Preface: Each year Intuit introduces new versions of Quicken and
QuickBooks, and the features offered in the various
"flavors" of both products usually get shuffled around a bit. A
particular reporting feature available only in QuickBooks Premier
last year might be included in QuickBooks Pro this year. In other
words, the mix of features offered in different versions changes so
frequently (annually) that it's difficult to stay ahead of them.
I tell you this to emphasize that the purpose of this article
is to describe general information about product differences,
not an up-to-the-minute listing of current Quicken/QuickBooks
product features. Where product feature differences are mentioned,
understand that the
information may not necessarily be current, particularly if it's been a while since this article's
most recent revision date (shown above). For specific feature comparisons between the various Quicken and
QuickBooks versions, I suggest you go directly to the respective
product sites: www.Quicken.com
or www.QuickBooks.com, or
phone Intuit at 800-4-INTUIT.
Why Quicken? ...Why QuickBooks?
The various "flavors" of Quicken and QuickBooks--Quicken Deluxe, Quicken Premier, Quicken Home & Business, QuickBooks
Pro, QuickBooks Premier, and so on--are general-purpose
accounting programs from Intuit.
They enjoy wide popularity mostly because they are easy to use (as
accounting systems go at least) yet are flexible and capable in the
sense of allowing users to do a good job of accounting in keeping
with generally accepted accounting principles.
Another benefit is the broad support these programs have among
business- and computer-related professionals like accountants, tax
preparers, CPAs, and computer consultants. This is more true of
QuickBooks than Quicken, since QuickBooks is viewed as a business
accounting system while Quicken is considered more a personal
finance/accounting system.
There's even a lot of support that's specific to particular types
of business--landscaping contractors, real estate and property
management, trucking, medical offices, professional services firms
(lawyers, CPAs), farming/ranching, and many others. This is
especially true for QuickBooks, and a bit less so for Quicken. For
example my company, Flagship Technologies,
Inc., publishes a book
that's of specific value in farming and ranching,
and add-on software
for QuickBooks that's of special use in several specific business
types. Other firms specialize
in property management, auto repair shops, medical office
billing systems, and so on.
Why is there less business-specific support for Quicken? (1) Quicken
doesn't offer quite as many of the features small- to medium-sized
businesses need, and (2) because again, it is viewed as a personal
finance program rather than a small business accounting system. But don't let that label fool
you! Quicken is fully
adequate for many small businesses, and most people find it easier
to learn--especially if you're someone not very familiar with
computerized accounting systems. And yes, there is
business-specific Quicken support available for several of the business types where
Quicken is especially appropriate, such as property
management.
Finally, there are literally thousands of professionals available for general end-user
support, and an equally large number of
Internet resources: blogs,
articles, videos, message forums, and so on. Have a
question? There are dozens of Quicken- and QuickBooks-oriented
message forums where you can post a question and get an answer in
usually less than a day--sometimes less than an hour.
One of my favorites has been
forums.QuickBooksUsers.com.
It's a non-Intuit-operated forum with a lot of message traffic from
QuickBooks professionals. It's searchable set of
"historic" questions and answers continues to be excellent
resource, too. Intuit's own forums at community.intuit.com
have a high level of message traffic too, and Intuit's
product-related Web sites have many other resources like
training videos and articles. Finally, Intuit's (fee-based)
telephone product support is another option.
To sum up: one of the biggest reasons for using
either Quicken or QuickBooks is that it's easy to get answers to
your questions, and help with your accounting and software
problems.
What do I get with the more expensive versions?
Regardless of the various product names, the core accounting
capabilities of the different Quicken editions (Deluxe, Premier, Home & Business, etc.) is
the same, regardless of the cost of each version. That's also
generally true of the various QuickBooks editions (Pro, Premier,
Enterprise, etc.)
So what are the differences? In Quicken, the main difference
between Quicken packages is the number of additional
software applications included--things like home inventory, tax
planning, and so on. Quicken Rental Property Manager for instance, has
special added features for property managers (...but I suppose you've figured
that out already<g>).
