Upgrade to QuickBooks 2013 in the Cloud

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

What a Virtual Desktop Is and How it Pertains to Running QuickBooks in the Cloud

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.

Click here to learn more.

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.

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.

Reasons To Move Applications Like QuickBooks To The Cloud

Moving your desktop version of Intuit’s QuickBooks to the cloud so you can access it online has obvious benefits. The application was made for, and is needed by, people that are geographically separated but still require access. Aside from that, generally working in the cloud has also proven beneficial for a variety of reasons. It saves money, time and helps businesses be more productive and function more efficiently. But if you still haven’t heard enough about QuickBooks hosting to make you move your desktop version to the cloud, here are some facts about cloud computing that might motivate you to take action.

• The average downtime when running applications in-house is 4X longer than that which is seen with applications hosted in the cloud.
• 53% of professionals move to the cloud due to ease of management.
• IBM estimates that cloud computing can reduce IT labor by as much as 50%, and overall IT costs (including hardware, software, maintenance and energy) as much as 29%.
• The number of businesses utilizing the cloud will jump from 14% in 2010 to over 40% in 2014.
• It is estimated that cloud computing will help reduce data center energy consumption by 38% globally by 2014.

With so many benefits, it makes sense to move your QuickBooks to a hosted platform. Be sure to look for future articles that help businesses and professionals move to the cloud with a provider that offers the hosting services that they need. When it comes to reviewing QuickBooks hosting providers, knowing the right questions to ask is key.

(Data provided by Cloud Computing Outlook, Cloud.com & http://www.quickbookshostingexperts.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.

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.