7 Things To Consider Before Moving Your QuickBooks Enterprise To The Cloud

Countless CPAs and accounting professionals have used QuickBooks (QB) Enterprise for the past few decades and enjoyed its versatile feature-set.  

However, the traditional QB Enterprise setup has now outlived its modern usefulness. Now, business owners prefer to host it on the cloud. With the cloud, they can access it from anywhere, anytime. They don’t need to depend on any particular device as the users can access their QB Enterprise files via the Internet.  

But before that, you must take thoughtful consideration of different factors. This will help you get the most out of QB Enterprise on the cloud.  

Have a look at these seven things before moving your QuickBooks Enterprise on the cloud.   

1. Decide on a deployment method  

Attention! This is one of the significant considerations before moving your QuickBooks Enterprise on the cloud. If you are someone with a vast capital reserve, you might think of setting up your cloud infrastructure. However, you must choose the right components, get the right IT personnel, and manage other operations. Or, you can opt for a QuickBooks Enterprise hosting provider.   

It is an entirely provider-managed hosting solution, handling the entire cloud management. You don’t need to make a hefty investment or oversee the IT setup. All you need to do is pay the monthly subscription fee, which is economical! Select your desired method.  

2. Assessment of the impact of QuickBooks Enterprise hosting  

The key to a successful technology implementation is calculating its impact. This way, you can better understand how it will impact your daily operations. For instance, let’s talk about internet connectivity. QuickBooks Enterprise on the cloud requires constant internet availability to access QB files.  

It would help if you considered your current plans or switched to another one to get the necessary bandwidth. Similarly, it will also have an impact on your workplace culture. You might require fewer IT personnel than before if you choose a third-party hosting provider. You need to hire a full-fledged IT team to manage your cloud infrastructure if you decide to set it up yourself.   

3. Your role in data security  

Most organizations prefer QB Enterprise hosting from a hosting provider due to its security advantages. You don’t have to implement any security framework themselves. Hosting providers offer multiple security layers:  

• An IDP (Intrusion Detection and Prevention) system 
• Network monitoring 
• Modern data encryption  

• They even have dedicated physical security with on-premise CCTV surveillance 

However, this is their responsibility. What about yours? As an end-user, you are liable to follow certain security practices while using your QuickBooks Enterprise on the cloud. So, you should check the security level you will be getting and how your actions will be impacting on the overall data integrity.   

4. Choosing a Hosting Provider  

Getting the right QuickBooks Enterprise hosting provider makes all the difference. You should make sure that Intuit authorizes them. This will ensure that they follow mandatory guidelines such as using tier 3 or above data centers with SSAE certification.   

Furthermore, your hosting provider must maintain a continuous power supply, modern heating, and ventilation system and follow necessary compliances. They must have the latest anti-disaster facility measures like anti-flood alarms, raised flooring, fire suppression system, etc. They should use quality IT components and maintain friendly customer service.    

5. Know about uptime  

Before moving your QuickBooks Enterprise on the cloud, assess the uptime you will get. The service uptime depends upon the quality of IT components deployed, IT professionals, and other factors. Any malfunction and your business can go down for hours. Hence, you might not be able to enjoy a high level of uptime.  

On the other hand, things are different while availing a cloud solution from an experienced QuickBooks Enterprise hosting provider. They maintain N+1 parts availability with round-the-clock IT support. They even pre-inform their subscribers about any planned maintenance patch. Ultimately, in the right hands, you can get a 99.99% SLA-backed uptime availability, with only 6 minutes of downtime per year.   

6. Integrate add-ons with QB Enterprise  

No one can deny that QuickBooks Enterprise is a powerful accounting solution. Integrating it with add-ons gives you wider functionalities. Add cloud to it, and you can access these add-ons too from anywhere, anytime. Those developing their cloud setup must integrate the required add-ons themselves. It gives you freedom, and so does an additional IT headache.  

Some hosting providers can support you with 200+ add-ons! Furthermore, they deploy high-performance computing servers which ensure you can add multiple add-ons and still have a lag-free experience. It is best to enquire about the number of add-ons and the quality of high-performance servers your hosting provider offers.   

7. Get your basics clear  

Last but most important, getting your basics right. It is safe to say the cloud is your everyday technology. Taking an expert’s opinion will help you understand it even much better. It will help you clear up the confusion you or your employees might have.   

You can then plan which deployment methodology you must use or its impact on your organization. It will even help you choose the optimum service provider if you are planning to bring in third-party help. Some providers also offer a free trial of their services and make understanding things easier.   

Conclusion  

Moving your QuickBooks Enterprise on the cloud will help you to enhance your accounting experience. Before that, it is necessary to look at the points mentioned above. This way, you can make better business decisions and achieve desired productivity levels.   

Let us help you enhance your QuickBooks Enterprise experience by offering a 10-day free trial.