QuickBooks edition differences are a bit more complicated to describe.
What differences will you encounter as go up the price scale? Here
are some of them:
- Features.
For instance, QuickBooks Premier (more expensive) has a
number of features that QuickBooks Pro (less expensive) does not.
- Capacity. The the
number of inventory items the program can handle is higher in the
higher-end editions, and this is true of some other lists as
well. Most users never run into QuickBooks' capacity limits; however,
if you do, a more
expensive version is likely available to solve that problem.
- Number of simultaneous users. If you're running QuickBooks in a multi-user
environment this is important. The number of simultaneous users
allowed also increases with price.
In general, the bigger your company (the more QuickBooks
users you have) or the more complex your accounting needs (requiring
more advanced features), the more likely you'll need a higher-end
edition of QuickBooks.
Deciding: Quicken vs. QuickBooks
Deciding between Quicken and QuickBooks is easy if you're running
a medium-sized (or larger) business: you need QuickBooks because of the
more advanced accounting, inventory, and tax-related features it
offers. But if you're in that personal/small business "gray area",
what's right for you may depend on several factors.
What is your accounting background/understanding? If you
want double-entry accounting capability, go with QuickBooks. If you
want simplicity and single-entry or checkbook accounting try
Quicken. However, QuickBooks' double-entry features are
"disguised" well enough that many people essentially use it
as a single-entry accounting system without even considering the difference.
What are your accounting goals? Will you be keeping
cash-basis records? If so, Quicken and QuickBooks don't really differ
much in what they offer. I say this because, though QuickBooks has
a lot more features, the
features you're actually likely to use are substantially the same in either
package.
Do you hire employees? QuickBooks comes with a complete
payroll system, and can print the required quarterly reports, etc.
Quicken does not have payroll features. (Quicken users who pay
employees either do the payroll calculations manually or purchase
separate payroll software, then enter the payroll figures
manually.)
Do you have a sideline business? Quicken began (and
remains to this day) as software primarily designed for personal
financial management--keeping track of income and expenses,
balancing a checkbook, monitoring investments, etc. QuickBooks, on
the other hand, was designed to streamline the paper flow and
accounting needs of a small
business. If you do much invoicing, or need to keep
track of accounts payable and receivable, or collect and report
sales tax, or send customer statements, then QuickBooks is usually the better choice.
Where will you get support? Especially if you're new to
using a computer for record keeping, your choice may be influenced
by where and from whom you can get your questions answered. If your
computer-expert friend uses QuickBooks, it might be your best bet.
If the local computer store specializes in Quicken and holds
Quicken classes during the
winter, that might be the better place to start.
What does your accountant and/or tax preparer want to work
with? QuickBooks is preferred by many tax professionals: you can
take in a flash drive with your QuickBooks file on it, giving the
tax preparer direct access to your QuickBooks records for preparing your taxes. While the same is possible
with Quicken, fewer tax professionals support Quicken in the same
way. (Fewer of them have Quicken installed on their computer
systems; meaning they'll be unable to open your Quicken data files.)
However, many tax preparers don't really have a preference--they're just
as willing to work with paper reports.
Is there an "upgrade path"? Suppose you think
you'd prefer QuickBooks, but maybe you're a novice computer user or just aren't comfortable with the idea of learning
QuickBooks. A good
approach in that case may be to start with Quicken instead. Many concepts in the two
programs are similar, so you won't be wasting time by learning
Quicken, even if you choose to upgrade to QuickBooks later. Nor will you be wasting much money, given Quicken's
low cost.
And if you later decide that you really do need QuickBooks, you can
upgrade easily. QuickBooks directly imports Quicken records--even
several years of Quicken records will import just fine. None of your effort
in Quicken will have been wasted, and you'll
have a head start at learning QuickBooks because of your experience
with Quicken. It's important to note that you cannot go the other
way: QuickBooks records cannot
be imported into Quicken!
