Staying in control of your business and finances even when you are not onsite is important to business owners. The summer is a time when you especially want to be able to take time off and not be at your desk 24-7. In order to do this as a business owner, you need to be able to stay on the pulse of your cash flow and other financial accounting information for your business.
If you are using an accounting tool like QuickBooks to run your business what are your options?
Depending on your accounting needs for your business you may be using either a Desktop or Online version of QuickBooks.
Accessing your QuickBooks files remotely- QuickBooks Online
Since QuickBooks Online (QBO) is a cloud-based program, users can access their QuickBooks files from anywhere they have internet access. It doesn’t matter whether you are using a MAC or PC. What is better and easier than that? No access to your MAC or PC? Downloading QuickBooks mobile app will enable you to be able to do some of your most important QuickBooks activities like create, view and email estimates, invoices and sales receipts; access customer information, convert estimates to invoices, receive payments, track expenses and download and reconcile bank transactions from your phone. While the QBO mobile app works with iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets be aware not all features are available. The best part is the app is included with your QBO subscription so there is no additional cost.
You say that sounds great but for my business I need to use the QuickBooks Desktop software, what can I do to be able to have remote access?
Remote access is also available for Desktop users via use of authorized hosting of QuickBooks Desktop software on third- party servers.
Accessing your QuickBooks files remotely- QuickBooks Desktop
QuickBooks Desktop installed on the server of hosting providers can be accessed via the cloud also. The difference from QBO is you are logging into the server of the provider to access your QuickBooks software. Using a hosted solution for your QuickBooks Desktop software allows the user to have full access to all the features of the desktop software and even supports cross device operation with a PC, MAC, smartphone and others.
Since QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop can be accessed remotely, you have the freedom to be away from your office and to keep on top of pulse of your financial information and business needs. While user experiences are different, depending on which version you are using as noted above, either software will allow you to be able to work when you want and where you want.