QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise: Is It Right For You?

QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise and QuickBooks Online are both great options for businesses looking to streamline accounting and financial management processes. 

However, there are some key differences between the two that may make QuickBooks Enterprise the better choice. Read on to find out the version that works best for you: desktop or online. 

The Benefits of QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise

One of the main benefits of QuickBooks Enterprise is that it offers features and capabilities that aren’t available in QuickBooks Online. For example, QuickBooks Enterprise: 

• Allows for inventory tracking and multiple location management.  
• Has a higher user limit, meaning more people can access the software at the same time.  

Another benefit of QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise—as the name suggests—is that it’s a desktop product. Having the software installed on your computer versus accessing through a web browser offers the following advantages:  

• Businesses can work with a product already familiar to staff rather than switching to a new platform.  
• Desktop products tend to be faster and more stable than web-based products. This is especially important for businesses that need to process a large number of transactions quickly. 

When it comes to cost, QuickBooks Enterprise is generally more expensive than QuickBooks Online. However, the cost difference is worth it for businesses that need QuickBooks Enterprise’s additional features and capabilities. 

Many businesses find that investing in QuickBooks Enterprise pays off in the long run because it streamlines their accounting and financial management processes—saving them time and money.   

When considering whether to move to QuickBooks Enterprise, it’s also important to note that for QuickBooks Online: 

• Each company file is considered a separate subscription. 
• Each subscription is billed separately. 

If you have multiple company files, you must purchase and manage a separate subscription for each one. (This could lead to significantly higher costs for QuickBooks Online versus QuickBooks Enterprise.) Keep in mind that each company file will have its own set of user access permissions, which need to be set up and managed separately as well. 

When Choosing Between QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise and QuickBooks Online, Consider This…

Cloud hosting is another factor to consider when choosing between QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise and QuickBooks Online.  

Cloud hosting provides: 

• Access to QuickBooks data from anywhere and at any time you have an internet connection. This is a big advantage for businesses with remote employees or those needing access to their financial data from multiple locations.
• Additional security and disaster recovery options. Learn how the cloud provides businesses with a disaster recovery plan in one step. 

QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise and QuickBooks Online Are Both Great Options

In conclusion, QuickBooks Enterprise and QuickBooks Online are both powerful options for small to medium-sized businesses that are looking to streamline accounting and financial management processes.  

However, businesses that: 1) need more features and capabilities, 2) prefer to work with a product that staff are already familiar with and 3) are looking for a more cost-effective option over the long-term may find that QuickBooks Enterprise is the better choice.  

Additionally, businesses that would like to work with cloud hosting can also opt for QuickBooks Enterprise Cloud. Ultimately, it’s important for business owners to evaluate their specific needs and budget to determine which solution is the best fit. 

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