At a quick glance, it is easy to think that all QuickBooks files are the same no matter if it is on your desktop or in the Cloud because it appears to be the same product. Nothing could be further from the truth.QuickBooks Online is slow and clunky and changes early and often so just when you think you understand it...
QUICKBOOKS ONLINE CHANGES!
SOFTWARE PEOPLE LOVE CHANGING STUFF!
CONTRACTORS LOVE GETTING STUFF DONE!
QuickBooks Desktop Version has been around since 1991, and it has improved at a stable pace that contractors and accountants can keep up with. For the past several years our contractor clients have enjoyed the having access to the tried and true QuickBooks Desktop version in a Cloud environment.
Why do I like using Cloud-Based Servers?
For all the same reasons every Contractor has web access to their bank is to see “The Numbers!”
Money In: Have my Deposits posted and cleared?
Money Out: What checks have cleared?
What’s Left Over: How much money is in The Bank?
You can access QuickBooks Desktop anytime from anywhere; using your smartphone, tablet, notebook, PC or Mac.
Most small Construction Contractors like you find that working traditional hours of 9 to 5 is not realistic. Being a contractor your hours are dictated by the needs of your prospects, customers, and clients.
This means as a Contractor, you may be creating an estimate, proposal, invoice, paying bills or making an electronic deposit to your bank before 9:00 AM or after 5:00 PM (Monday - Friday) You are working in the early mornings, evenings, on weekends before breakfast or after dinner, on Saturday’s, on Sunday’s and usually some time is devoted to business when you are on vacation.
Ten minutes here and there or an hour of productive time (without interruptions) can save even more time. For many contractors, a formal office looks like the seat of their truck parked at the near a Wifi spot.
Why Wifi Spot – Because Contractors need to create the invoice, look up something at the moment to get it off their plate and move on to the next opportunity or crisis.
I chatted with several Contractors this week have been home because of weather-related issues. For those without outside offices. when at Home; they are at their 2nd Office. (Primary Office is their Vehicle)
For Larger Construction Contracting Companies, The Choices Are:
Challenges For Contractors With Staff Can Be Solved With QuickBooks Desktop In The Cloud
Too many contractors have faced issues with their in-house bookkeeping staff “Taking Control” going beyond the scope of their authority (sometimes even implying to customers and vendors they are owners). Bad Bookkeepers destroy more Construction Companies than you can imagine!
Owners (or their spouses - the ultimate partners) need to be watching the numbers and THE MONEY
There is a difference between assigning duties to an in-house Bookkeeping Staff, Office Managers, or Project Managers; giving them access to Company bank account and authorization to sign checks which is the path that often leads to Bookkeeper Embezzlement.
Your QuickBooks Desktop File Is Safe In A Secure Environment – We Use An Intuit Approved Commercial Host
Why an approved Commercial Host versus any Cloud Hosting Service? To become an Intuit Approved Commercial Host they have gone through Intuit’s rigorous approval process. They must be able to document the servers are located in a Data Center with security and encryption. In simple terms, your QuickBooks files are located at a data center more secure than your bank which means it is safe.
It is not resting in someone's basement waiting for a flood or in a closet without 24/7 armed security. I have listened to contractors tell horror stories about in-house servers being downstairs in a basement and the basement being flooded and several cases their home offices being broken into by disgruntled employees while they were on vacation.(click here to read about Remodel Contractor - Edmonds WA)
I Love Having Tech Support Available By Phone, By Email, And Better Yet - Not My Direct Employees!
The Commercial Host creates backups and tests the latest QuickBooks updates before installing them.
Part of being a good commercial host has a plan to prevent the server going down and restore plans if it does.
Sometimes our server has been down or slow, and a few times the Data Center has been down; Server by Server rolled over to a different data center and was back up within a short space of time. Our Data Center was not part of the recent “Big Outage” causing Amazon.com and other sites to be down.
We have been down longer due to a local Power Outage (truck hit a power pole, we lost power and the internet) versus any outage on the server. It is not practical for us to be without internet and access to our Client’s QuickBooks files and other web-based programs.
Because everything is in the Cloud including QuickBooks so we just went home; turned on the computers and went back to work.
As a commercial office, we are required to have a fire alarm system which is hard wired using a land line. As a backup, we added internet to our landline service. Between them, we are up 99.99% of the time.
On January 25, 2017, A Few Blocks From Our Office A Fire Destroyed New Construction Project
http://komonews.com/news/local/crews-battling-3-alarm-fire-in-lynnwood The Fire impacted the apartments and businesses on each side, across the street, and down the block. The street was closed and blocked by police 24/7 for weeks and just recently opened. The remains of debris are still on site and visual reminder of how quickly something bad can happen.
Contractors Constantly Balance Multiple Demands On Your Time
Bad Weather: If it is a hurricane you have time to prepare. Tornados - I am guess not so much. If you had 10 minutes or less to leave; what would you grab to take with you on the way out the door?
Looking forward to being of assistance.
Sincerely,
Sharie DeHart
206-361-3950
When You Become A Client - Then we can tap into our resources of knowledge and strategy banks. We use the reports hidden in your QuickBooks in order to diagnose and understand your construction business and develop plans and help you implement a path to success for you and you alone because every contractor has unique Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (S.W.O.T. Analysis) that when understood can lead to a Strategic Roadmap which cannot help but make a lot of money.
For Construction Company Owners who do not need the full power of a QuickBooks for contractors and want 24/7 online access we offer Xero Accounting Online, and we have a custom setup for construction companies. Click Here For More.
This Is One More Example of how Fast Easy Accounting is helping construction company owners all across the USA including Alaska and Hawaii put more money in the bank to operate and grow your construction company. Construction accounting is not rocket science; it is a lot harder than that, and a lot more valuable to people like you so stop missing out! Call Sharie 206-361-3950 or sharie@fasteasyaccounting.com and schedule your no charge one-hour consultation.
Profitable Contractors and Construction Company owners have known about the value of outsourced bookkeeping services and contractor coaching services like ours for a long time, and now you know about it too!
Thank You For Reading This Far, And I Hope You Understand we really do care about you and all contractors regardless of whether or not you ever hire our services.
We Scan Your Receipts, And Invoices link the appropriate transactions to QuickBooks or Xero Accounting Online depending on the construction accounting service you are using and provide ongoing Cloud Based Contractors Bookkeeping Services by accountants who understand construction.
About The Author:
Sharie DeHart, QPA is the co-founder of Business Consulting And Accounting in Lynnwood Washington. She is the leading expert in managing outsourced construction bookkeeping and accounting services companies and cash management accounting for small construction companies across the USA. She encourages Contractors and Construction Company Owners to stay current on their tax obligations and offers insights on how to manage the remaining cash flow to operate and grow their construction company sales and profits so they can put more money in the bank. http://www.fasteasyaccounting.com/sharie-dehart/ 206-361-3950 or sharie@fasteasyaccounting.com
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