I’m not really going to focus on accounting software here, we did that in a previous post. Now it’s where your software is and how it’s accessed. I’m going to use Quickbooks, just as a placeholder here. Insert your own, as applicable. Ordinarily, you’d have a server running Quickbooks and its Database Server software in the office. This means you:
1. Have to have a server
2. Have to have someone to maintain that server
3. Have to install Quickbooks on every single computer in the office
4. Can’t access your financial information outside the office (or not securely anyway)
And, did I mention, nothing about that scenario is particularly convenient or cost-effective?
So really, you have two alternatives. You can use something along the lines of Quickbooks Online or the Pro Plus software (neither of which gets you anything that you’d call full-featured); OR you can go with a hosted service, essentially putting Quickbooks in the cloud. There is a company that I highly recommend that uses whatever version of Quickbooks you have, makes it as convenient as a web page, takes care of maintaining the software, servers, and security. No more server, no more backups, no more “Honey, I have to go to the office and run my TPS reports for Bob because I forgot to on Friday.” Just login using your home computer, iPad (or phone, if you’re really desperate). And, because it’s in the cloud, you can now use any accounting software, like Quickbooks Premier or Enterprise (or Peachtree, whatever) on a Mac.
In the very near future (so near, I’m already doing it) accounting software will evolve to be fully web-based and therefore platform independent. Which will truly meet the definition of cloud-based business solutions.
Stop back on Monday for the next part!
If you can’t wait to find out more or for a free technology consultation, contact me!
Aaron Schlagel
Phone: 505-692-4953
Email: info@s2consulting.net
Web: www.s2consulting.net