Scott Gregory, QuickBooks Expert

5 Reasons to Pause Before Selecting QuickBooks Online for Inventory Tracking

Thinking about using QuickBooks Online (QBO) for tracking your inventory?

It may very well be a good choice for your business, but here are five reasons why it may not...

(NOTE: Unlike the desktop versions of QuickBooks that only update new features once per year, QBO releases new features and functionality more often. The listing below is accurate as of the date of this blog post).

Reason #1 - No backorder tracking

If your business is lucky enough to ship every order complete, then this isn't a concern at all.

If you do have backorders, then QBO won't help so much.

Unlike the sales order tracking feature in QuickBooks Premier and Enterprise, QBO does not offer sales orders. Without them, you're forced to develop some alternate method (think Excel) to track your unshipped orders.

I have seen some businesses try to use the estimate feature of QBO for open order tracking. While that is certainly a start, it usually isn't robust enough to run your business on.

Reason #2 - No ability to fix calculated average cost problems

Every inventory item you create in QBO has two costs that are associated with it. 

The first cost is the one you see in the inventory item master. I'll refer to this as the "purchase cost" and this is shown in the graphic below:

QBO "PURCHASE COST" FIELD:

QBO "CALCULATED AVERAGE" COST:

The second cost is the one that QBO carries that you can't see - the "calculated average" cost, as shown in the graphic below:

Unlike the Pro, Premier and Enterprise desktop versions of QuickBooks, QBO has no button, lever, or option available to fix this calculated average cost figure if it goes out of whack. I have worked with 3 levels of support at Intuit on this issue, and the only sound I hear is crickets when discussing it.

And it WILL go out of whack due to reason #3...

Reason #3 - No ability to stop on-hand from going negative

Do you often "ship negative" to get an invoice processed and out the door?

By that, I mean you create the invoice first, drive the on-hand quantity of an item negative at that time, and then make a vow to go back and fix it later?

If that's you, QBO is going to give you some heartburn.

If you "ship negative", that process then starts to cause problems with the calculated average cost that QBO holds (see reason #2 above). The calculated average then becomes incorrect, and then any inventory valuation type reports you run in QBO will be incorrect. I've seen the effects of this process first hand in a number of customer QBO files.

The Enterprise edition of QuickBooks desktop does have an option to stop a business from "shipping negative". The Pro and Premier desktop versions of QuickBooks don't have this option, but at least they have the "fix" available for the average cost.

Reason #4 - Can't Set the Closing Date if Inventory On Hand is Negative

The closing date in both the desktop QuickBooks and QBO is a great thing! It stops entries from being made or changes to existing entries in closed accounting periods.

Sadly, if you have just one (that's right, just one) inventory item in QBO that has a negative on-hand quantity at the time you go to set the closing date, you'll be presented with this lovely message:

Sorry to say, there is no way around this other than to get in and fix each and every negative on hand value as of the date you want to set.

I have never seen the Pro, Premier or Enterprise versions of QuickBooks flash this message if an on-hand value is negative.

I am unable to even attempt to explain the logic behind the scenes as to why this happens in QBO - it makes no sense to me.

Reason #5 - No Custom Fields for Inventory in QBO

The Pro/Premier desktop editions of QuickBooks offer you five custom fields to use as needed.

The Enterprise desktop edition of QuickBooks provides fifteen custom fields to use as needed.

QBO offers....zero (at least that I could find anyway).

Depending on what type of information you need to track for your inventory (i.e. color, weight, size, etc.), you may find this to be a very limiting factor.

GREAT NEWS! THERE ARE PLUG-INS THAT CAN SOLVE THESE INVENTORY PROBLEMS...

If you like the concept of QBO and find that it works well for other aspects of your business, you'll be glad to know there are options out there that can help fill in these missing pieces when it comes to tracking your inventory.

Plug-ins such as:

• Cin7
• DEAR Inventory
• Trade Gecko

can be brought into the mix to help you overcome the inventory limitations currently found within QBO. Naturally, it's important to understand just what it is about your inventory that you need to track - that will help determine which plug-in may be the best fit for you.

NEED HELP SORTING IT ALL OUT?

I've been working with inventory-based businesses for over thirty years, and I welcome the opportunity to consult with your business on this topic.

 

The Inventory Planner - An Inventory Forecasting Tool for Your Business

The inventory stock status report in QuickBooks is a good way to keep score on your inventory, and see what items you need to order.

But what if you want more than it provides?

Consider a closer look at the Inventory Planner software package to help with your QuickBooks inventory forecasting needs.

THE INVENTORY PLANNER APPROACH

Designed to help e-commerce businesses with their inventory management, Inventory Planner brings many helpful features to you, including:

• Automatic forecast and replenishment
• One click purchase orders
• Overstock analysis
• Tracking multiple sales channels in one central place

I really like the forecasting module, as it looks at both the sales history of an item as well as forecasted usage, as shown in the screen shot below:

The same applies to the overstock module, as Inventory Planner identifies slowly moving inventory and helps to take action on it. You will see if product is overstocked according to its current sales velocity. It can also analyze some common reasons why a product might not be selling well, for example the most popular sizes or colors are sold out.

