QuickBooks has been one of the best accounting software, ever since it was introduced by Intuit. It has helped numerous small and medium-sized businesses with their accounts and finances. It is a great utility for businesses, helping them streamline all their accounting activities.
If you are a business owner, you would know the efforts that go into the efficient handling of accounts and finances. It is always a sigh of relief, to have a tool at your disposal, which makes your life much simpler and easier.
While QuickBooks Online is a great tool to operate remotely and ensure all your accounting tasks are accomplished, it does fall behind when it comes to providing the typical QuickBooks Desktop features. That is where QuickBooks Hosting comes to the rescue. If you want all the QB Desktop features with the remote accessibility and security of the cloud, it is your go-to option.
In this article we will talk about QuickBooks Hosting, how is it superior to QuickBooks Online, and most importantly, what is the best QuickBooks Hosting solution if you are migrating from QuickBooks Online. So, let’s get things started!
Table of Contents:
What is QB Online?
QuickBooks Online is accounting software that enables you to access your QuickBooks data and files using any device connected to the internet. The primary purpose of the software is to ensure your work doesn’t get affected even in situations like the one we are currently facing due to the novel coronavirus. You can literally use the software from any part of the world.
It is one of the primary choices of business owners and accountants who wish to manage and access their accounts and stay organized from any geographical location across the globe. It does not require to be installed into your system. As a result, you have the freedom of accessing your account from any device, including your laptop, mobile, or PC. All you would need is a web browser and a connection to the internet.
What is QB Hosting?
QB Hosting which is also known as Hosted QuickBooks or QuickBooks Cloud is the QB Desktop version that is installed over an internet server. It enables remote access through a web browser, practically from anywhere in the world. With Hosted QuickBooks, you can access all your accounting data and files without having to install the software on your local machine. You can also provide the access to your authenticated users.
QuickBooks Hosting gives you the best of both worlds - the robustness and full-fledged features of the Desktop version as well as the accessibility and flexibility of the Online version.
You can Host your QuickBooks Desktop by installing the licensed copies on a server provided by a reputed service provider. You can choose any of the versions you want to use. It enhances your processing speeds and accuracy, depending upon the server you choose.
What is QuickBooks Hosting Migration?
QuickBooks Hosting Migration is the process of transferring your QuickBooks application and data from one solution to another. Specifically, migrating from QuickBooks Online to QuickBooks Hosting means transferring your QB Online data to a hosted QB solution. It could be hosted on a local machine or on a cloud server, depending upon your choice.
Once you have selected a trustworthy hosting service provider, you won’t need to stress much about the smoother conduct of your application. They take care of almost everything.
Hosting migration offers improved security and easier access to your application and data. It ensures round-the-clock support that is dedicated to troubleshooting all your application-related issues.
QB Online vs QB Hosting - What are the main differences between the two?
While both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Hosting have their own individual benefits to offer, there are certain differences between the two that actually can be a big deal for any business, including yours.
Let’s first go through the following table to understand the major differences between them, in terms of features.
QuickBooks Online vs QuickBooks Hosting | ||
Features | QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Hosting |
Complete QB Desktop functionality | No | Yes |
Remote access | Yes | Yes |
Mobile and multiple device support | Yes | Yes |
Similar to QB Desktop | No | Yes |
Add-ons integration support | Yes | Yes |
Better inventory management | No | Yes |
Processing speed | Slower compared to QB on Desktop | Faster, depending upon the server |
Additional application hosting | No | Yes |
Multi-user collaboration in real-time | Yes | Yes |
Automatic backup | Yes | Yes |
Shipping manager | No | Yes |
Support | Yes | Yes |
Requires training | Yes | No |
Prices | Fixed by Intuit | Managed by the servers |
The greatest limitations of QB Online as against QB Hosting are processing speeds and limited features it offers. While it is still one of the best online accounting solutions, it may not cater to businesses that rely heavily on the full range of QB Desktop features and faster processing speeds.
QuickBooks Hosting delivers faster and accurate solutions to professionals and businesses for smoothly managing their accounting and finance.
So,is QuickBooks Hosting better than QuickBooks Online?Well, both yes and no. Yes, if the limited features and slower speeds affect your business. And no, if you can still manage with the features and processing speeds QB Online offers. The answer entirely depends upon what your business requires.
However, purely on the basis of the features, accuracy, processing speeds, and smoother operations, QuickBooks Hosting does offer a better overall accounting infrastructure as compared to QuickBooks Online.
What is the best solution for migrating from QB Online to QB Hosting?
While migrating from your QB Online to QB hosting does offer you great benefits, the bigger question is what is the best QuickBooks Hosting solution? Again, it is a subjective matter, the answer to which may vary from business to business and individual to individual. However, as we are discussing this at a time when probably more than half of the world is still behind closed doors, trying to survive one of the most difficult times humanity has ever faced, the most certain answer is cloud hosting.
You can host any of the QuickBooks Desktop versions over a cloud. Hosting your QuickBooks software over a cloud can be beneficial for your business in numerous ways. You get all the features of QB Desktop accessible from any part of the globe, provided you are connected to the internet. Not just that, you get amazing flexibility with Hosted QuickBooks software.
The following are some of the most highlighting features of QB cloud hosting:
With QuickBooks Pro cloud hosting, it becomes easier for you to effectively manage your cash. From payment information to due dates of recurring bills, it helps you manage everything effortlessly. With its efficient expense management, you always know where your money is going.
With a cloud-hosted QB like the QuickBooks Pro, you can automatically monitor and track deals, make invoices and receipts. It also provides you the flexibility to choose between individual and bulk billing.
The ability to access your resources on the go should always be your topmost priority in the 21st century. Especially, if you want to see your business continue amidst challenging times like that of the current COVID-19 pandemic. The remote access functionality opens a lot of other doors for your business.
Using this, you can even hire individuals from different time zones across the world, without worrying about giving them access to your resources.
When you are migrating from one solution to another, you wish it to be more user-friendly and easy to use. Even software having some of the greatest features becomes complex if it is not user-friendly. Fortunately, when you migrate to QB Hosting, you get an extremely user-friendly solution. Most of its features and functionalities can be accessed or activated within a single click or tap.
Closing thoughts
We are already well-versed with the benefits each of the QuickBooks solutions offers. However, it is always a good choice to migrate to a better solution. Especially if it enhances the overall efficiency of your business and opens the door for higher growth.
Thus, migrating from QuickBooks Online to QuickBooks Hosting can prove to be highly advantageous for your business, giving you access to a whole bunch of features that are not available with QB Online.QuickBooks cloud hostingalso makes your business future-proof by enabling scalability options. You can always increase the processing speeds and storage to accommodate your higher business needs, as and when required.