And in case you're wondering,
yes, QuickBooks records are upward compatible with newer
and/or higher-end QuickBooks editions.
Do you need access to your accounting records from other
locations? Quicken is a desktop application only; that is, it's
installed on
your personal computer. But QuickBooks has desktop and
online versions. The desktop versions can be
used stand alone or installed on a networked server for access by
multiple users. The online version of QuickBooks can be accessed from
anywhere--from any computer connected to the Internet.
But the distinction between "desktop" and
"online" versions is less important than it used to be.
You can now access desktop versions of either
Quicken and QuickBooks over the Internet if you hire a hosting
service (paying for a monthly fee for such access). This topic is
discussed more farther below.
General feature differences. Here are some of the differences in the two
packages as they relate to accounting and various goals you
may have:
| Quicken |
QuickBooks |
| Easier to learn and simpler to use (fewer options). |
More features and options but more difficult to
learn. |
| Basically a single-entry accounting system;
fine for simple checkbook-based income and expense
records. |
Essentially a double-entry accounting system, but
can be used for either single- or double-entry bookkeeping.
(Many users use QuickBooks as a single-entry system.) |
| Plenty of reporting capability for most users. |
More extensive reporting capabilities, including
more "standard" accounting reports. More capabilities
for exporting reports and data, such as to Microsoft Excel,
where you can create your own specialized reports. |
| Has a classes feature you can use to
associate income/expenses with specific activities or
"departments" of the business. |
Supports a more professional uses of classes, because it
allows for multi-level (parent and child) classes, up to five
levels deep. Third-party add-on
software for handling classes as profit centers and cost
centers is available. |
| Has features to track stocks and other
investments. |
No investment tracking features. |
| No inventory system. |
Has an inventory system, but with significant
limitations for many types of business. It only
supports the average costing method of inventory
valuation, while most users would prefer a LIFO or FIFO
approach. QuickBooks' inventory system is a good match for most retail
businesses; a poor match for manufacturing-type businesses. Be
sure to you |
| No payroll capabilities. You can do payroll
calculations manually or in a separate payroll program of your
choosing, then enter the wages, taxes, and withholding manually
in Quicken. |
Complete, easy-to-use payroll system. The biggest
complaint about QuickBooks payroll is the annual fee
Intuit charges for using it. Second biggest, is that Intuit
typically "sunsets" payroll support for QuickBooks
versions more than two or three years old. So besides the annual
fee for using payroll, you also have to pay for a QuickBooks
upgrade every couple years if you want to continue using payroll. |
| Desktop only; no online version. However,
online hosting
of Quicken desktop versions is an alternative that allows online
access. |
Desktop and online versions are available.
The online version (QuickBooks
Online) can be accessed from any computer running
a Web browser. Online hosting is another option,
allowing QuickBooks desktop
versions to be accessed from anywhere, as an alternative to
using QuickBooks Online. |
| Limited support for invoicing, receivables, etc.,
but some support in Quicken Home & Business and higher. |
Many professional-quality small-business features:
invoicing, customer statements, accounts receivable, etc. |
| Single-user versions only. |
Can be used as either single-user or multi-user. The number of simultaneous
users allowed depends on which version you buy. |
| No programming interface, so few 3rd-party or
custom add-on programs are available except for those available
from Intuit, such as Bill Pay and Medical Expense Manager. |
Since 2003, Intuit has provided the QuickBooks
Software Development Kit (SDK), a programming interface
software developers can use to write QuickBooks add-ons. The SDK
has encouraged development of a healthy amount of 3rd-party
software that works with QuickBooks. As for "cloud
based" applications, the Intuit
App Center offers developers both a development and
marketing platform for creating and selling cloud based
QuickBooks add-ons. |
| Single-user street price: about $50 - $150, depending on
edition. |
Single-user street price: $150 - $500 for desktop
editions.
QuickBooks Online is sold on a monthly subscription basis. |
Which version do I need?
