QBO Has Filled All the Gaps (Or Has It?)

Ask the Accountant…

Question: I just got off the phone with QuickBooks/Intuit. They told me that QB has filled all the gaps between QBO and QuickBooks Desktop so the switch into QBO would be easy. Is that true?

Answer: Be very careful when analyzing software. The standard answer from a salesperson with software is that it will do everything you need. The sad part is that you will not know whether that is true or not until you purchase it, convert from your old software, and discover it for yourself.

Our industry is complicated, and we have some unique needs for software. The fact of the matter is that QuickBooks Online (QBO) and QB Desktop (QBDT) (Pro, Premier, and Enterprise) are very different from one another. Do not expect to find QBO to be familiar if you have been working in QBDT. There is a steep learning curve. QBO does not have sales orders that QB Premier and Enterprise have. That is a major “gap” that has not been filled.

While you may not use sales orders/order acknowledgements in your business, they can be very helpful in your accounting and order processing because they do not post into your accounting system. They allow you to track orders in process without impacting your financial statements. When ready, you can convert the sales order into a customer invoice, which posts into your accounts receivable. The invoice is created directly from the sales order without any data reentry.

If you are using QB Premier or Enterprise, keep doing so. If you are new and trying to decide which one, you might call me as part of your due diligence.

Harriet Gatter is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor, a former accounting professor and a former ad specialty distributor of 23 years. She advises ad specialty distributors about using QuickBooks Premier & Enterprise, and SAGE Online to save time, eliminate errors, and correctly account for your business. Her specialty is converting distributors from ProfitMaker, SmartBooks, OrderMaster, AIA, and other accounting systems.

HGatter@AccountingSupportLLC.com www.AccountingSupportLLC.com

Please email accounting questions you would like considered for the column to HGatter@AccountingSupportLLC.com with the subject line of "Ask the Accountant".