We are often asked by our clients, “Which is better; QuickBooks Online or the desktop version?” Even though our company has our own personal opinion on which software if better, it’s important to find out how the varying functions of QuickBooks line up with your bookkeeping needs in order to suggest which is best for you.
In order to help you decide which one will best fit your needs, it is important to understand the pros and cons of both. We hope this post can help aid you in making the best decision on how to reach the level of efficiency and functionality you require.
To begin, if you are looking for the convenience of having access anytime and anywhere to your company’s books, the online version offers access for up to 25 simultaneous users while the desktop version does not. This, of course, does not mean that if you choose the desktop version you’re not able to access your data when you are on the go. By using a remote connection software, you are able to work on your file via remote access. We currently use this with several of our clients with great success. You can also have your information hosted on a cloud-based server which would allow you to access it from any computer.
If you are a retail establishment using QuickBooks Point of Sale, the desktop version would be the best option since the online version does not integrate with this software. However, when it comes to upgrades and technical support the only one that offers this at no additional cost is QuickBooks online.
If you would like to use class tracking to see profitability by specific areas within your business, you are able to do so using the desktop version, but you’ll have to upgrade to QuickBooks Online Plus in order to have access to this function. The same goes for 1099 processing.
In order to track costs by job, you might want to consider the desktop version. Even though the online version does allow you to track expenses in this manner, it does not offer complete job costing like the desktop version provides.
These are just a few of the many differences between these two versions of QuickBooks. Our company recommends that before making your decision you ask yourself what bookkeeping functions can you live without and which ones are absolutely necessary to help you achieve the organization and efficiency you need.
There are software integration you can use to improve the functionality of QBO, but most of them have additional monthly fees, so can potentially become cost-prohibitive if your cash flow is tight.
As you can see, choosing the right software isn’t always very simple. Analyze the available features of the desktop and online version and see which offers the features you most desire. If you require some extra guidance on determining what will be the best fit for you, call us at 310-534-5577 or send an e-mail to [email protected] and our staff would be happy to speak with you.
Information Source:
http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/articles/INF13206