CONNECTIVITY TO QUICKBOOKS ONLINE AND E-COMMERCE PLATFORMS

Currently, Inventory Planner connects to QuickBooks Online, as well as e-commerce platforms such as: Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce and many others.

You can use Inventory Planner with the desktop versions of QuickBooks, but you'd have to use their CSV import tool in order to accomplish that. They currently do not offer a direct integration with QuickBooks desktop products (Pro, Premier or Enterprise).

FREE TRIAL AND PRICING

Inventory Planner provides a free 14 day trial of their software. At the conclusion of the trial, pricing starts at $99/month for tracking up to 1000 skus, and then scales from there based on the number of stores and number of skus being tracked.

I have found their support team to be exceptionally responsive and helpful as questions have popped up in working with their software.

If you've been looking for a tool to help you plan and manage your inventory more effectively, I encourage you to take a closer look at the Inventory Planner package.

Improve Your Profits and Cash Flow in 2018!

You're invited to my Crankin' Up Your Cash Flow! webinar series that starts in just a few weeks!

Crankin' Up Your Cash Flow! will show you how to manage and improve the cash flow that runs through your small business.

This webinar series provides you with tools, tips, and ideas on how to make this new year the best it can be when it comes to profits and cash flowing through your bank account.

The webinars will be offered over a three week period (each will be recorded of course!). Also, I'll be setting up a private forum for participants to interact with me as well as other small business owners taking part in the Crankin' Up Your Cash Flow! sessions (participation here is completely optional).

There are a very limited number of slots available so we can have a nice small group!

Learn more about how Crankin' Up Your Cash Flow will help your business...

Are there alternatives to QuickBooks Enterprise?

Given the recent price increase for QuickBooks Enterprise software as well as the conversion from the Full Service Plan into the subscription model, some businesses are asking if there are alternatives to QuickBooks Enterprise.

Let's take a closer look at some potential options and explore them in more detail...

CONVERT FROM QUICKBOOKS DESKTOP ENTERPRISE TO QUICKBOOKS DESKTOP PRO OR DESKTOP PREMIER?

Naturally, the first thought is that it should be easy to convert from one desktop version of QuickBooks to another, right?

Not so fast...

If the goal is to convert from QuickBooks Desktop Pro to QuickBooks Desktop Premier, the conversion is simple.

If the goal is to convert from QuickBooks Desktop Pro or Premier into QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, that conversion is also simple.

Going the other way and converting from QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise into QuickBooks Desktop Pro or Premier is not simple at all.

In fact, it cannot be done directly - there is no button or feature in Enterprise that will allow you to downgrade to Pro or Premier. You simply can't do it.

There are third parties that offer a paid QuickBooks Enterprise downgrade service, so you could certainly consider that as an option.

Just understand...

If you do opt to move to Pro or Premier, Pro is limited to a maximum of 3 users at a time in the company file, and Premier is limited to a maximum of 5 users at a time in the company file. There are also other key differences between the Enterprise, Premier and Pro versions of QuickBooks that you'll need to study so you know what you may be giving up. Chances are that you needed to get into Enterprise for a reason (more users, better security, more capacity, etc.), so the chances of Pro or Premier being a good solution for you may be very limited.

 

CONVERT FROM QUICKBOOKS DESKTOP ENTERPRISE TO QUICKBOOKS ONLINE (QBO)?

Ok, so moving from QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise into QuickBooks Desktop Premier or Pro isn't a good idea based on your research.

What about moving from QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise into QBO? After all, QBO is the future of QuickBooks according to everything that Intuit is saying.

Not so fast...

To me, I don't have to look any further than this information provided on the QuickBooks support site:

Based on that, I'm not spending any further time considering this path out of QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise.

But wait - they say they don't support moving data from QuickBooks Enterprise. What if I want to start with a brand new file and not move any data from QuickBooks Enterprise into QBO - will that work?

As Intuit notes in the message above, the differences in features between Enterprise and QBO are significant. If you've completely evaluated QBO (and I literally mean hammering on a trial copy of it for 30 days) and deemed it a possibility, then starting from scratch may be a viable solution for your business. Having worked with Enterprise since 2004, I just can't see too many businesses coming to the conclusion that QBO would be a good alternative for them as QBO currently exists. You'll know best though...

 

CONVERT FROM QUICKBOOKS DESKTOP ENTERPRISE TO ANOTHER SOLUTION SUCH AS NETSUITE, SAGE, OR OTHER "MID-MARKET" PACKAGE?

So you've been Googling alternatives to QuickBooks and you see options such as NetSuite, Sage and others appear in the search results.

It's important to understand that these packages are firmly rooted in what is known as the "mid-market" space. They are designed for businesses that need more features or functionality to support their operations and future growth plans.

QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise is somewhat in the "mid-market" space, but when compared to some of these other alternatives, the differences in features and functionality are extensive.

And of course, the differences in cost is extensive too!

