AutoBiz Integrates with QuickBooks Online

Intuit is promoting their new online version, and AutoBiz integrates with it.  There are advantages and disadvantages to moving to QuickBooks Online.  Is it the right choice for you?

Advantages of Using QuickBooks Online with AutoBiz

  • The most obvious advantage is portability.  You will be able to use your QuickBooks and do your accounting chores from anywhere with internet access.

  • QuickBooks backups are automatic.

  • Since it’s subscription based, you will have free access to their technical support queue. You will always be running the most current version without needing to wait for the latest download to install.

  • It works with Windows, IPad, IPhone, and Android machines.

  • When posting to QuickBooks from AutoBiz, you don’t need to have QuickBooks running in the background.

Disadvantages of QuickBooks Online

  • It’s more expensive. As of March of 2014, QuickBooks Online Essentials is  $323.40 a year.  Intuit recommends that you buy a new version every year or two. QuickBooks Pro disk version sells at about $180. However, if you opt to go with QuickBooks Pro Plus, it starts at about $300 a year, which gives you the disk version, with advantages of QuickBooks Online: automatic backups, support & updates.

  • Of course, QuickBooks Online requires a continually well-functioning internet connection.

  • Conversion is challenging, does not convert everything because some features are not available in the online version. And the conversion is one-way only - there’s no turning back. When you convert your data from the disk version to the online version, you run a program and wait a few days for Intuit to finish the conversion for you. 

  • QuickBooks Online runs more slowly.

  • There is typically only a fraction of the amount of information on a given screen compared to what you get with the disk version.

  • The disk version has almost twice as many reports, though this will probably improve over time.

  • In my opinion, the strongest point of QuickBooks Pro is the ability to drill down from anywhere to anywhere. In other words, from almost any report or screen, you can click something to see the corresponding transactions behind it. This functionality exists in the online version, but not nearly to the same extent. Again, this may improve over time.

As you can see, there are lots of things to consider when choosing your version. Intuit’s comparison chart is available here if you are interested: http://http-download.intuit.com/http.intuit/CMO/proadvisor/pdf/Accountant_family_comp.pdf

As the internet improves in depth, speed and reliability, more and more options become available to us all.  Whatever you decide, AutoBiz will be there to help you make the most of it for your growing company.

Adam Irby