All QuickBooks Online plans have basic mobile accounting features, such as the ability to create and send invoices. However, higher-tiered plans have additional functionality, like the ability to enter bill payments and view reports. The main differences between the two QuickBooks plans are the ability to create billable expenses and assign them to customers, track inventory costs, and calculate P&L by project.

You may check QuickBooks’ guide to upgrading or downgrading your subscription.

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While data and notes are collected and kept on the dashboard, don’t expect QuickBooks Online Accountant to work like a traditional customer relationship management (CRM) software. It is designed to make their accounting a seamless process with your firm, not to track calls and communications. This means that some data may be displayed but not always in the most efficient way. The most notable difference, aside from price, between QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop is the Online version is cloud-based. The mobile app for Online is robust, and Desktop’s mobile app is so limited, that it essentially functions as a receipt uploader. Working from the cloud means you need an internet connection, so a poor signal or an intermittent connection can be an issue.

  • The option to limit their access rights is unavailable in this situation.
  • By using QuickBooks Online Accountant, accountants can add customers to their client list and work on their books through the portal.
  • It’s easier to upgrade from QuickBooks Online Simple Start to Essentials, Plus, or Advanced than to switch from QuickBooks Self-Employed to any other QuickBooks Online version.
  • BUT, they are very happy with QB online payroll, which has far better service than Desktop Assisted Payroll.
  • To manage accountant users in QuickBooks Online, you can click here.

Other helpful features in Plus are budgets, classes, customer types, locations, and unlimited report-only users. It’s a great fit if you’ll be doing the bookkeeping yourself and don’t need inventory accounting. With QuickBooks Online, you’ll get everything you need to manage your business’s books. Income and expense tracking, invoicing and payments and automated tax deductions are all included in the base plan.

To that end, each QuickBooks Online plan includes cash flow forecasting. From the dashboard, a cash flow formatting snapshot shows you both where your business stands now and where it likely will stand financially several months to a year down the road. QuickBooks Online also syncs with a variety of payroll tools, including the accountant-friendly QuickBooks Online Payroll.

What can an accountant do in QuickBooks online?

I’m always here in the Community if you have further concerns processing online payroll in QBDT for Mac. Ensuring that you can process your payroll on your QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) billable hours for Mac program is a great help so you’ll be able to pay your employee correctly each payment period. Ask questions, get answers, and join our large community of QuickBooks users.

App integration

The Premium and Elite plans also support automatic filings for state new hire paperwork. Reporting tools are available on the Simple Start plan but they are a bit limited. Vehicle tracking is included, too, should you need to invoice for fuel and driving time for any job. You can also create a supplier database and generate purchase orders to help manage your accounts payable.

Terms, conditions, pricing, special features, and service and support options subject to change without notice. If you choose to cancel your QuickBooks Online subscription, you will still have access to your QuickBooks Money account and data. If you don’t need accounting just yet, our new money solution offers banking, payments, and 5.00% APY—all with no subscription or starting fees. The best QuickBooks Online version depends on the size of your business and your particular needs. If you deal with inventory or large projects heavily, Plus is the best option.

Let’s build your business together

Although QuickBooks Online is a great cloud-based accounting platform, it isn’t the only one. The right QuickBooks Online plan depends on the size of your business and the features you need. For example, Self-Employed is best for freelancers or solopreneurs, while Simple Start is ideal for small businesses wanting to track assets and liabilities. Essentials is preferable if you need to track unpaid bills, while Plus is great if you require inventory and project management. Plus includes inventory accounting that allows you to monitor stock items and quantity—a necessity if you’re selling products. It uses first-in, first-out (FIFO) inventory tracking, an essential feature that helps manufacturers or retailers determine how their inventory affects their profitability.

Is QuickBooks Online better than Desktop?

QuickBooks Online Advanced is the newest subscription level in the QuickBooks family. It includes the features in Simple Start, Essentials, and Plus, with additional features for a growing business approaching mid-market size. You can set up a chart of accounts with an unlimited number of accounts to meet the needs of your business. When it seems like there is a business software application for everything, it pays to be choosy.

Though QuickBooks Online has a handful of convenient features that can speed up your workflow and even automate some of it, the software can be complex. You’ll get the most out of it if you have some knowledge of basic accounting concepts. Whereas you might be able to use some software alternatives without explanation, it may take some time to get the hang of QuickBooks. Competitors like Xero and FreshBooks offer basic inventory tracking for less, but it isn’t as advanced.