As a rough rule of thumb, if your business is considering a move into NetSuite, Sage, or other similar mid-market package, your investment will likely begin in the $40,000 - $60,000 range, and quickly scale up from there.

Guess what?

Intuit knows these cost differentials quite well too. They have positioned QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise very nicely so that it is a far less expensive solution for businesses that don't need the complexity or cost of these mid-market packages.

 

STAYING WITH QUICKBOOKS DESKTOP ENTERPRISE? GET A 20% LIFETIME DISCOUNT!

Sigh...

Sorry to be the bearer of the news above, but I wanted you to know that your options to move away from Enterprise may be limited.

Given that, if you decide to stay put, you might as well snag the 20% lifetime discount on QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise I offer as a reseller.

 

QUESTIONS?

I completely understand that you have more pressing things to do than understand the nuances of QuickBooks Enterprise. If you would like to discuss your situation in more detail, please contact me.

Be sure to add your thoughts in the comment box as well so others can share in your experiences with QuickBooks Enterprise!

 

Eliminate wire transfer fees and simplify global payments with Veem

While attending the Accountex accounting show in Boston a few weeks ago, I spied a session on the agenda that was focused on simplifying wire transfers and global payments.

This topic is quite relevant for my consulting practice and likely for many of my clients too, so I made sure to catch the session to see what it was all about.

The folks from Veem did not disappoint...

DISRUPTING THE INTERNATIONAL PAYMENTS MODEL

The presentation by the Veem team was centered on this simple premise - "rethinking wire transfers and making the process easy and affordable".

As anyone involved in business to business wire transfers knows, the existing process is certainly not easy, nor affordable. And, it is not even close to being transparent.

Take a look at how the Veem approach to international payments works - a lot simpler, and far less hands touching things (click to enlarge):

As you can see, their process is eliminating the middleman from the international payment process. A wonderful idea!

Veem is currently positioned to send business to business funds to over 60 different countries (and expanding that list regularly) with no wire transfer fees. In addition, you can also receive payments via the Veem platform.

DID YOU SAY NO WIRE TRANSFER FEES?

Yes, you read that correctly.

The Veem platform provides you the capability to send payments at no charge.

Veem gets paid by earning a small percentage on the foreign exchange rates that are involved in the transaction. I'll let them explain it to you via this example (click to enlarge the view):

BACKED BY SOPHISTICATED INVESTORS + 40,000 CUSTOMERS STRONG

The Veem platform is backed by a number of prominent inventors from around the globe, including:

• Silicon Valley Bank
• Fenbushi Capital
• SBI Holdings
• Digital Currency Group
• and others...

Veem indicates that they are currently servicing over 40,000 customers - many of them small and mid-size businesses like yours.

In addition, according to their web site, Veem was founded by a world class team of industry veterans with over 100 years of combined experience in payments, payment processing and banking IT infrastructure management, who aim to change the financial payment system through innovation.

Read more about Veem via TechCrunch and Forbes.

FAQ AND RESOURCES

Veem has set up comprehensive pages of FAQ and helpful resources to help you better understand how their service works as well as the reasons why you should consider moving your international payments to them, and ditching your bank ASAP.

EXTRA BONUS...

Veem also offers connectivity to the Xero and QuickBooks Online accounting platforms (sorry, it does not connect to the QuickBooks Desktop platform as far as I know).

SIGN UP IS FREE

Veem has provided me a special signup link to share with you to get you right into the flow of using their service. There are no signup fees of any type to use the Veem service!

CHEERS TO THEIR SUCCESS...

If there ever was something that needed disruption, it is the wire transfer process. I think back to my CFO days 20+ years ago, and all the hassles I had with that process. You never knew much about what was going on, other than that I was getting nicked by fees all along the way.

All I know is that if Veem existed back then, I'd have signed up in a flash!

I wish the Veem team great success as they tackle this challenge...

 

Are you using Veem today? I welcome your feedback on how their service has worked out for your business...

 

Thinking of Moving from QuickBooks Desktop into QuickBooks Online? Read this first...

If your business is considering a move from one of the desktop versions of QuickBooks (that would be Pro, Premier or Enterprise) into QuickBooks Online (QBO), it is critical that you...

Consider the decision fully BEFORE making the move.

Why is that important you say?

I recently surveyed my newsletter readers on this very topic, and got some terrific feedback from them on this very question.

Let's explore in more detail...

READER FEEDBACK ON MOVING TO QBO

I recently asked my readers the following:

"Did your business make a move from QB Desktop (Pro, Premier or Enterprise) into QB Online(QBO)? If so, how did the process go? Any unplanned surprises or trouble spots? Are you glad you made the switch or do you plan on going back to QB Desktop"

A flood of responses came back (some of which are still too warm to touch!), and the responses revolved around the following themes:

• I had no idea there was even a QBO product
• We're not making any move into QBO as long as we can avoid it
• We've made the move into QBO and are moving back to QB Desktop
• We've made the move into QBO and are happy with it

 Let's dig in, shall we?

