Lease Your QuickBooks License

A Cloud Advantage Available from QuickBooks Hosting Providers

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.

QuickBooks for Mac Works Great in the Cloud

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.

Click here to learn more about QuickBooks cloud hosting for Mac.

Accountants Drive QuickBooks to the Cloud

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.

Moving QuickBooks to the Cloud Allows Accounting Firms to Grow

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.

QuickBooks 2013 Now Available in the Cloud

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.

Accessing QuickBooks While You’re Away From The Office

For Multi-User/Multi-Site/Heavier-Duty Remote Access Needs

by QuickBooks Expert – Scott Gregory

As your business grows, more of your employees will likely need access to the company QuickBooks information while working away from the office. In addition, you may have more than one physical location and each location needs to be centrally tied into the company QuickBooks information.

Potential solutions…
Windows Remote Desktop/Terminal Services – this solution will likely require some IT assistance to set up. However, once it is up and running, it can offer a whole new world of opportunities for your staff to access not just QuickBooks, but all of the computer resources within your business.

There is no monthly or annual fee for the Remote Desktop/Terminal Services solution. However, there is separate licensing that has to be purchased from Microsoft that will run on your server to allow these remote connections to happen seamlessly. You’ll want to connect with your IT provider for pricing on the licenses and installation/setup services.

CRITICAL NOTE: Windows Remote Desktop/Terminal Services is only supported as a remote access option for companies running the Enterprise version of QuickBooks. Some firms have had success running the Pro and/or Premier versions of QuickBooks in this environment, but they have forged their own trail in doing so – Intuit does not support Windows Remote Desktop for the Pro or Premier versions and will not answer any questions pertaining to it.

QuickBooks Hosting Services – instead of setting up your own server and software as explained in the Windows Remote Desktop option above, these third party hosting services do it for you.

By choosing this option, you don’t incur any upfront hardware or software costs (other than the cost of QuickBooks of course). Instead, you pay the hosting company a monthly fee per user to take care of things for you.

This is also referred to as “putting your QuickBooks in the cloud”. Hosting provides you the ability to get to your QuickBooks information 24/7 without the need for IT support costs. Generally, the costs for hosting run about $40-$50/user per month.

Two of the leading companies when it comes to hosting QuickBooks are InsynQ-CPAASP and Right Networks. Be sure to understand their terms of service, fee structure and other important information as you evaluate whether moving your QuickBooks to the cloud makes sense for your business. Many businesses have found the hosted solution to be perfect for their needs and a great way to reduce their IT costs as well.

CAN BE USED WITH: QuickBooks Pro, Premier and Enterprise

Scott Gregory provides a wide variety of QuickBooks solutions and profit improvement techniques to his clients in a relaxed yet very informative manner. For additional information on QuickBooks training and services that he provides, visit www.betterbottomline.com. For additional information and recommendations from Mr. Gregory on QuickBooks remote access options – click here.

How To Move Your QuickBooks Data Files To The Cloud

from the August issue of the CPAASP Practice Development News

Different Intuit authorized hosting providers may have different platforms for delivering your QuickBooks applications and data in the cloud, but the process of transferring your data from a local machine to a virtual one tends to generally be the same.

Since virtual desktops communicate with the local machine it is being accessed with, one of the most common ways to transfer a data file is to copy and paste from a local drive to a virtual drive. For PC users, an example of this would be saving your data file on a local C drive, browsing to it from your virtual desktop, right-clicking and selecting Copy. You can then browse to one of your virtual drives or client files and Paste your data file. In many cases, sorting through drives can be avoided by simply copying the file from your PC desktop and then pasting it directly into the virtual location of your choice.

In short, transferring a data file is basically a Copy and Paste process. One thing to be aware of though, is that the ease of transferring data over the internet depends on how much data you have and what your internet connection is like. Small data files with a good internet connection can take as little as a few minutes. Larger files coupled with poor connectivity could result in a data upload taking as long as an hour.

Some providers offer additional services to assist with larger than average data file transfers. File upload tools can reduce the amount of time a transfer can take, and some firms with many client files may opt to send their provider data files on a disk or drive for uploading. Be sure to let your hosting provider know the total amount of data you plan on moving to the cloud ahead of time to ensure a successful transition.