Once you've decided that you need either Quicken or QuickBooks,
which edition should you choose? Obviously I can't recommend which
specific edition will be right for you, because I don't know anything about your
computer/accounting experience or your business needs. But I'll
provide some thoughts on how to choose
the right one.
I've already mentioned most of the considerations--differences in included software applications,
program features,
capacity, number of simultaneous users allowed, and so on. Just figure out what your needs are
(yes I know
it's hard at the beginning, before you have any experience with the
program), and pick an edition that you believe will do the job. Check out the feature comparisons on Intuit's Web site, or call
Intuit's sales line (800-4-INTUIT) and ask questions. Or, contact a
local Quicken or QuickBooks expert to see what they recommend. (You
can search for QuickBooks Pro Advisors near you, at proadvisor.intuit.com.)
A side consideration worth mentioning, arises if you're
planning to use any third-party add-on software for
QuickBooks. Maybe you manage rental property and know there's a QuickBooks add-on
software package you'll want to use for that. If so, check with the
vendor of
the property management add-on to see which QuickBooks versions it
will work with. You wouldn't
want to buy QuickBooks Pro, only to find out a couple weeks later that the property
management software requires QuickBooks Premier or higher. (Though you
can upgrade to a higher version of QuickBooks at any time, it will
usually still cost you more than having started with
the correct version in the first place.)
Another thing that can help: you can
download a free trial copy of certain
(not all) Quicken and QuickBooks versions, from Intuit. That will
let you try out program features without spending any money. But be
forewarned that a 30-day trial is barely long enough to get started with
an accounting package, let alone learn enough about it to make a
good choice about which package you need. That's true for any accounting package,
not just Quicken or QuickBooks.
When it comes to accounting software, most people would be time and dollars
ahead to just make an informed choice about which package they most
likely need, then buy it and use it. In other words, do your
homework and ask good questions of
people who ought to know, then "take the plunge" and make
a commitment to getting the software set up and working.
When software free trials do more harm than
good...
The problem with free trial periods for software as
complex as an accounting system, is that unless you already have a lot of
experience with similar software the trial period usually won't be long
enough for you to learn what you really need to know about
the software.
Many companies will grant an extension to the free trial if you
ask. But if your business' accounting requirements are
complex, even 60 days may not be long enough to know for certain
whether everything you need--like specific quarterly and annual
reports, or certain kinds of tax reporting--is available in the package you're
working with. Those "gotcha's" may not show up until
you've used the package for months or maybe even an entire
year.
Another problem I've seen with software
free trials, is that not being committed to a product
(not having spent any money on it) is both a blessing and a
curse. Let's say you download and install a trial version, then
get so busy with work or family activities that you don't find much
time for trying out the software. All of a sudden the trial
period is nearly over, yet you haven't learned all you want to
know about the software! When this happens many users simply let
the trial period lapse without making a yes/no purchase
decision.
Maybe that situation isn't always bad--it may
just mean that you weren't really serious about switching to
different accounting software right now. But in some cases it's
evidence of a foot-dragging resistance to change and a missed
opportunity for improving your business processes. Actually spending
money to buy a software product tends to make people
committed to (1) learning to use it, and (2) making it work
in their situation.
|
|
But I have a Mac...
The Quicken and QuickBooks landscape is more limited for Mac
users than for Windows users. So you need to consider a couple more
things when making your accounting software
choice. This does not
mean you should avoid either Quicken or QuickBooks for the Mac,
though. There are a lot of happy Mac users of both products out there.
First thing to know: In terms of software development
Intuit seems to support Microsoft Windows versions of both Quicken
and QuickBooks to a
greater degree than it supports Mac versions. This only means is
that, historically, Intuit has devoted more software development
effort to its Windows versions. For example, new Quicken for the Mac
versions haven't been released quite as frequently as Quicken for
Windows. And a wider array of QuickBooks versions are available for
Microsoft Windows (Pro, Premier, Enterprise) than for the Mac. But
this does not mean the Mac versions are crippled in any way or
that Intuit
offers less end-user support for Mac users; only that the range
of product choices is smaller if you use a Mac.