WHERE QBO SHINES

Having worked with the QB desktop products for 20+ years now, and QBO for the last couple of years, I can say that QBO wins hands down in these areas:

• Anytime, anywhere, 24/7 access - this is a beautiful thing. You can work on your accounting from anywhere that has an internet connection, or even on your mobile device via the QBO app. It is very true that there are ways to set up anytime, anywhere access to the desktop versions of QB - they aren't nearly as simple as what QBO offers.
  
  
• No updates, upgrades or hassles - when you log into QBO, you're always working with the latest version of the software. Compared to the desktop versions where you have to download and install updates/patches and/or the upgrade to the newest edition (i.e. moving from QuickBooks 2016 to QuickBooks 2017), there is none of that with QBO. If Intuit is rolling out a feature update to QBO, they sometimes choose to stagger the release of those feature updates over time, but THEY handle all of that. No muss. No fuss for you.
  
  
• An ever-increasing ecosystem of add-ons and apps - from my vantage point as a consultant, I am seeing the development of new apps and add-ons for QBO far outpacing those for the QB desktop product line. There just simply seems to be a more dedicated effort now to bring products to market in support of QBO, which is likely due to...
  
  
• Intuit's development dollars are primarily going into QBO - Intuit has not been bashful in any way about plainly saying they see the future of their accounting software -  and it is on the trail of QBO. While Intuit has made a commitment to the desktop versions of their software for the foreseeable future, the new features and functionality baked into the last couple of releases have been quite underwhelming (to me at least!). I'm just not seeing anything substantial happening on the desktop side (maybe I'll be proven wrong when QuickBooks 2018 is released?!)

THAT'S ALL GREAT, BUT....

For many businesses, there's more to their story (and needs) than just the benefits detailed above.

It's essential to have a wide-eyed understanding of the "migration" process - what happens at the time you would actually choose to make the move into QBO. You would either do one of two things at that time:

• Create a brand new QuickBooks company file OR
• Migrate your existing QuickBooks company file from QB desktop to QBO

To begin, Intuit has published a list of information and data that does not transition (or where there are limitations) when transitioning from QB desktop to QBO. Here are some things (not the entire list!!) that simply do not transfer over:

• Bank reconciliations and reconciliation reports
• Recurring credit card charges
• Memorized Reports
• Attachments to transactions
• Audit Trail
• Payroll details may or may not transfer over
• Inventory costing moves from average cost to FIFO cost (unless you are using QB Enterprise Platinum with FIFO turned on) - this by itself could qualify as a change in accounting principles that a business would need to understand and report
• Customer types
• User permissions and settings

In addition, it is essential to understand that QBO (as of this posting) does NOT provide these features/functionality that are found in QB Desktop:

• Progress invoicing
• Sales orders
• Fixed asset tracking
• Price levels

IT'S CRITICAL THAT YOU KNOW...

QBO is absolutely, positively, NOT just a case of Intuit taking the desktop version of QuickBooks and moving it online.

Far from it in fact.

• QBO was written from the ground up and has a look and feel very different from QB desktop - Naturally, it attempts to offer some features that are the same (i.e. creating invoices, entering and paying vendor bills, running reports, etc.), but the process of getting you there may be very, very different.
  
  
• QBO is "in the cloud", not on your local computers, server, and network - the good news is that you don't have to horse around with the support and maintenance of QuickBooks on your local computers. Intuit takes care of all that for you.
  
  The not so good news is that you really don't have any control of your data and company information - there is no way (that I am aware of without asking QBO support to generate it for you) to actually download a copy of your QuickBooks company file from QBO. Also, if your internet is not working, your only access to QBO would be through the app on the mobile device. When you store your information locally, you have full control over it.
  
  
• QBO is a monthly subscription: you do NOT just pay for it once and use it for many years like QB desktop (Pro and Premier) - just like your cable bill, your bank or credit card will be charged every month for access to QBO. No pay, no play. With the Pro and Premier desktop versions, many businesses buy it once and use it for many years, so the QBO model is much different when it comes to the potential economic impact on a business.
  
  QB Enterprise is similar to QBO, in that it too is now on the subscription only basis. As a reseller for Enterprise, I can positively share that there has been much rumbling and dissatisfaction expressed about that move. To me, I'm amazed that Pro and Premier haven't moved to a subscription only basis too (the Pro PLUS and Premier PLUS versions ARE subscription based), but it is not mandatory to use them at this time.

BUT WHAT DO THE ACTUAL USERS HAVE TO SAY?

So far, you've read my thoughts on the QBO vs. QB desktop situation as I see it, being knee deep in it every day.

