How Can Accountants with QuickBooks Desktop Collaborate with Clients?

Several accountants use QuickBooks Desktop because it is a cost-effective solution for managing multiple companies. The solution can be used to manage unlimited companies and accounting clients with a single subscription or a desktop license. However, one of the challenges with QuickBooks Desktop is that it is not offered as a software as a service (SaaS) solution similar to QuickBooks Online, which could make collaboration challenging for accountants and other users who have to managed multiple businesses. In this article, let us explore the various options available to accountants to collaborate with clients using QuickBooks Desktop.

What Can Accountants Collaborate on With QuickBooks Desktop?

Accountants and their clients have to work together on different types of financial data in accounting software such as QuickBooks. Here are some tasks on which accountant and their clients have to collaborate.

• Reclassifying transactions, modifying payments, making journal entries, and fixing accounting errors.
• Entering missing transactions, reconciling banks/cards, closing the books, and completing accounting cycles.
• Generating custom reports for management, analyzing financial statements for advisory or tax planning, and finalizing reports.
• Demonstrating how to do specific procedures inside QuickBooks.
• Reviewing source documents, uploading documents, and sharing and attaching documents.
• Managing payroll tax payments, printing payroll checks, filing payroll tax forms remotely.

What Are the Ways to Collaborate with QuickBooks Desktop?

While collaborating with clients, accountants must ensure that that database is not damaged and conflict copies are not generated. Consequently, making changes to the client’s company files and using file-sharing tools is not recommended. Additionally, while methods such as screen sharing can be used for training, they are not effective for collaboration. Here are some ways in which accountants can collaborate with clients with QuickBooks Desktop.

• Built-In Methods

  QuickBooks Desktop provides two built-in tools for clients to collaborate with their accountants. With the Accountant’s Copy feature, users can split the company file into two such that, a live file can be used with transactions after the cut-off date, and an Accountant’s Copy containing the transactions before the cut-off date can be used to make changes. The other option for accountants is to create journal entries inside a duplicate copy of the client’s file that clients can import their file later.

  However, to use these methods QuickBooks Desktop Accountant and cannot be more than two years newer than the client’s version. Also, these methods are restrictive and error prone.

• Desktop Remote Control Apps

  With remote control applications, accountants can access software and data in the client’s workstations. While these are easy to use, many of these applications do not have “unattended access”. So, someone has to press something to give access to the remote user. Also, in addition to interrupting workstation users, there is a risk of getting blamed if something happens to the desktop with QuickBooks that is accessed remotely.

• In-House Server for QuickBooks Desktop Hosting

  Some clients have QuickBooks Desktop installed on in-house servers, and accountants can be added as users. The client’s IT team must enable the network to allow remote access. While this method of collaboration ensures that there is better control, it involves large upfront investments.

• QuickBooks Desktop Hosting

  With QuickBooks Desktop hosting, both clients and accountants can access the solution on virtual desktops while using the software in multi-user mode. There is no interruption for any user. Unlike in-house servers for QuickBooks Desktop, there are no upfront expenses. In most cases, it is the ideal solution for collaboration with remote users.

Apps4Rent Can Provide QuickBooks Desktop Cloud Hosting

Apps4Rent QuickBooks cloud hosting service empowers CPAs, accountants, and business owners with virtual desktops to access their accounting files and collaborate with other users anywhere, anytime, and on any device. As an Intuit Authorized Hosting Provider, Apps4Rent is trusted by tens of thousands of accountants and small business owners for managed QuickBooks hosting services. Call, email, or chat with our QuickBooks hosting consultants available 24/7 via for assistance.