I switched to QuickBooks Online (QBO) for my company two years ago. I started learning, using and consulting on it from inception. I love it’s ability to seamlessly integrate with other SAAS products (Software As A Service) and I love the anywhere access. What took me so long when I could’ve had anywhere access from the early years? The list is long, but the good news is that Intuit now has a true focus on making it the best product ever. Believe me, Intuit has some competition out there with the online world, but they are fantastic at rising to the challenge. In fact, that is one of the answers to the question, Why now and not then? Because QuickBooks Desktop, which came out in the DOS 1.0 version in 1993 and moved to Windows shortly after, was their focus. And they just made it better. I was a QuickBooks Enterprise User, but I am now of the belief that I am in the right spot for the majority of what I do and what my clients need.
If you read Intuit’s Press Release from 2003, you would think I’m way behind the times in just adopting this ecosystem. Here is an excerpt:
| Web-Based Accounting Gaining Momentum |
| No. 1 Online Financial Management Solution for Small Businesses Experiences Significant Increase in New Users |
| MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – July 09, 2003 – Internet access among small businesses has increased by nearly 30 percent in the past two years1, prompting more owners and managers to turn to the Web to manage their daily activities. And managing their finances is no exception. According to Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ: INTU), QuickBooks® Online Edition (http://www.qboe.com/) has seen its user base increase by more than 200 percent in the past year — expecting to reach 10,000 subscribers by the end of July 2003.Intuit research shows the increase in subscriptions is due in part to strong word of mouth from current users. More than 90 percent of the QuickBooks Online Edition user base would recommend the service to accountants, business associates or friends. |
But there were pieces missing that kept many on the desktop: job costing, inventory features (Units of Measure and Sales Orders), access rights, custom templates and reporting to name a few. That is not to say that QBO didn’t rock the universe in other areas. (See other QBO blogs).
But what I’m REALLY digging is their swift improvements through QuickBooks Labs. It is like LIVE BETA LAND! When their developers want to introduce a new feature or improvement, they make it available to turn on in QuickBooks Labs, found under the software gear icon upper right. This gives the user an option to turn it on and try the feature. Here are several examples:
- Directory View for Vendors: Sort, filter and view transactions on another tab with ease
- Customer Ratings: Finalize an invoice with a payment and QuickBooks will send out a thank you and ask for feedback
- Postal Delivery (Powered by Neopost): Outsource the delivery of invoices
- Infuse Contact Correct: When adding Customers, Vendors and Employees, validate the address for correct and deliverable correspondences
- Redesigned Reports: Now there is a Redesigned Tab in the reports section to bring updated formats and ease of use
- Company Templates for Accountants: I love this one as I can create a company file for my franchises and use it again at the next migration
- Collapsible Left Navigation: This toggle gives the user more real estate on the screen
For all of the updated information you need on QuickBooks Online, follow their blog at: quickbooks.intuit.com/blog/. And to download the form to order checks, visit our For Our Clients page.
