12 Reasons to Move from QuickBooks Desktop Premier to QuickBooks Online Today

Many businesses move their clients from QuickBooks Desktop Premier to QuickBooks Online to be able to work from anywhere, collaborate with clients in real-time, and automate their workflows. 

If you’re using QuickBooks Premier, then you might be missing out on some notable benefits of QuickBooks Online. Here are 12 reasons why you should move from QuickBooks Premier to QuickBooks Online today:

1. Automation

There are several accounting tasks that you can automate using QuickBooks Online, including accounts payable (A/P) and accounts receivable (A/R) management, payroll, and task management. For instance, if you have customers that pay you on a regular basis, you can set up recurring invoices, so you don’t have to manually create and send an invoice every billing period. If you subscribe to QuickBooks Advanced, you can use batch invoicing to send multiple invoices to different clients in one go. This is extremely useful if you have customers who use the same services from you. 

Learn the top 10 benefits of using QuickBooks Online Advanced for your business.

2. Ease of File Sharing

With QuickBooks Desktop Premier, you need to make an Accountant’s Copy of your accounting files and then send it to your ProAdvisor. Your accountant can make adjustments to past periods, while you’re working on transactions in the current period. This is an acceptable approach, but it’s not as convenient as sharing your files through QuickBooks Online. With QuickBooks Online, you only need to send an invitation email to your ProAdvisor, and they will have remote access to your books.

3. Protected Data

Desktop files are not as protected as cloud-based files. Files stored on your computer can be corrupted from improper use or sharing, and they can be accessed by the wrong person, especially if different people use your computer. In QuickBooks Online, all files are stored in the cloud and are protected by advanced encryption technology to keep your accounting files secure. 

4. Ability to Work from Anywhere

QuickBooks Desktop Premier is an on-premise program that needs to be installed on the computer where you use it. With QuickBooks Online, you only need an internet-enabled device to access your files. You can work from anywhere and on any device you want, whether from your tablet, computer, or mobile device. 

Discover the benefits of QuickBooks Online and cloud accounting.

5. Ample Integrations

QuickBooks Desktop Premier has limited integration options, unlike QuickBooks Online, which integrates with over 750 apps. QuickBooks Online integrates with other QuickBooks products, such as QuickBooks Time, QuickBooks Payroll, and QuickBooks Payments. It also connects with other third-party apps that many businesses use, such as PayPal, eBillity, Bill.com, Insightly CRM, Gusto, and LeanLaw. Integrating your accounting software with other business apps improves operational efficiency and productivity. 

If you’re using QuickBooks Advanced, then you can benefit from best in-class integrations.

6. Multiple User Access (QuickBooks Online Advanced)

QuickBooks Premier supports up to five users only, so if your business is planning to scale up, then you will soon outgrow Premier and will look for an alternative. If multiple users need to access your accounting files, we recommend QuickBooks Online Advanced, which supports up to 25 users. You can customize each user’s access based on their role so only the right people can access and work on the right files. 

7. Price

QuickBooks Premier is available on an annual subscription, and each user requires a separate license which may be expensive for small businesses. QuickBooks Online is more affordable as it offers four different monthly subscription options based on the number of users and features you need. To give you an idea, QuickBooks Premier costs around $2,000 per year for five users, while QuickBooks Online Advanced costs $200 per month but for up to 25 users. 

8. Automatic Sales Tax Calculation

QuickBooks Online has the ability to calculate sales tax rates to apply to an invoice based on your customer’s address. This feature is useful if you sell and ship products out of your state.

9. Mobile App

QuickBooks Premier has a mobile app, but it’s only limited to capturing expense receipts. If you are always on the go, QuickBooks Online has a mobile app that allows you to access your accounting files from your smartphone. The app allows you to create and send invoices, receive customer payments, capture receipts, and assign expenses to projects or customers. 

Learn more about the QuickBooks Online mobile app and how it benefits your small business.

10. Ease of Use

QuickBooks Online is easier to set up and use as it has a more streamlined interface than QuickBooks Premier. Since Premier is an on-premise software, you have to install and set it up first before you can use it. With QuickBooks Online, you only need to set up your company information and start using its features immediately with any installation needed.

11. Assisted Bookkeeping 

If you often need bookkeeping support for your business, then QuickBooks Online is great as it offers an assisted bookkeeping service through QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping. With QuickBooks Live, you’ll receive access to a team of certified bookkeeping professionals who will help you manage your books and provide month-end reports.

12. Ability to Track Activity by Location

QuickBooks Online allows you to track income and expenses by location. If your business operates in multiple locations or offices, then you can use this feature to track which among your business entity is the most profitable. Learn more about class and location tracking in QuickBooks Online Advanced.

Bottom Line

QuickBooks Online is a great alternative to QuickBooks Premier as it offers many time-saving features and benefits. To unlock the full power of QuickBooks Online, you should upgrade to QuickBooks Online Advanced, which offers many benefits, such as multiple-user access, a mobile app, batch invoicing, and access to Priority Circle.