloud computing platform. QuickBooks 2013 adds an entirely new user interface as well as numerous functional enhancements. Each of these improvements were added with the intention of saving financial professionals time by simplifying workflow navigation. Intuit refined QuickBooks 2013 by giving accountants the ability to batch-enter transactions such as deposits and credit card charges while also integrating a variety of other new time-saving features.
QuickBooks 2013 Leasing Available
It’s now easier than ever to get started using a hosted version of QuickBooks 2013. Financial professionals seeking to reap the benefits of moving QB to the cloud can choose to lease the program and get started immediately with no upfront costs. QB 2013 Pro and Premier licenses are currently available in the US, and Canadian financial professionals can also rent QB Enterprise 2013. This provides accountants and businesses that upgrade their version of QuickBooks each year with an incredibly affordable way to upgrade to the newest version.
Why Move Your QB to the Cloud?
With the popularity of QuickBooks hosting projected to continue growing throughout 2020, it’s no wonder that moving 2013 versions of QB to the cloud is already a popular choice among financial professionals interested in saving time and money. The ability to access and edit QuickBooks data over an internet connected device offers many advantages. Hosting with an Intuit authorized provider offers increased levels of security. Plus, with the option of being able to use your QuickBooks add-ons on a hosted platform, moving your QB to the cloud is an easy choice to make.
Learn more about moving your QuickBooks to the cloud and see how much hosting other applications will cost at www.insynq.com.
