Which QuickBook version is right for you?

June 24, 2015 8:04 am

quickbooks_zps1b309b5fNot sure which QuickBook Version is right for you and your business?  There are some subtle differences and not-so-subtle differences that come into play with each version of QuickBooks.  Deciding which one is best for the needs of your company may not be as easy as finding the most affordable one.  Instead it may be finding the right one for your current business situation.  Before purchasing QuickBooks let’s examine the key points of each version and how it may or may not be a good fit for your company’s bookkeeping needs.

Some questions that may help you decide on which version might be best for you would include:

  • What kind of shop are you?   Mac or Windows?  This may make an easy decision to go with with the system with which you are most accustomed.
  • Do you need remote access or only work in the office?
  • Do you need a version that is industry specific or will standard features suffice?
  • Do you have many raw materials or numerous components to your inventory tracking that requires specialized features?

After considering these questions, you are ready to look at the main features of each version of QuickBooks.

  • QuickBooks for Mac – This is a different software package than all of the others.  All of the other versions of QuickBooks (not the Online version of course) run on Windows. QuickBooks Mac is built to use the user interface framework of a Mac, so the way you access different modules and sections of the software is very Mac-centric.
  • QuickBooks Online – For small businesses that rely on travel and do most of their business on-the-go, this is a great version for you.  This online service, along with being easily accessed remotely, has secure data back up of files.  There are five versions of online QuickBooks:  Online Simple Start
    Online Essentials
    Online Plus
    Online Essentials with Payroll
    Online Plus with Payroll
  • QuickBooks Pro – This is one of the more popular versions of QuickBooks.  It is reasonably priced and is known as the workhouse edition of QuickBooks. It contains all of the strong features any small business will need to track their company’s finances and when upgraded it allows up to three users to all access the same company file congruently.Some of the main features include: Track bills, expenses, and print checks.
    Track sales and customer accounts.
    Manage payroll.
    Create estimates, invoices, and reports.
    Accept credit cards (with a service).
    Batch invoicing.
    Track time and expenses for a specific client.
  • QuickBooks Premier – QuickBooks Premier offers features specific to your industry and offers increase inventory controls which you might need. If you deal with many raw materials or components to building a product which you then sell to end users, you may want to look at QuickBooks Premier.  QuickBooks Premier has all of the QuickBooks Pro features and adds a few of its own: Create a business plan
    Track balance sheet by class
    Forecast sales and expenses
    Industry specific reporting

 

 

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