What Makes Cloud-Based QuickBooks the Best Option for SMBs?

One of the most popular accounting software, QuickBooks Desktop, is known for its easy-to-understand user interface, necessary functions on the main dashboard, and many other features. However, just like other desktop applications, QuickBooks Desktop also has limitations when installing it on a local system. For instance, you must ensure that you use an on-premise system to access the software.  

Such instances can often create hurdles in business continuity, especially when you’re out of the office or on vacation. Next, collaboration amongst team members is not feasible with desktop-based QuickBooks. Mitigating such issues requires you to use cloud-based QuickBooks, where you can access the software remotely and get high data security, daily backups, ensure seamless collaboration, and more. 

Read on to explore what makes cloud-based QuickBooks the best option for SMBs and how it can take your business to the next level. 

A Quick Glance on Limitations of QuickBooks Desktop 

Immobility: Desktop-based QuickBooks means you must ensure a proper workspace, including computer systems and a work environment with geographical restrictions. You must provide your employees with the required systems and create a work environment that caters to your business requirements. Such arrangements can negatively impact your business, especially when an employee is out of the office. 

For instance, one of your employees is traveling, and receives a request from your client asking for a quick update on their data. In such cases, failing to access the accounting software can impact your business and reputation. 

Security: One of the crucial aspects of businesses, data security, is essential in ensuring business continuity. If you’ve been maintaining sensitive data like social security numbers, bank details, debit card details, etc., ensuring the security of these data should be of paramount importance. With desktop-based QuickBooks, the physical storage of these data in computer systems is prone to theft and accessible to hackers. 

Data Recovery: Equipping your business with a robust disaster recovery strategy is essential for confronting a manual or natural emergency. When you use QuickBooks Desktop, all your data is backed up on a local server. Your in-house IT team will be solely responsible for the security of the data during any disaster. A lack of proper disaster recovery planning can damage the entire data. 

Infrastructure: Another limitation of the QuickBooks Desktop is that they include expensive servers and require high maintenance. Besides, the desktop setup requires you to arrange a definite set of office systems, which further requires long installation processes, updates, and license renewal. In addition, you need to hire an in-house IT team to handle the infrastructure, which adds to your overall operational cost of the business. 

How Cloud-Based QuickBooks Overcome the Challenges? 

1. Easy and Quick Access Anywhere, Anytime 

With cloud-based QuickBooks in place, you can access your QuickBooks files anywhere, anytime, regardless of the type of device. Whether on vacation or on the move, you can use smart devices like a laptop, smartphone, iPad, or tablet to access QuickBooks and assist your clients whenever required.  

2. Top-Notch Data Security 

QuickBooks mitigates your data security concerns when hosted on the cloud, as your cloud hosting provider regularly backs up the data on secure remote servers. Cloud-based QuickBooks services from a reputed cloud service provider ensures the security of your data with features like end-to-end data encryption, multi-factor authentication, antivirus management, DDoS protection, Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), and Intrusion Detection System (IDS). 

Also Read: Why CPAs Prefer QuickBooks on Cloud Over QuickBooks Online? 

3. Quick Data Recovery 

All your data is backed up frequently in a cloud-based QuickBooks environment. Besides, they are stored in multiple geographic regions and can be retrieved whenever required. When you avail of QuickBooks hosting services from a reputed hosting provider, they back up all your data on remote servers almost daily.  

The service providers maintain remote servers in various geographical regions designed to withstand accidents and natural calamities. In case of fire or an earthquake, these remote servers provide continuous data availability, and you can ensure quick data retrieval while maintaining business continuity.  

4. Cost-Effective 

Hosted QuickBooks eliminates you from the burden of huge investments on IT infrastructure, as your cloud hosting provider takes care of it. All you are required to do is to pay a monthly subscription fee for cloud-based QuickBooks and leave the rest to them. They even have a round-the-clock IT support team whom you can contact via phone, chat, or email during any QuickBooks-related concerns. This is an excellent way of reducing your burden and improving your business’s cost-efficiency. 

5. Team Collaboration 

Multiple stakeholders need to work collaboratively to deliver adequate accounting services. This is challenging when you use QuickBooks Desktop on a local system. Things get more challenging when the stakeholders are situated across different geographical regions. 

With cloud-based QuickBooks, multiple users can access the same data or file simultaneously from different locations using various devices. It becomes easier for you and your team members to view, edit, and share a file, regardless of the geographical restrictions. 

6. High Uptime 

Regular updates or technical glitches associated with local-hosted QuickBooks give rise to downtime. Such instances might involve both financial and reputational loss. As QuickBooks’ availability holds significant importance for the users, most cloud hosting providers maintain a high server uptime of around 99.99%. By associating with a reputable cloud hosting provider for Cloud-based QuickBooks, you can ensure higher SLA-backed uptime of 99.99%. 

In Conclusion 

Now that you have learned how cloud-based QuickBooks helps businesses attain threshold success in their daily accounting activities, it shouldn’t take much time to choose the best fit for your accounting needs. Factors like immobility, data security, hefty investments, etc., could restrict you from augmenting your accounting needs.  

On the contrary, cloud-based QuickBooks features like remote access, high data security, seamless collaboration, round-the-clock IT support, high uptime, etc., render you with the best experience and help you enhance the overall profits of your business. 

Should you seek more clarity on hosted QuickBooks solution, feel free to contact Ace Cloud Hosting’s Solutions Consultant @ +1-855-375-4955. We are one of the leading cloud hosting providers with over 14 years of experience in providing a wide range of cloud services, including managed server hosting, private server hosting, application hosting, and Desktop as a Service (DaaS), among others.