Second thing to know: Intuit has published a Software
Development Kit (SDK) for Windows versions of QuickBooks,
which allows 3rd-party programs to access QuickBooks data. The SDK
has encouraged development of a large number of applications
that work Windows QuickBooks versions--everything from small utility
programs, to inventory systems, to reporting add-ons. The SDK also
makes it possible to hire a software developer to create a custom
add-on for your business. Nothing similar exists for QuickBooks
for the Mac, so you'll have limited possibilities for add-on software.
Third thing to know: The "first" and
"second" things to know are growing less important every day.
This is true in all
areas of software choice: the old Windows vs. Mac argument is
becoming moot as (1) good software emulators continue to be
developed (WINE, for example, is a popular emulator for
running Windows applications on a Mac), and (2) more and more software is offered
in an online version or via a hosting service. For QuickBooks, you
have the option of using QuickBooks
Online from your Mac's Web browser, or even a Windows desktop
version of QuickBooks via on online hosting service.
Is there an online version of Quicken? Of
QuickBooks? What about using an hosting service?
Intuit only offers desktop versions of Quicken
(meaning software you install on your own computer)--there's no online
version. For QuickBooks there are both desktop and online versions.
QuickBooks
Online is the version specifically designed for online access
(i.e., over an Internet connection). However, you can use an online hosting service
to have access to a desktop version of either Quicken and QuickBooks
over an Internet connection.
A lot of people use QuickBooks Online
quite successfully and like it, but I'm not a fan of it. It has limitations which can make using an hosting service more appealing in
some situations. Want details? See the article QuickBooks
Online vs. QuickBooks hosting...which should I choose?, found
here: http://www.goflagship.com/articles/qbonlinehosted.htm.
As for online hosting, here are the basics. You pay
a hosting service--a business that maintains server computers
accessible via the Internet--to maintain a copy of your software and
data (Quicken or QuickBooks in this case) on their server computer,
where you can access it via an Internet connection. For Quicken or
QuickBooks you'll typically pay a monthly fee of $20 to $50 or more,
depending on the program version and other options you choose.
Not cheap, it it! Hosting costs quite a bit more than just running a
desktop version of Quicken or QuickBooks on your own computer, so why
would anyone use a hosting service?
-
The main benefit is that you can access
your accounting records from any computer that has an Internet
connection--you can enter bills at the office, print reports
at home, or look up customer information from your smart
phone.
-
Most hosting services give you multi-user
access to your accounting software. You can have the benefits
of using QuickBooks or Quicken* on a network--you, and
employees to whom you've given a password, can have access to the
same accounting data--but without the cost or hassles of
maintaining a network. And since all that's required is an
Internet connection, you and your employees or partners will have
access to the same data even if you're in different cities.
*Quicken is designed as a single-user
system. I haven't checked into the potential limitations or "gotcha's"
of accessing Quicken as a multi-user system via a hosting service.
So if that's something you're interested in be sure to ask lots of
questions of the hosting company and/or try it out before assuming
it will work exactly as you expect.
-
Extra services like daily data backups and
access to the hosting service's professional support personnel
can be sizeable benefits. By the way...when was your most recent
accounting data back up done? If you were using a hosting service,
the answer would be "last night". And even if you're
someone who is diligent about making backups, consider how much time
you devote to making and managing backup sets.
How do I find Quicken and QuickBooks add-on
software for my type of business?
Because Intuit has not published a programming
interface for Quicken, Intuit is the source for essentially all
available Quicken add-ons: programs like Bill Pay, Home
Inventory Manager, Medical Expense Manager, and others. You'll find
them on the Quicken Web site: www.Quicken.com.
For QuickBooks add-ons, one place to look is Intuit Marketplace (marketplace.intuit.com).
