Quickbooks alternatives, I have no luck.

[Stooges]

Hi everyone. I was using quickbooks at my previous employer a few years ago, and I liked the features, etc, keep track of people and invoices, etc. Now with starting my own business I was looking into it, it seems complicated nowadays, with online, and desktop versions. I was thinking of desktop version, but at this time with some of my limited income, i'm trying everything I can learn, to save money and at least do invoices. is there a quickbooks alike in open source that does a great job, and so forth. I may have to end up paying for quickbooks.

thanks.

 

[dgoglio]

There are certain things you want to save money on, a proper accounting system is not one. If you go open source you will have to do a lot more work to get things setup and it can be a hastle. We use Quickbooks Desktop for accounting and QuoteWerks for quoting and purchasing. They are both not very expensive and well worth the investment.

 

[Diggs]

Hi everyone. I was using quickbooks at my previous employer a few years ago, and I liked the features, etc, keep track of people and invoices, etc. Now with starting my own business I was looking into it, it seems complicated nowadays, with online, and desktop versions. I was thinking of desktop version, but at this time with some of my limited income, i'm trying everything I can learn, to save money and at least do invoices. is there a quickbooks alike in open source that does a great job, and so forth. I may have to end up paying for quickbooks.

thanks.

Woa! If you think QuickBooks is complicated then you probably haven't used accounting software much. QBs is by far the easiest, fastest most intuitive bookkeeping software I've ever seen or used. Pffft - Add bank balances and go! (I may be biased as I have evaluated and installed ERP systems (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems at medium sized companies before but I've never seen anything as full featured and simple as QB.)

Limited income? QB online is ~$12.00/month and you can quit at any time. Online benefits are nice if you are mobile.

 

[repairtechinc]

We've used Xero in the past, but yeah, I think Quickbooks is the most comprehensive, and that's what we use now.

Ian

 

[symbatech]

I used QB Online for years, but then they jacked their prices up considerably. So I switched to Wave and have had a pretty good experience with it. Best of all, it's free. You can create invoices and estimates, track income and expenses, and even accept credit cards. It's pretty slick. You can check it out here: https://www.waveapps.com/

 

[Sky-Knight]

The only reasonable alternative to QuickBooks I've ever found was the now defunct Microsoft Accounting... gag I miss that thing.

 

[Mainstay]

The only reasonable alternative to QuickBooks I've ever found was the now defunct Microsoft Accounting... gag I miss that thing.

Still have my Microsoft Money file. That is what we started with (after about 10 invoices in Excel, at which point we realized this wasn't going to be sustainable).

If you JUST want invoices and bit of reminders, https://invoiced.com/ is kinda cool.

Otherwise, QB Desktop is the way to go. You also have to remember that your accountant will need to work with whatever you use, so don't make their job more difficult (expensive).

 

[Porthos]

Otherwise, QB Desktop is the way to go. You also have to remember that your accountant will need to work with whatever you use, so don't make their job more difficult (expensive).

Just got one for a client.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JORH63S/ref=twister_B071YFB9WX?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Diggs]

Otherwise, QB Desktop is the way to go. You also have to remember that your accountant will need to work with whatever you use, so don't make their job more difficult (expensive).

Now, now.... Let's not get set in our ways. The online version (which I use) now has a desktop module almost identical to the desktop only version which helps the desktop converts. The big benefits of the online version are things like being mobile in the field with a customer after a job, make a few clicks on my phone and see my invoice received on his phone and desktop. Very cool! No doubts about "if" he received it. Mobile version gives you access to all the details of your company everywhere all the time, not just on the desktop.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Yes, but you have to put your very sensitive financial details into a data center that's one of the most consistently breached, if not most consistently breached systems known to man.

Have you ever tried working with Quickbooks support on anything? You trust those people with those details?

No thanks, I'll just use the VPN on my phone to my Untangle at the office, spashtop to my desktop, push the buttons remotely on said desktop to email that invoice, and not be paying monthly for a half working service.

 

[Mercenary Roadie]

The online version is only good for general bookkeeping. Need anything else and you have to go with a desktop version.

Quickbooks is a pain to use, they force you to do everything their way even if it's a major pain. Add-ons are limited and those that are worth anything cost a small fortune and the others don't interface with QuickBooks every good.

 

[Diggs]

The online version is only good for general bookkeeping. Need anything else and you have to go with a desktop version.

Quickbooks is a pain to use, they force you to do everything their way even if it's a major pain. Add-ons are limited and those that are worth anything cost a small fortune and the others don't interface with QuickBooks every good.

