Method CRM: Now Advanced Certified and New & Improved QuickBooks Custom Reports
These are actually two separate announcements but since they happened around the same time and they are somewhat related, I figured I would put them together since they are pretty huge. First off, I am now an Advanced Method Certified Consultant of
. I probably should have taken this a long time ago, but at least I was able to garner the experience of some pretty complex customization jobs for my clients up until now. Recently, I implemented a brand new business that is
completely
mobile using Method. This was a huge project, but well worth the challenge and experience. And after a few years working in Method, my non-profit client has expanded their tracking in Method to other programs within their organization.
A lot of my database experience that has helped me with Method stems from my extensive background in designing custom reports using QuickBooks data. Understanding how data is structured and organized and then being able to put it all together into an understandable format is key to the intelligence of information. I supported the QODBC driver for QuickBooks when I worked at Intuit and then used it ever since I started my business almost 7 years ago creating custom reports for my clients. I thought I was pretty advanced when I found a way to really speed up the syncing of my report applications with QuickBooks. But now, moving forward, I have found a better and even faster way using the Method API. Taking advantage of the best QuickBooks synchronization provided by the Method Sync Engine, getting the reports that you need is only a few button clicks away. It doesn't matter if you are using QuickBooks Pro or QuickBooks Online, and you won't have to purchase a QODBC driver, QQube, or Crystal Reports. And you get introduced to a world-class application called Method:CRM (unless you already use it!).
SOS Inventory Saves QuickBooks Online!
I have been very impressed with the development of Intuit's QuickBooks Online product. They are moving very fast in trying to get new users of QuickBooks into the cloud. However, it seems like this offering is geared primarily to service-based industries and companies that need to track inventory will tend to avoid it because it still is missing Sales Orders and Item Receipts, features that those of us that have been using Premier or Enterprise versions of QuickBooks for the Desktop have been used to.
Fortunately, there is an app for that! I have tested SOS Inventory in conjunction with QBO and I must say that it works pretty well. I found it relatively easy to set up and use and I especially like the import and export functionality to get my item list into SOS. Of course, this app syncs with QBO so that all your customers and vendors are already there. You can track serial numbers, lot numbers, and create sales orders with easy to customize templates for emailing and printing. However,
there are some caveats!
If you have already been using Products in QBO, it is
very important
that you
turn off
"Quantity on Hand (Inventory tracking)" in the Preferences
AND
you
must
make all your existing products inactive. This is very important when sending a Bill to QBO when creating an Item Receipt in SOS, as a bill that is sent over from QBO uses the Inventory Asset account under Expenses and
does not
use the Product. However, if you use existing Products, even though you may have turned off inventory, an item receipt in SOS will send over a bill with both the Product and the Inventory Asset account when selecting a Purchase Order. This will double the value in the Inventory Asset account, which is VERY BAD from an accounting standpoint.
If you are considering using QBO and SOS for the first time, then this wouldn't be a problem, as long as you know how it works. And this is where having your Trusted QuickBooks ProAdvisor help you set this all up would be a very wise investment!
Portable Productivity: Smartphones Do Invoices, Expenses, Time Billing
These three web-based apps – accessible via your smartphone -- provide mobile access to QuickBooks data.
Accounting in the cloud
is closer than you might think. In fact, it's here, in some cases.
QuickBooks Online
, of course, is entirely cloud-based, but it
does not yet offer all of the features found in Intuit's top-of-the-line products, Premier and Enterprise.
In the meantime, Intuit itself, as well as third-party developers, have built online apps that fill in some of the gaps. These add-on solutions exist on websites, but they can collect data and synchronize it with desktop QuickBooks. So can that iPhone or Android that's sitting on your desk right now.
Many Mobile Applications
To find these apps, go to the
and click on
All Apps.
There are dozens of them, arranged by category (Billing and Invoicing, Customer Management, Inventory Management, Apps by Intuit, etc.).
Your first stop should be at Intuit's
QuickBooks Connect
(this is the name of the online application that you'd use on a remote PC or laptop; the name of the smartphone app is
QuickBooks Mobile
). This app gives you easy access to your customer and sales data when you're away from your office.
Figure 1: QuickBooks Mobile, shown here on the Android operating system, gives you sales tools when you're away from desktop QuickBooks.
Remote Sales Tools
Whether you're working in web-based QuickBooks Connect or on a smartphone, your data and transaction options are similar. QuickBooks Connect has a few more features, like an Item List and Customer Center, but both let you:
·
Access multiple company files
·
View, add, and edit customers, estimates, invoices, and sales receipts, using QuickBooks' custom templates
·
E-mail these forms to customers
QuickBooks Mobile and QuickBooks Connect use the Intuit Sync Manager – located on the desktop where QuickBooks is installed -- to keep data current everywhere. That computer must be running for syncs to work.
Figure 2: You can create and e-mail invoices from QuickBooks Mobile.
Prices start at $9.95/month for one user; a 30-day free trial is available.
Manage Travel Expenses
grabs the data you need (customers, employees, jobs, etc.) from QuickBooks to record expenses on the road. You can enter charges directly into a form or snap a picture with your phone – it'll be attached to your expense report. These charges are then sent to a report template that thoroughly documents the charge, letting you specify variables like the trip purpose, travel policy type, project and client. The status of your approval and payment are also included here.
You can send travel itineraries from your free
TripIt Pro
account and credit card charges directly to an existing expense report to accelerate the process. And once an expense report is approved, money can be moved automatically from the designated company bank account to an employee's account. $8 per month per user; free 30-day trial.
Figure 3: Concur Breeze provides mobile expense management.
Mobile Time-Tracking
If your company has employees or contractors who work remotely and submit hours for approval, consider
eBillity Time Tracker for Intuit QuickBooks
. After it pulls in customers, service items, and employees from QuickBooks, you can invite workers to track their time on their smartphones by either entering it manually or using the timer, and then sync it with the online application.
Mobile workers can use the application in offline mode; entries are uploaded when they reconnect. Prices start at $10/month for Admin and one user.
Figure 4: eBillity Time Tracker for Intuit QuickBooks is a great companion app for remote workers.
The Cloud = Convenience And Accessibility
Synchronization – especially across three or more devices – is a simple concept whose implementation can be not-so-simple. We can help you determine which apps make sense for you and get them up and running.
Integrated, web-based applications accessed by whatever computing device happens to be nearby are the essence of cloud-based accounting. Intuit and its companion mobile apps offer the convenience and accessibility that the Internet is making possible.
If you need help with any of these applications, or questions about “the cloud”, please email or call us. We are your partner in building a successful business.