Let's get on to the good stuff so you can see what your peers are saying:

On switching from QB desktop to QBO:

• Jim  writes - "I did switch from QB Premier desktop to QB online. I had no problems at all switching. The program led me thru the process without any problems at all. The conversion was surprisingly simple and very easy."
• Cheryl writes - " I am thinking about switching to the on line so I can access my QB from any location."
• Michael writes - "I was not prepared for all the payroll info that had to be reentered.   I started in April and had to enter salary totals for each individual.  I also had to resent all payroll pay dates and update each persons payroll information.  The way online is setup and the location of every thing is totally different.  Very hard to get used to where everything can be found.  I believe that I will finally learn everything just not sure it was worth the effort.  Still have problems getting checks to print with the info on the check in the right place.   The print of the check ledger has to be sent to excel to print plus you then have to highlight what you want to print.   It just seems line online is too difficult to get use to and so different than computer based quickbooks.  I do not believe that that was necessary."
• Mike writes - "we are now in the process of moving from desktop to QBO"
• April writes - "I just moved my first client from QuickBooks Pro to Online two weeks ago.  Everything went good so far but there are few things I am now finding that were in desktop that at now showing up online.  I know that I verified the P&L and Balance Sheet when I first switched them over and everything matched up so I am digging into this more to see if it is an issue that just happened or what is going on.  Other than that, I thought the overall proces was very easy and smooth.  Personally I like the desktop version much better than Online because you have so many more options with reports and it is easier to explain to new clients how to use the desktop version.  Everything is right there it shows you flow of how things should work.  I am moving my clients to the Online version though as it is so much easier for me working remotely than trying to remote into their computer.  I have not figured out the whole hosting thing for desktop yet.  I have tried QBox for one of my clients using payroll with Enterprise but I am lost on that.  I don’t know if it is working or not and I still can’t get it where more than one of us can be in there at a time."
  
  
• Karla writes - "I have moved several clients from QB Desktop to QBO for various reasons, the primary reason being that the client wants to be able to access and/or work in the file and the accountant’s copy limits what we can do and some clients are simply uneasy with that process.  (I find that it works great, but it doesn’t allow me to build reports for my clients along with a few other tasks they’d like me to be able to do, and that is a problem)  QBO continues to be a  subpar product and disappoints me, as a bookkeeper, on a daily basis.  They seem very concerned with the way that QBO looks, but not so much about the stuff that really matters, like being able to run a sales tax report that includes the gross sales by state, which is a glaring omission on their part, but it’s been three years since I’ve become aware of it, and still there has been no attempt to rectify the matter.  I could go on and on, but I’ll just stop there.  One more, I can’t help myself.  I am able to offer a 30% or even (in some cases) a 50% discount to my clients, but there seems to be no lid on the number of increases QBO plans to roll out each year.  My clients don’t care for that and neither do I.

  I do have a short list of things I like about QBO:  Availability of apps that sync easily with QBO, Ability to schedule reports (DT 2017 does this now too), The bank feed option seems to work better, but I still have to do manual updates for many clients and that number is now growing due to heightened security at most banks..  Wow, I’m reaching.  I guess it really is a short list.

  I am currently looking into moving my QBO clients back to the desktop version via cloud access and most clients are very interested.  It will allow me to better control the monthly cost for the product and still allow remote access for a more stable and reliable product."

• Michelle writes - "IT WASN'T AWFUL.  THE BIGGEST ISSUE WITH THE MOVE RELATES TO THE BANK RECONCILIATION FUNCTION.  THE CLIENT WILL STAY WITH QBO BUT IT'S BEEN QUITE THE LEARNING CURVE."
• Sharon writes - "I am definitely glad I made the switch and I am glad that I am able to get my clients to switch or get started this way."
• Kay writes - "I like QBO for certain kinds of businesses, typically service, and recommend QBD for other businesses, typically heavy inventory.   I particularly like the ability to log in to the client data in QBO when they have questions and the ease of using the bank downloads. It all depends on the business & in particular the owner.  Is the owner willing to learn a new way of doing things? "

On reasons not to switch from QB desktop to QBO:

