Tag Archives: SAAS

New QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions Subscription Plans

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This month Intuit changed the way they sell NEW versions QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions (QBES), it is now sold on an annual subscription and will no longer function if the subscription is not renewed.  In addition to the Subscription, there are three packages that a customer chooses from, Silver includes Advanced Reporting, Gold includes advanced Reporting and Enhanced Payroll, and Platinum which includes advanced Reporting, Enhanced Payroll, Advanced Inventory, and Advanced Pricing.  Customers who currently own QBES will not be affected by this change.

Selling QBES on a subscription basis is a major change in the relationship between Intuit and the end user.  In the past a customer would purchase the software and had the option of purchasing the Full Service Plan (FSP) after the first year to keep the software current, if you did not purchase the FSP plan annually the software would continue to work, however you no longer receive product updates, online backup and technical support services.

The advantage of the subscription plan is that it is less expensive to add Enhanced Payroll and Advanced Inventory especially for customers with fewer users. The new price structure is also easier for customers to understand without having to price add-ons like payroll, Advanced Inventory and Advanced Pricing.  If the new structure reduces your cost, you can contact Intuit to switch to the subscription model, however this would be a non-revocable decision.

The disadvantage is that if you do not renew the subscription on an annual basis you will lose the ability to use or access your accounting software.

Do You Really Need Another Expensive Server?

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I was at a client’s office and they were talking about purchasing new computers and the bulk of the budget would be allocated to a new e-mail server.  This is an issue that many clients have to deal with and to add insult to injury they also need to hire IT professionals to update and maintain the server.

I talked to the client and we discussed Cloud applications (SAAS) such as Office 365 and Google Apps to replace a mail server and reduce the need for another server.  My client was thrilled with the idea and will investigate both applications which will help her company handle mail and will also allow the employees to view and send mail on the various platforms that employees use (Windows Computers, iPads, MAC Computers, Android Phones, iPhones, Blackberry…).

I have been using Office 365 for quite a while and I have found that it meets and exceeds my needs.  I no longer have to worry about a backing up my files.  If I am away from the office my Outlook is up to date on various platforms and I don’t have to plan ahead to access information.  In addition to the mail/calendar features I also have used SharePoint to store files that I may need when I’m out of the office.  I no longer worry about last minute changes in plans since I have access to my schedule, mail, contacts, and data as long as I have access to the internet!