Quickbooks alternatives?

[drjones]

Hi guys, doing a little research for a client on alternatives to Quickbooks.

He's using the desktop version of Pro 2013.

Here's what it MUST have:

- Full functionality with Purchase Orders; ability to create PO from an estimate, and an invoice from a PO.

- Remote users. We tried Quickbooks Online, but it doesn't have the full functionality required with POs. He does have two people who will need to work remotely.
ETA: BOTH users are constantly remote; he's got the data file on the PC in his home office, both other users work out of totally separate locations. They've been getting by (barely) with the setup their old tech created using Hamachi. Yes, I'm very well aware it's an awful idea and completely warned against by QB....

- Talked to him about doing a hosted server with QB, he's a little hesitant about the cost.

Any suggestions? Freshbooks, others?

 

[carrcomp]

Hi guys, doing a little research for a client on alternatives to Quickbooks.

He's using the desktop version of Pro 2013.

Here's what it MUST have:

- Full functionality with Purchase Orders; ability to create PO from an estimate, and an invoice from a PO.

- Remote users. We tried Quickbooks Online, but it doesn't have the full functionality required with POs. He does have two people who will need to work remotely.

- Talked to him about doing a hosted server with QB, he's a little hesitant about the cost.

Any suggestions? Freshbooks, others?

I've been very happy with Freshbooks.

Start up a trial on it and see if it gives you what you're looking for ... but it might not have everything he needs with the POs.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Either pay the small fee for remote desktop and they can login to their desktops when they are away from the office or upgrade their desktops to Windows Pro version and enable remote desktop for free.

In either case they will have unlimited access to their work workstation and the QBs locally installed with all the functionality of 2013. No server required.

3rd option, read my article on Windows HOme server $47, install it on some old Pentium 4 with hyper-thread and 2 GB of ram and make it a windows home server with free remote access for Win7 clients.

Then they can tunnel into the WHS and access their workstations but at the same time the WHS will backup all hard drives on the network giving them a great bargain in the process.

Its a snap to install and setup, can install it on old existing workstation hardware that costs nothing and you will have a good client with very happy needs met.

 

[repairtechinc]

We're looking at Xero, looks pretty interesting. Make sure you check out zapier.com to see if the solution you're looking at integrates with other API's that you're using. For example, we have stripe integrate with Xero, which is pretty sweet.

Ian

 

[marcink99]

I just converted big distribution company from quickbooks (4gb data file) to macola. If I remember correctly macola was about 10k though.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Either pay the small fee for remote desktop and they can login to their desktops when they are away from the office or upgrade their desktops to Windows Pro version and enable remote desktop for free.

In either case they will have unlimited access to their work workstation and the QBs locally installed with all the functionality of 2013. No server required.

3rd option, read my article on Windows HOme server $47, install it on some old Pentium 4 with hyper-thread and 2 GB of ram and make it a windows home server with free remote access for Win7 clients.

Then they can tunnel into the WHS and access their workstations but at the same time the WHS will backup all hard drives on the network giving them a great bargain in the process.

Its a snap to install and setup, can install it on old existing workstation hardware that costs nothing and you will have a good client with very happy needs met.

On a similar idea. Get two low end mini ITX computers and setup Logmein on them. Run the QB locally and the let the remote users access from there. Upgrade to logmein pro if you need file sharing and local printing.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

The best remote for Quickbooks Pro....use the "Quickbooks Remote" option. It's a special option Intuit has, based on Webex...that does published apps. Remote users only see the Quickbooks program..not the rest of the computer.

Setup a couple of dedicated workstations, ultra small form factors..you don't even need remote desktop and port forwarding and all of that stuff that often overwhelms most people...they just drill in through the portal and access the program with good performance.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

This was the fee option I talked about above.

The best remote for Quickbooks Pro....use the "Quickbooks Remote" option. It's a special option Intuit has, based on Webex...that does published apps. Remote users only see the Quickbooks program..not the rest of the computer.

Setup a couple of dedicated workstations, ultra small form factors..you don't even need remote desktop and port forwarding and all of that stuff that often overwhelms most people...they just drill in through the portal and access the program with good performance.

 

[knc]

Wouldn't it also be prudent to see what there accountants prefer? I stay with QB because my account simply imports it into his Lacerte and Drake packages..

 

[drjones]

I just converted big distribution company from quickbooks (4gb data file) to macola. If I remember correctly macola was about 10k though.

Wow...seriously, how did QB even operate at all with a 4GB data file??

It's such a slow beast of a program, even on good hardware....

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Wow...seriously, how did QB even operate at all with a 4GB data file??

It's such a slow beast of a program, even on good hardware....

If that company had a file that large, and went to Macola...they likely had Quickbooks enterprise hosted on a good server...with SCSI or SAS drives, gigabit network, and good workstations with lots of RAM (I like to do 8 gigs of RAM on accounting workstations). Done right it runs quite well.