• Tracie writes - "No, not large enough yet, and not sure how secure our data would be"
• Russell writes - "We did investigate but we must import Invoice Data and they do not support importing IIF files. If QB online offered the same features we would have moved immediately"
• Ray writes - "I did not opt for the cloud version (on-line).  I’m an old dude and I don’t trust my data and applications to some else’s platform."
• Amy writes - "We have not switched to QBO and are not considering it at all."
• David writes - "I tried using QBO for a client who insisted on its use. I found the reports less than satisfactory, the set up awkward and QB tech support less than advertised."
• Rich writes - "We did not care for quickbooks online. My accoutant was not a fan of it.  He said that it was missing some of the features that he likes to use."
• Mike writes - "We have not switched to QB Online because we need the Advanced Inventory features for our distribution/retail  business."
• Nora writes - "I did consider moving to QBO. I felt pressured to move but was not feeling comfortable about it. I finally decided not to convert because, among other reasons, QBO does not support payroll for Puerto Rico. Recently, after reading reviews, I am glad I stayed with QB Desktop Pro. I also considered moving to IntAcct, but I really feel comfortable with my current setup."
• Laura writes - "We have stayed with desktop because of the reports we have heard from other companies we know about the problems involved--getting shut out of their account for hours and sometimes days, many nightmares I can't even remember the details of now.  The worst case was for a company that was able to go back to desktop even though it was a hard process  But I have been told by the makers of the dispatching software we use that the next version of the software will require online Quickbooks in order to import invoices from the dispatching software.  Or we will have to enter each invoice manually if we want to stay with the desktop version.  I am not looking forward to having to make that decision.  That decision may come as early as September 2017 or possibly later."
• Gabriela writes - "Also, I only use QB Desktop.  Frankly, I am not comfortable using QB online.  I guess I'm more "old school" and prefer to keep my work here in the office only.  As a matter of fact, I had been using a program for truckers that we purchased from JJ Keller.  When they informed me that they would no longer support the desktop version and the online version was my only option, I quit using the program entirely."
• Susan writes - "I don’t use QBO and won’t."
• Joe writes - "WHY would anyone use QB Online???!  I worked with a customer who used it, and that progrm is sooooo different from QB desktop it took a major learning curve to address the accounting process.  Online is NOT intuitive; it is soooo different from Desktop."
• Donny writes - "We have not gone to QB online and we probably never will.  I played with the online version a bit but it seemed to have even more limitations that the actual desktop versions.  While it is a good basic accounting program, there are things it does not do, even in enterprise (well the last enterprise that I used several years ago).  This appears to be more for market segmentation than any real coding reason and imho, the 15 or 20 years that they have had to add, fix, improve is more than enough time to have fixed that.  Instead, they made the QBO with even more limitations."
• Wray writes - "We looked at moving to the online products and had major resistance from our staff and have upgraded to the latest desktop versions.  One of the companies in our local business group went to QB online and had a terrible experience and went back to the desktop product."
• Mary writes - "I have looked at QB online and even helped someone else to set it up for their business.  It is significantly different from the desktop version and doesn't have some functionality that desktop has.  And then I have been using desktop versions for decades now and am comfortable with them.  Not in a rush to make a change that would not add any value that I can see.  And would have a big drawback.  Sometimes one's Internet connection goes down, for whatever reason.  I would not like to lose access to QB even temporarily just because the connection has been lost.  I know current desktop versions like to be always connected too, but when I was having connection issues awhile back I could still get a lot done in QB"
• Lucian writes - "Our small firm did not make the switch from QBD to QBO.  Based on my limited experience with QBO, and user comments, I think my preference is with QBD.  The desktop version seems to offer much more bells & whistles, plus the more familiar format."
• Allen writes - "We tried QB online but stayed with desktop premier. Online didn't have the set of features we needed. We have, for example, developed a number of custom reports that couldn't be reproduced online. To use QB online, we would pretty much have to start over."
• Brian writes - "Hope never to have to move from Desktop version.  More facilities than QBO."
• Corinne writes - "we moved from enterprise to QBO and it was horrible.  the data transferred poorly and the functionality that we were promised existed on QBO was not there."
• Connie writes - "I have been a desktop QB user for 20 years. The online version has limitations that are not in the desktop version so if you are an experienced user you would be very disappointed to switch to online and loose functionality. It's not like Intuit took their desktop software and made it available online. They rewrote the Accounting software to make it online so it's entirely different. I have no experience converting from QB desktop to QB online but I am confident it won't go well. "
• Denise writes - "I never moved from QB pro to an on-line version. I have not heard good things about QB on line."
• Diane writes - "If anyone asks about moving to QBO, I don't actually recommend it, but I just tell them it's going to take some learning."
• Pam writes - "Yes I have moved desktop to online. I personally hate online quickbooks but my son argued with me to have it online so I put desktop online with no trouble at all uploading. I hadn't taken a job with online since 2010 so I gave it a try. After I worked for a day I told him I would quit as his accountant if I had to work in quickbooks online."

On having switched to QBO and then BACK to QB desktop:

• Kathi writes - "We went from desktop to online and went back to desktop. This was several years ago and it was an easy process, but we found online did not have everything that the desktop did, and we were unable to work effectively online. The one thing we did like is being able to work from any computer, anywhere."
• Tom writes - "A couple of clients switched to QB online but they did not take the time to understand the process, We are trying to get them back to Desktop."
• Norma writes - "We had one client try to switch from QBES to QBO but it was such a downgrade in the long run, that they switched right back after less than 2 months.  There were many issues during the switch including
  1. The reconciliations did not go thru
  2. Equity side had issues where it would not tie / roll forward number had to be adjusted
  3. time issue with quickbooks online being too slow
• Darcy writes - "We moved from QB desktop to QBO a couple years ago.  QBO worked well for us since we are not inventory-intensive and our accounting needs are very simple.  BUT, we moved back to QBD (Pro) because it is less expensive than a QBO subscription... and since we use Crik-IT, our team can access info they need via that."
• Sherry writes - "We just switched over from QB Desktop to QB Online.  There are several features that aren't available in QBO that are essential to my operations.  First, you can only send an invoice by email to one address, unless you set it up as a recurring invoice.  Many of my clients have the invoice sent to them for approval and directly to their AP Department to save time. I had crazy problems setting up the invoice template, but I always have issues with QB templates.  They're not exactly easy to work with.  Also, you can't pay vendors using direct deposit.  Our sub-contractors are used to being paid by DD and I had to set up a whole new system to deal with getting the money into their accounts.  I've also got lots of questions about the software and help isn't very helpful.  I'm one who likes to have a manual available so I can look up the answers and learn something in the process.  If I could, I would go back to desktop, but I've got partners in other states who want transparency and the ability to look at the books whenever they want."