You can search for QuickBooks add-ons there in a number of
categories. But software vendors have to pay Intuit a fee to be listed
in Intuit Marketplace, so not all vendors choose to have
their products listed there. This is especially true of some vertical markets
add-ons (those designed for specific types of business) and for
small-market niche products.
Another good way to find business-specific
QuickBooks add-ons is often with Google or another Internet
search engine. Be creative with the search phrases you use, and
you should find a long list of software possibilities for your type of business. For
instance, to find property management add-ons you might search
for "QuickBooks property management software".
Web-based message forums are another place to ask
about software add-ons. One of my favorites is forums.QuickBooksUsers.com
because of the free flow of information promoted there.
Anyone--including vendors of the products you're looking for--can
respond directly to your questions. You can also ask in Intuit's
forums (community.intuit.com),
though Intuit doesn't permit vendors to directly respond by
suggesting their own products.
An excellent source of information is a QuickBooks
professional who specializes in working with your type of business.
They'll usually be knowledgeable about what add-ons are available
and appropriate for your situation, and will have opinions about
which ones work best. But how do you find that person? You can
search within your zip code at proadvisor.intuit.com,
but that will only connect you with QuickBooks professionals who are
local to you, not necessarily those who are experts in your
type of business. What you really need, is to get connected with a QuickBooks
specialist who knows your type of business.
How? A
Google search is one good way, but there are a couple
"indirect" ways that may even be better. If you've found even one QuickBooks add-on software
specific to your type of business, ask the software vendor who their
competitors are...they'll usually be willing to tell you, along with
providing reasons why their product is "better". They'll
also usually be able to connect you with QuickBooks professionals who
specialize in your type of business. Those people will often be
dealers for that specific software package, but they may also have
considerable knowledge of what software alternatives are out
there.
And did any of your Google searches turn up books,
blogs, or forum messages that relate to your type of business? If
so, contact the authors or reply to the forum messages, asking
questions. They'll usually either be
knowledgeable in that area, or will know who else you should ask about software add-ons.
How do I find accounting help for my type of
business?
[QuickBooks users often face more accounting
complexity--and therefore need more accounting assistance--than do
most Quicken users, so this discussion will focus on QuickBooks. But
the same ideas apply if you use Quicken.]
Think of this question as a continuation of the one
immediately above. Most of the information you turn up when looking
for business-specific QuickBooks add-ons will also lead to QuickBooks
professionals with special knowledge about your type of business.
Even if they are only available for phone and e-mail consultation, they may
still be your best bet for getting informed recommendations about
using
QuickBooks in your business.
Whether you find someone with industry-specific
knowledge or a local QuickBooks "generalist", hiring a
QuickBooks consultant to help with initial setup can be money well
spent. He or she can greatly reduce the amount of time you
spend getting QuickBooks set up properly; plus, they'll be available
to answer those questions you'll inevitably face ask during your first
month or two of using QuickBooks.
However, your consultant cannot convey "everything you need to
know about QuickBooks" in the short amount of time they're on
site (or by phone), and they may not be available--or may be too
expensive!--for answering
every little question that comes up during your first year. Consequently, most people also want to have
other sources of information available too. Here are a few of
them.
Books:
If you're just getting started with QuickBooks,
and especially if you're setting it up on your own, what you
need are details...about how to set up your chart of
accounts, daily accounting procedures and workflow, program
features to use (or avoid!), etc. In short, you need a
complete, well organized reference to setting up and using
QuickBooks, and a book is often the best source for that kind
of information.
There are literally dozens of QuickBooks books
available, many of them industry-specific. But which books are
"good" and which aren't? As I mentioned
earlier, your quest for industry-specific add-on software, and
your contacts with software companies, consultants, and message
forums should turn up a lot of interconnecting information.
Somewhere in all of that, you'll probably notice
recommendations for books that others have used and liked. And
if you don't see any, visit one of the message forums and
ask.
