Mar 17, 2017
At a quick glance, it is easy to think that all QuickBooks files are the same no matter if it is on your desktop or in the Cloud because it appears to be the same product. Nothing could be further from the truth. QuickBooks Online is slow and clunky and changes early and often so just when you think you understand it...
QuickBooks Desktop Version has been around since 1991, and it
has improved at a stable pace that contractors and accountants can
keep up with. For the past several years our contractor clients
have enjoyed the having access to the tried and true QuickBooks
Desktop version in a Cloud environment.
Why do I like using
Cloud-Based Servers?
For all the same reasons every Contractor has web access to their
bank is to see “The Numbers!”
Money In: Have my Deposits posted and cleared?
Money Out: What checks have cleared?
What’s Left Over: How much money is in The Bank?
You can access QuickBooks Desktop anytime from anywhere; using your
smartphone, tablet, notebook, PC or Mac.
Your QuickBooks In The Cloud Is Backed Up Every Night While You Sleep!
Most small Construction Contractors like you find that working
traditional hours of 9 to 5 is not realistic. Being a contractor
your hours are dictated by the needs of your prospects, customers,
and clients.
This means as a Contractor, you may be creating an estimate,
proposal, invoice, paying bills or making an electronic deposit to
your bank before 9:00 AM or after 5:00 PM (Monday - Friday) You are
working in the early mornings, evenings, on weekends before
breakfast or after dinner, on Saturday’s, on Sunday’s and usually
some time is devoted to business when you are on vacation.
It Is Unusual For A
Contractor To Take More Than A Couple Days Off At A
Time
Ten minutes here and there or an hour of productive time (without
interruptions) can save even more time. For many contractors, a
formal office looks like the seat of their truck parked at the near
a Wifi spot.
Why Wifi Spot – Because Contractors need to create the invoice,
look up something at the moment to get it off their plate then move
on to the next opportunity or crisis.
I chatted with several Contractors this week have been home because
of weather-related issues. For those without outside offices. when
at Home; they are at their 2nd Office. (Primary Office is their
Vehicle)
For Larger Construction Contracting Companies, The Choices Are:
Challenges For Contractors
With Staff Can Be Solved With QuickBooks Desktop In The
Cloud
Too many contractors have faced issues with their in-house bookkeeping staff “Taking Control” going beyond the scope of their authority (sometimes even implying to customers and vendors they are owners). Bad Bookkeepers destroy more Construction Companies than you can imagine!
Owners (or their spouses - the ultimate partners) need to be
watching the numbers and THE MONEY
There is a difference between assigning duties to an in-house
Bookkeeping Staff, Office Managers, or Project
Managers; giving them access to Company bank account and
authorization to sign checks which is the path that often leads to
Bookkeeper Embezzlement.
Your QuickBooks Desktop File Is Safe In A Secure Environment – We
Use An Intuit Approved Commercial Host.
Why an approved Commercial Host versus any Cloud Hosting Service?
To become an Intuit Approved Commercial Host they have gone
through Intuit’s rigorous approval process. They must be able to
document the servers are located in a Data Center with security and
encryption. In simple terms, your QuickBooks files are located at a
data center more secure than your bank which means it is safe.
It is not resting in someone's basement waiting for a flood or in a
closet without 24/7 armed security. I have listened to contractors
tell horror stories about in-house servers being downstairs in a
basement and the basement being flooded and several cases their
home offices being broken into by disgruntled employees while they
were on vacation.(Click here to read about Remodel Contractor - Edmonds
WA)
I Love Having Tech Support
Available By Phone, By Email, And Better Yet - Not My Direct
Employees!
The Commercial Host creates backups and tests the latest QuickBooks
updates before installing them.
Part of being a good commercial host has a plan to prevent the
server going down and restore plans if it does.
Sometimes our server has been down or slow, and a few times the
Data Center has been down; Server by Server rolled over to a
different data center and was back up within a short space of time.
Our Data Center was not part of the recent “Big Outage” causing
Amazon.com and other sites to be down.
We have been down longer due to a local Power Outage (truck hit a
power pole, we lost power and the internet) versus any outage on
the server. It is not practical for us to be without internet and
access to our Client’s QuickBooks files and other web-based
programs.
Because everything is in the Cloud – we just went home; turned on
the computers and went back to work.
As a commercial office, we are required to have a fire alarm system
which is hard wired using a land line. As a backup, we added
internet to our landline service. Between them, we are up 99.99% of
the time.
On January 25, 2017, A Few Blocks From Our Office A Fire Destroyed
New Construction Project
http://komonews.com/news/local/crews-battling-3-alarm-fire-in-lynnwood
The Fire impacted the apartments and businesses on each side,
across the street, and down the block. The street was closed and
blocked by police 24/7 for weeks and just recently opened. The
remains of debris are still on site and visual reminder of how
quickly something bad can happen.
Contractors Constantly
Balance Multiple Demands On Your Time
Bad Weather: If it is a hurricane you have time to prepare. Tornados - I guess not so much. If you had 10 minutes or less to leave; what would you grab to take with you on the way out the door?
Looking forward to being of assistance.
Sincerely,
Sharie DeHart
206-361-3950
sharie@fasteasyaccounting.com
About The
Author:
Sharie DeHart, QPA is the co-founder of Business Consulting And
Accounting in Lynnwood Washington. She is the leading expert in
managing outsourced construction bookkeeping and accounting
services companies and cash management accounting for small
construction companies across the USA. She encourages Contractors
and Construction Company Owners to stay current on their tax
obligations and offers insights on how to manage the remaining cash
flow to operate and grow their construction company sales and
profits so they can put more money in the bank. http://www.fasteasyaccounting.com/sharie-dehart/
206-361-3950 or sharie@fasteasyaccounting.com
I trust this podcast helps you understand that outsourcing your contractor's bookkeeping services to us is about more than just “doing the bookkeeping”; it is about taking a holistic approach to your entire construction company and helping support you as a contractor and as a person.
We understand the good, bad and the ugly about owning and operating construction companies because we have had several of them and we sincerely care about you and your construction company!
That is all I have for now, and if you have listened to this far please do me the honor of commenting and rating podcast www.FastEasyAccounting.com/podcast Tell me what you liked, did not like, tell it as you see it because your feedback is crucial and I thank you in advance.
I trust this will be of value to you and your feedback is always welcome at www.FastEasyAccounting.com/podcast
One more example of how Fast Easy Accounting is helping construction company owners across the USA including Alaska and Hawaii put more money in the bank to operate and grow your construction company. Construction accounting is not rocket science; it is a lot harder than that, and a lot more valuable to construction contractors like you so stop missing out and call Sharie 206-361-3950 or email sharie@fasteasyaccounting.com
Thinking About Outsourcing Your Contractors Bookkeeping Services?
Click On The Link Below:
This guide will help you learn what to look for in outsourced construction accounting.
Need Help Now?
Call Sharie 206-361-3950
Thank you very much, and I hope you understand we do care about
you and all contractors regardless of whether or not you ever hire
our services.
Bye for now until our next episode here on the Contractors Success
MAP Podcast.
Warm Regards,
Randal DeHart | The Contractors Accountant
#1 EZ Step Interview inside QuickBooks Setup
#2 Asked Their Tax Accountant To Setup QuickBooks
#3 They Attended A How To Setup QuickBooks Class Or Seminar
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