 Other comments:

• Robert writes - "I Use both Desktop & online.  The online is very limited in capability as compared to desktop.  The reason I use both is that I use client’s systems and they vary. The client using online is looking at going to Enterprise with Hosting. They have multiple locations and that seems easier than managing a File Server."

HERE'S WHAT NOT TO DO...AND THINGS YOU SHOULD DO

Hopefully this article has provided some insights that help solidify the key point I mentioned early on:

Consider the decision on moving into QBO fully BEFORE making such a move.

DON'T:

• Make a move into QBO because the boss talked to his friend over the weekend who said it's "great"
• Make a move into QBO because your accountant is "only working with businesses in the cloud now" (or some derivative of that - this is one of the most ridiculous things I have heard in years)
• Make a move into QBO because of external pressures
• Make a move into QBO without a complete and thorough test-drive of QBO AND a full understanding of what will/will not transfer over from QB desktop into QBO.

 DO:

• Take a full test drive of QBO (what I mean by this is literally run all your current transactions and reports through it to ensure it works well for you) and gain a full understanding of what will/will not transfer over from QB desktop into QBO (yes, I am repeating myself, as this is a super critical thing to understand)
• Be certain to run copies of all your critical reports (balance sheet, profit and loss, AR Summary/Detail, AP Summary/Detail, Inventory Summary/Detail etc.) both BEFORE you transition and AFTER you transition to ensure everything balances before and after
• Make the move to QBO once you've checked it out for the specific nuances of YOUR business
• Enjoy your new software, as you will have moved into QBO in the best possible manner - with your eyes wide open...

 

That's my take on the question of whether to move from QuickBooks desktop into QuickBooks online. I welcome your comments to keep the conversation going!

 

 

 

Reconcile ANY Asset, Liability or Equity Account in QuickBooks

Here's a tip to simplify your accounting even more...

Take advantage of the fact that QuickBooks will allow you to reconcile ANY asset, liability or equity account balance!

Many businesses are already taking advantage of the QuickBooks reconciliation feature for their bank and credit card accounts (if you're not doing that, you should be!). But it can offer even more to you.

Here's how...

When you get into the reconciliation window, you can choose ANY balance sheet account from the drop down list that appears, as shown in the sample below:

Where could this come in handy?

Pretty much any account where you are tracking activity in and out of the course of a month, including:

• Reconciling prepayments of inventory or other prepaid assets
• Employee advances
• Reconciling accruals and payments of payroll taxes
• Reconciling partner distributions and payments

Once you've completed the process, if you go to look at the account register for the account you just finished, you'll note the familiar "check box" to indicate the transaction has been properly reconciled and the account is up to date:

That's all there is to it!

Note that this trick works in both the desktop and online versions of QuickBooks.

 

Reduce Check Fraud in Your Business with Positive Pay - The Treasury Software Solution for QuickBooks

Were you aware that a staggering average of 1.2 million fraudulent checks enter the banking system every day and losses are growing 2.5% annually (source: American Bankers Association)?

If your business is still issuing paper checks, you may easily become part of those statistics.

And what a pain that would be - trying to work your way through unraveling the implications of a scammed check.

I have some great news for you!

There is an easy way to help prevent your business from becoming a victim of check fraud.

The solution is called Positive Pay.

POSITIVE PAY TO THE RESCUE

According to Wikipedia, "Positive pay is a service whereby the company electronically shares its check register of all written checks with the bank. The bank therefore will only pay checks listed in that register, with exactly the same specifications as listed in the register (amount, payee, serial number, etc.). This system dramatically reduces check fraud."

This article on Positive Pay from Provident Bank also offers some insights into the benefits of using Positive Pay, which may include:

• A reduction of disbursements risk
• Simplifying your accounts payable process
• Improved control

POSITIVE PAY AND QUICKBOOKS

In order for this process to work, your bank needs to receive details about the checks you have written so they can compare it to the checks presented for them to clear.

Naturally, the details about the checks you have written could be manually created and uploaded to your bank.

However, this process should be automated to keep it fast and simple.

Even though millions of businesses use QuickBooks accounting software to issue their checks, there is no direct way to easily create a file of the checks you have written to upload to your bank. Unfortunately, there is no magic button within QuickBooks to tackle that task.

Enter the Treasury Software Positive Pay solution...

EASILY CREATE A POSITIVE PAY FILE FROM YOUR QUICKBOOKS DESKTOP OR QB ONLINE

The folks at Treasury Software have created a solution for QuickBooks users that allows them an easy point and click solution to creating a Positive Pay check file directly out of their QuickBooks company file.

Their solution works with both the desktop versions of QuickBooks (Pro, Premier and Enterprise) and the Online versions.