Learn more about QuickBooks hosting at www.cpaasp.com.

Work In The Cloud & Rent Your QuickBooks License

Working in the cloud with an Intuit authorized hosting provider gives professionals many advantages, including the ability to rent their QuickBooks licenses. Leasing QuickBooks on a month-to-month basis is great for people that upgrade their version every year since it saves time and is more affordable than purchasing a new license every year. It also makes adding temporary employees or outsourced bookkeepers easy. Bundling a QB rental license with a Microsoft Office rental license is a quick, affordable way to get working in the cloud on a Virtual Desktop today.

Maybe it’s time to upgrade your hosted version of QuickBooks Pro or Premier to a currently supported version. Or maybe you’re thinking about moving some or all of your clients and employees that use QuickBooks to the cloud so they can start working from anywhere, anytime and be more productive. Either way, renting a license and hosting your QuickBooks Pro or Premier with can save you time, money and get you safely working in the cloud today.

Click here to learn more about renting your hosted QuickBooks license in the cloud from one of the leading Intuit Authorized Hosting Providers.

Confusion Over QuickBooks Software Licensing and Concurrency

con·cur·rent/kənˈkərənt/

Adjective: Existing, happening, or done at the same time

The use of the term “concurrent” when it comes to network, application and data licensing and access metering is applied with some fluidity, with the essential meaning being consistent, but the method of applying it varying greatly and sometimes dynamically.  The unfortunate reality is that not all software products or platforms measure or meter concurrency in the same way.  Concurrency – how it is defined and applied to your selected products – may greatly impact the cost of using the product.

To illustrate the confusion which exists in the market regarding software licensing and concurrency, I’ll use Intuit QuickBooks desktop edition as an example.  There is a lot of confusion over QuickBooks software licensing and concurrency. The Intuit QuickBooks desktop product has a licensing model which confuses a lot of people.  When the software has limitations built in, such as an inability to install the product on more than the authorized number of computers, or if the software electronically validates or activates itself to prevent unauthorized installation or use, the consumer seems to have a bit of an easier time conforming to the license language.  However, products such as QuickBooks have evolved in a market where consumer demands sometimes outweigh reasonable enforcement efforts, so the product may allow you to technically do something that you really shouldn’t do – like install and use it on a bunch of computers without the appropriate licensing to support that activity.

In the world of QuickBooks, there is a concurrency metering element which exists, but it depends quite a lot on user behavior and the existence of the QuickBooks database manager.  For example, a single copy of QuickBooks installed on a PC will allow that user to open the program and then also open a company data file.  In order for the data file to be opened at the same time (concurrently) by more than one user, the file must be in multi-user mode, which is a capability created by using the QuickBooks database manager.  When two QuickBooks licenses (either two single-user licenses, or a two-user license) attempt to open the same data file at the same time, the QuickBooks database manager allows it.  However, if two computers running the same license number for QuickBooks attempt to open the data file at the same time, the database manager will recognize that there is only a single license involved and will not allow both stations to access the file at the same time, remaining in single-user mode.  Only when the database manager recognizes more than one eligible software key (either multiple individual keys or keys aggregated as multi-user) will it allow the data file to be opened in multi-user, or concurrent user, mode.

The problem with QuickBooks metering is that it relates largely to the data file, and not the program.  In a situation where users require only single-user access to QuickBooks company data files, use of the database manager is not required, introducing a potential for unlicensed users operating in a concurrent application use mode.  The reality is that the QuickBooks program won’t generally prevent installation on multiple computers, or installation in a remote desktop environment.  Installing the product into these situations allows granting access to the program for multiple users easily.

In many environments, administrators consider access to the QuickBooks program to be a concurrent access license, meaning that as long as they have no more active users than what they are licensed for, they are in conformance of the license.  This is not the case.  A 3-user license of QuickBooks Pro does not allow any 3 concurrent, or simultaneous, users to access the software at any time.  Rather, that 3-user license qualifies only 3 distinct named human beings accessing from 3 specific computers use of the program.  Because the QuickBooks license is a strange combination of a license for a computer device and an individual person, even having two different usernames and users accessing QuickBooks on a single computer (at different times even) requires 2 licenses in order to be in conformity with the EULA.  The number of data files being accessed is irrelevant in terms of product licensing.