What can't you do with the online version that you do with the desktop version that is so different? ...and the vast majority of the users here need "general bookkeeping" and was the original intent of the OP.

Pain to use? What alternatives are you recommending that have much better ease of use? Add-ins? WTF? There is no other accounting program that has more add-ins and support from third parties. What other accounting software are you referring to?

 

[Diggs]

No thanks, I'll just use the VPN on my phone to my Untangle at the office, spashtop to my desktop, push the buttons remotely on said desktop to email that invoice, and not be paying monthly for a half working service.

Chuckles...... Ok - Some of us are set in our ways......... Each has their own comfort level with their cloud use and convenience level.

 

[GTP]

Yes, but you have to put your very sensitive financial details into a data center that's one of the most consistently breached, if not most consistently breached systems known to man.

<rant>
So what does that matter? We pump petabytes of sensitive information daily to thousands of companies that we just blindly trust.
How many of those companies report their breaches? How many of those companies disseminate and onsell personal information, statistics or use it to add to our "profile."
99% of people don't give a rats about their online privacy as long as they can get what/do what they need. Just look at the amount of unsecured mobile devices there are or the amount of computers out there that have little or no security to speak of?
It really doesn't matter now and I'm beyond caring.
my .02
<end rant>

 

[Sky-Knight]

It matters a great deal, when your employees don't get a paycheck because QB online was offline at a bad time, you'll find yourself in a very ugly situation. Core business infrastructure must be in a place where Internet down means it still works, or you're just asking for trouble. Now, when you're a business owner things change even more, because your personal details are out there more. What's in Quickbooks is very easily turned into full on identity theft. Now, you can feel that doesn't matter, but you'll again be out of business very soon and dealing with a personal credit meltdown. Why do you think that data center gets attacked so much? The data in there HAS VALUE, buckets of it, painful easily extortable value.

You want that risk? By my guest.

P.S. John Idiot Public's opinion of the security or lack there of in the cloud is irrelevant. This is business accounting we're talking about.

 

[red12049]

It matters a great deal, when your employees don't get a paycheck because QB online was offline at a bad time, you'll find yourself in a very ugly situation. Core business infrastructure must be in a place where Internet down means it still works, or you're just asking for trouble. Now, when you're a business owner things change even more, because your personal details are out there more. What's in Quickbooks is very easily turned into full on identity theft. Now, you can feel that doesn't matter, but you'll again be out of business very soon and dealing with a personal credit meltdown. Why do you think that data center gets attacked so much? The data in there HAS VALUE, buckets of it, painful easily extortable value.

You want that risk? By my guest.

P.S. John Idiot Public's opinion of the security or lack there of in the cloud is irrelevant. This is business accounting we're talking about.

Do you have any verified stats on how often any of those things have happened with QB online?

Rick

 

[Sky-Knight]

Verified stats? Or the word of a fellow business owner in the IT field that watched two customers go out of business because of it enough for you?

Seriously... like there's some scientific study out there specifically going after Intuit... we don't have that on Microsoft, Amazon or Google, and I'll bet there's exactly no one here that doesn't have something in one of if not all three of those clouds.

No, all I've got are a couple of cautionary anecdotal tales. Take it for what it is, or ignore it. Everyone however should be aware that transaction history is one of the key bits of information required to steal a bank account.

 

[Diggs]

Personally, I know of no one or business that has ever had an issue with security through QB, QB Online or QB with online syncing (for their accountants and backup). Nor have I ever read about one. Please produce at least an article or two to give some credence to your phobia. You're just spreading FUD. I hope you don't do this to your customers?

Core business infrastructure must be in a place where Internet down means it still works, or you're just asking for trouble.

...and your father wouldn't use QB Desktop because nothing is written down and computers break all the time. Please try to leave outdated prejudices and ill-conceived notions in the past. Internet is "core business infrastructure" and is always present in any business as first priority. Business phone is IP and no business would go more than a few hours without email. Sigh......

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

QB online...clients that use it and have an accountant that grudgingly let them convert from local desktop to online just play the accountant a ton more money, cuz of the neutered functionality of QB online, or how much longer it takes to get things done due to single page navigation.

 

[Diggs]

QB online...clients that use it and have an accountant that grudgingly let them convert from local desktop to online just play the accountant a ton more money, cuz of the neutered functionality of QB online, or how much longer it takes to get things done due to single page navigation.

@edit - Let me rephrase this - A year or two ago most certainly yes but that's why the desktop app was created for online users was to narrow the gap between the online user experience and the desktop experience.

I don't mean to wave the QB banner so high. I'm just a user. It's just that there is quite a bit of mixed info out there.