10 Best Reasons to Move from QuickBooks Desktop Pro to QuickBooks Online 

When a business begins to outgrow the capabilities of QuickBooks Desktop Pro, it often realizes the need for a more advanced and scalable solution. This realization often occurs when the business experiences increased transaction volumes, expands its operations or requires more sophisticated reporting and collaboration features. At this point, transitioning to QuickBooks Online becomes a smart choice. 

In this article, we’ll go over the top 10 best reasons to move from QuickBooks Desktop Pro to QuickBooks Online.

1. Accessibility & Mobility

With a stable internet connection, you can access your financial data from anywhere, anytime, using any device. Whether you’re in the office, traveling, or working from home, QuickBooks Online allows you to stay connected to your business’s financial information effortlessly. Additionally, QuickBooks Online has a powerful mobile app that allows you to perform essential accounting tasks on the go, such as sending invoices, entering bills, and viewing reports.

Explore the QuickBooks Online mobile app and its benefit for businesses.

2. Strong Customization

When you upgrade to QuickBooks Online Advanced, you’ll benefit from robust customization options that surpass the capabilities of QuickBooks Desktop Pro. For instance, you can add custom fields to forms, invoices, and reports, allowing you to capture and track specific data points that are unique to your industry or operations. Let’s say you are a construction company; you could create custom fields to track project numbers, job locations, or specific materials used.

Adding a custom field in QuickBooks Online Advanced

Learn more about custom fields in QuickBooks Online Advanced.

3. Real-time Collaboration

QuickBooks Online facilitates seamless collaboration among team members, accountants, and stakeholders. Multiple users can access the software simultaneously, enabling real-time collaboration and enhancing efficiency. You can work collaboratively on projects, share financial reports, and communicate effectively, promoting a streamlined workflow. 

4. Scalability

QuickBooks Online is highly scalable, making it ideal for businesses of all sizes. As your business expands, you can easily upgrade your subscription and accommodate the growing needs of your organization. This flexibility allows you to scale your accounting software to match your business’s growth without the hassle of migrating data or changing software.

With QuickBooks Desktop Pro, only three users can access the program simultaneously. If you have multiple team members, then you have the option to upgrade to QuickBooks Online Advanced, which allows for up to 25 users. 

5. Accessibility for Accountants

QuickBooks Online simplifies collaboration with your accountant or bookkeeper. They can easily access your financial data remotely, view real-time reports, make necessary adjustments, and offer valuable insights without the need to physically exchange files or visit your office. This streamlines the accounting process and allows for more efficient communication.

Meanwhile, with QuickBooks Desktop, you have to create an Accountant’s Copy, which allows your accountant to make changes while you continue to work on your books. This process can be time-consuming and cumbersome, requiring the exchange of files and limited access to real-time data.

6. Third-Party Integrations

QuickBooks Online offers a wide range of integrations with other business tools and software. You can seamlessly connect your online banking, payment processors, CRM systems, inventory management tools, and more. These integrations help automate processes, reduce manual data entry, and enhance the overall efficiency of your business operations. If you need premium app integrations, like Bill.com, HubSpot, and LeanLaw, then you have to upgrade to QuickBooks Online Advanced.

Discover the best-in-class app integrations for QuickBooks Online Advanced.

7. Automatic Updates and Data Backups

With QuickBooks Online, software updates and backups are automatically handled for you. You no longer need to worry about manually updating your software or backing up data regularly. QuickBooks Online ensures that you are always using the latest version and that your financial information is safely stored in the cloud, minimizing the risk of data loss.

8. Enhanced Security

QuickBooks Online employs robust security measures to protect your financial data. Advanced encryption protocols, secure data centers, and multi-factor authentication ensure that your sensitive information is well-protected. By storing your data in the cloud, you also eliminate the risk of losing data due to hardware failures, theft, or natural disasters.

9. Bank Feeds and Automated Transactions

QuickBooks Online seamlessly integrates with your bank accounts, allowing for automatic bank feeds. This feature enables you to import transactions, reducing manual data entry automatically. Bank reconciliation becomes faster and more accurate, saving you precious time and effort.

Banking Center in QuickBooks Online

10. Remote Payroll Management

Managing payroll can be time-consuming and complex. QuickBooks Online offers integrated payroll services that streamline the payroll process. You can easily calculate employee wages, generate pay stubs, and automate tax calculations. The cloud-based nature of QuickBooks Online enables you to manage payroll remotely, even if you have employees in multiple locations.

Bottom Line

The enhanced accessibility, real-time collaboration, and enhanced workflow automation (in QuickBooks Online Advanced) are just a few of the benefits that you can enjoy when you switch from QuickBooks Pro to QuickBooks Online.