Blogs & white papers:
If your business niche is quite small, it's
possible that no one has written a QuickBooks-related book
specifically for it. If you are launching
a fast-food chain to sell pickled artichokes to yak herders in
the Himalayas, I doubt you'll find a book on that (but I
haven't Googled that, so I wouldn't want to rule out the
possibility).
In any case, if you don't find a QuickBooks-related
book specific to your type of business you may find blogs,
white papers, or other internet resources that can help. Just be
creative with your search phrases, and you'll usually find some
specific articles that will help.
Oh, and be sure to bookmark (in your Web browser) useful
sites, blogs, etc., that you find, because it's often difficult to
find them again: hard to remember exactly what search phrase
you used to find that obscure site with exactly the
information you needed.
Also, "web sites come and web sites go" all the
time. A useful Web page or article that you can access today may be
gone tomorrow. So if you find an online article or explanation
that's really useful to you, it's a good idea to copy and paste it
into a file on your computer, or to print it out.
Online forums:
Yes, I've already mentioned QuickBooks-focused online
message forums plenty of times in this article--maybe too many times!
But they really
are a great place to get answers to your QuickBooks questions.
However, the best people to answer questions specific to your type of
business are often ones who work with QuickBooks every day in the same
line of business as yours. And those people tend not to
hang out in QuickBooks-specific forums! They
are construction office managers, or ranchers, or landscapers, or
printing shop operators, etc., not accounting professionals nor
QuickBooks "groupies".
Your best bet for finding those people then, is in an
online forum related to your type of business rather than to
QuickBooks. If you're in construction, look for
construction forums. If you're in agriculture, look for farming and
ranching forums. Once you've found a forum that's popular (has a lot
of daily message traffic), see if it has a sub area for
"business" or "accounting", and if not, just ask
your question in whichever forum area it appears to fit.
By the way, it's important to note that Intuit's community.intuit.com
forums do have some industry-specific message
areas, such as for contractors, real estate and property management,
and a few others.
Any smartphone apps?
Yes! Lately there's been a lot of software
development activity in this area, for both QuickBooks and Quicken.
In fact, there's so much variety out there--a broad mix of products
available for the various smartphone operating systems and
accounting activities (mobile credit card processing, transaction
entry, synching with desktop Quicken or QuickBooks, and so on)--that
I won't address any of the specifics here. I just wanted to be sure
you were aware that there's a lot going on in this area.
To find smartphone apps, you can visit Intuit's App
Center, at appcenter.intuit.com.
You can also use Google for
some searching that includes the name of your smartphone OS and/or
the product or activity you're interested in. Here are a couple
searches that turn up some interesting results:
"QuickBooks Android"
"Quicken Pocket PC"
The "Intuit App Center"...what's that all
about?
You've no doubt heard of cloud computing. Although it
sounds like something mystical and magic, all it that really means
is having some or all of data and applications (programs) accessed
from server computers on the Internet. That's a change from the desktop
model of computing, where all programs and data reside on your
own local computer.
In terms of the Intuit App Center, cloud computing means that
companies can write software which is hosted on their servers on the
Internet, which can interact with your QuickBooks program and/or
data. In most cases instead of purchasing these programs you'll pay
the vendor a monthly fee for using them.
There can be both advantages to accessing programs and data
across the Internet. Software and data maintenance costs for both
you and the software vendor can be lower. Sometimes there can be an
advantage in exploiting data relationships between software
applications, or additional services (like printing of address
labels or form letters by a third-party vendor, or even customize
mailing services) can be greatly streamlined.
There can be disadvantages too. What happens when the vendor's
server is down (inaccessible)? What if the vendor goes out of
business...will you still have access to your data? There are a
number of questions like these to consider, but cloud computing is
here to stay because of the benefits it offers in many situations.
You can visit the Intuit App Center to find out more, including
trying some of the applications available there:
appcenter.intuit.com
For more information
Have questions or want to discuss points from this article? Visit
our user forums and post your question or topic there, and
let's talk about it.
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