Users of QuickBooks desktop products need to fully understand their licensing requirements as they consider moving their service to the cloud and hosting services.  In many cases, the method of using licenses in the local network did not actually conform to licensing requirements of the developer, and all quality service providers will require that you “true up” your use of software in order to not introduce risk to the provider.  For some folks, this means that using QuickBooks just got a lot more expensive, because they were not properly licensing the product before.

There are an awful lot of folks taking liberties with QuickBooks licensing, providing access based on concurrent users rather than named users, or not even licensing users who “view information but don’t really do anything in the software”.   The fact of the matter is that, if you can run the program and open the data file, you need a license.  What you do in the program is irrelevant, in terms of product licensing.

Part of the value proposition of using hosting and cloud services is a more predictable and manageable cost of IT for the business.  Service providers may understand what their service needs to provide, but often don’t know what their quotes are up against in terms of licensing comparisons.  When comparing your cost of local IT versus hosted, make sure you fairly include the REAL cost of software, licensing, and system administration on the local side.  Unless you do, those changes in software licensing may simply reveal other issues you need to address before you can get a believable comparison of in-house versus outsourced service costs.

The Cloud Is Delivering SOA For Small Businesses

Helping Accountants Work Closely With Clients

When generally-available broadband and Web-based applications emerged, some enterprise-level software developers envisioned a world where users would not interact with specific applications, but would instead interact with data in a view and context relevant to their processes or functional requirements. Data would potentially reside in different locations or environments, but the “framework” would provide a means to define, access and integrate data throughout the enterprise. This concept, referred to as Service-Oriented Architecture, is defined by Wikipedia as “ a set of software engineering principles and methodologies for designing and developing software in the form of interoperable services. These services are well-defined business functionalities that are built as software components (discrete pieces of code and/or data structures) that can be reused for different purposes.” 

It sounds logical, and in the world of enterprise computing it makes sense to develop a means to provide each user with a relevant interface and relevant information. So how does a small business take advantage of a similar approach, and provide for each of their team members the information and application functionality they need to efficiently and effectively get their jobs done?  It’s not so difficult, and it’s called the Cloud. Today, the Cloud is delivering SOA for small businesses.

The Cloud isn’t a place or a product, it’s a platform. (I realize that definitions vary, but when it comes to small business use of the internet, the term “cloud” is essentially interchangeable with the web, so we’ll run with that.) This platform offers quite a lot to business users, in terms of subscription-based applications, data management, communication, and other tools. As these tools and services have matured, standards-based connections and integrations have been created. Standalone applications and separate pockets of data are now communicating with each other in the background, in the cloud, allowing small businesses to enjoy many of the benefits of the enterprise SOA approach.

Consider a simple example using QuickBooks desktop editions and the Bill.com solution.  Bill.com allows a business to manage their bill payments, vendor information, and other data in a web-based solution. Bill.com also seamlessly integrates its data with QuickBooks desktop editions. Using this capability, accounting professionals are able to provide their clients with a direct means of approving and managing bills and payments, and the accounting pro gets the data when and where they need it – in the accounting system. The business owner isn’t a user of QuickBooks, and isn’t exposed to other functionality or data that is not relevant to what they need to accomplish.

Another example of this approach is using Freshbooks.com, a great solutions for small businesses who want to invoice customers, receive payments, and even track time and invoice from it. Freshbooks gives a small business owner direct access to the functionality they need to get their work done, but it doesn’t force them to work within a full checkbook or accounting solution. With the integration between Freshbooks and QuickBooks, accounting and bookkeeping professionals can bring in the data and do the necessary work for the client, but in the program that works best for them.

For accounting and bookkeeping professionals, this cloud-based reality suggests that a new approach to the delivery of back-office support to businesses should be adopted, allowing for a more meaningful level of involvement by the client, and by defining and implementing the necessary controls to ensure integrity of the data.