Here's a quick visual of how it works:

 

With the Treasury Software Positive Pay for QuickBooks solution, QuickBooks users enjoy all of the features and benefits of Bank Positive Pay, such as:

• Easily create positive pay files in your bank's format
• Quick setup with Bank Express Codes for your bank
• Full audit trail
• Exception reporting and research tools

VERY SPECIAL DISCOUNT CODE FOR MY READERS

The folks at Treasury Software have been kind enough to create a special discount code for my loyal readers that applies to all of their products (big thanks to Treasury Software!!)

To snag your 30% discount code on their Positive Pay for QuickBooks (or any other of their products), just type in the code BBL27 and you will get a 30% discount! It's that easy...

WHAT'S YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH POSITIVE PAY?

Have you been using positive pay in your business to reduce check fraud?

Care to share your experience with it so everyone can learn more about it?

Just drop your comments in the box below (or click the "view in browser" if reading this via e-mail) to pass along your comments and insights. Greatly appreciate them!

Simplify Sales Rep Tracking, Reporting, and Remote Access with Crik-IT for QuickBooks

Do you find yourself constantly working to provide reports, details, and snippets of other information to the sales reps for your business?

Have you considered moving toward more of a "self-serve" approach and letting your sales reps access this information themselves without you being stuck in the middle?

If so, consider the Crik-IT sales rep/CRM portal for QuickBooks.

Their solution will provide sales reps (and customers too!) with access to current sales reports, dashboards, inventory, order and invoice information. Reps can also enter orders themselves as well if you want them to!

THE CRIK-IT PORTAL/CRM FOR SALES REPS

Here are some of the reports that your reps would have at their fingertips:

• Year over year sales comparisons for a 3 year period
• Monthly sales comparisons for the past 3 years
• Reports by SKU, customer, rep or product line
• And more...

The Crik-IT Portal/CRM can also help automate and streamline the administration of your sales reps in the following ways:

• Complete remote access - no need for them to be inside QuickBooks itself
• Lead and opportunity tracking
• Order entry
• Inventory availability

Here is a sample dashboard view from Crik-IT:

And here are samples of a few of the reports available for instant access:

 

FREE TRIAL FOR QUICKBOOKS DESKTOP OR QUICKBOOKS ONLINE

Crik-IT is compatible with both the desktop versions of QuickBooks (Pro, Premier and Enterprise) in addition to QuickBooks Online. You can grab your 30 day free trial today.

Take it for a test drive so you can get a deeper look at how it can solve common headaches when working with a team of sales reps.

PRICING FOR CRIK-IT

Crik-IT is offered in several different packages, which include:

• Customer Service Package
• Order Desk Package
• Sales Force Package
• Full Circle Package

For example, the Customer Service Package starts at $29/month for 1 user, and then an additional $15/month for additional users.

Features and functionality scale up as you move across the various package offerings. Just follow the Pricing link on this page for more details.

WHAT'S YOUR APPROACH TO SALES REP MANAGEMENT?

I'm curious - do you currently use CRIK-IT? Have any thoughts to share on it?

Using something else for managing your reps?

Please let me know how you're handling this aspect of your business - others will be interested as well!

The Jobber App for Your Mobile Service Business

If you visit your customers to provide your services, need to handle scheduling, keep track of customer information, invoicing, billing, and more, then Jobber is for you.

Jobber was designed and built specifically for mobile service companies - and it was built exceptionally well!

TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT JOBBER FEATURES

Let's take a peek under the hood at the Jobber application, and review the features found there that can help simplify and streamline your service business...

Scheduling - Whiteboards and Google Calendar can only take you so far. Speed up your scheduling with Jobber’s map view by assigning jobs to employees using the smartest route. Our job scheduling wizard can easily create complicated recurring job schedules. Jobber's drag-and-drop calendar covers all scheduling scenarios such as month, week, and daily views. Includes:

• Job scheduling wizard
• Ability to view map routing
• Drag and drop calendar
• Route optimization and website integration are available as add-ons

CRM - All of your client’s past jobs, quotes, invoices, and payments are easily searchable. Access the information anywhere with iOS and Android Apps. Capabilities include:

• E-mail client reminders
• Client history and search
• Quoting
• Custom fields and tags
• Texting client reminders (additional fee applies)

EVEN MORE JOBBER FEATURES...

Team Management - Assign tasks and jobs to your employees and keep up-to-date on their progress with the Jobber Field app. Employees can track their time, add notes and attachments to visits, and Jobber can automatically create GPS waypoints throughout their day Capabilities include:

• Tasks and time-tracking
• GPS tracking
• Team assignments
• Text message of arrival notifications (additional fee applies)

Easy invoicing and payments

• Sync with QuickBooks Online or Xero (additional fees apply for accounting sync)
• Batch invoicing
• Expense tracking and E-Payments from customers (additional fees apply)

 

GET YOUR FREE TRIAL AND A $75 CREDIT

Jobber is rated at 4.5 starts out of 5 in the Intuit App Center - feel free to explore what others have said about it and how it has helped their business.

Jobber offers a completely free trial of their software, and no credit card is required. Use my link to sign up for your free trial, and you'll also receive a $75 credit toward your paid service.

Are you currently using Jobber for your service business? Feel free to add your comments to the conversation in the box below!