Cloud Accounting for Startups and SMBs: Blog Series [9/10]

Everything You Need to Know About QuickBooks Add-ons

In the process of discussing accounting issues and solutions with the cloud, our previous article of the series was focused on different cloud-based versions of QuickBooks. QuickBooks, being a generalized business accounting software, is able to serve almost all sorts of businesses to a good extent.

However, its solo usage may not be able to deliver optimum accounting because of various reasons, such as – industry type, unique style of business process, and requirements. This is where QuickBooks add-ons come into play.

What are QuickBooks add-ons?

QuickBooks add-ons are software programs that can be integrated with QuickBooks to help in managing the accounts more precisely for business needs. Some of the add-ons can even work without QuickBooks (or with other accounting software) as well to serve the assigned task.

Usually, they are able to cut down the overall expenses and hassles involved in executing the tasks. The add-ons can be free, freemium,or premium, depending on the manufacturer.

Why use QuickBooks add-ons?

Integrating add-ons with QuickBooks automates a number of operations, which may otherwise require manual operations. The involvement of add-ons mitigates the chances of errors and delays in updates with various operations, distantly concerned with accounting.

For example, a retail store that requires hectic inventory management may be using QuickBooks, but an automatic update with the store may not be entirely possible with it.

So, integrating an inventory management add-on with QuickBooks can save the store from continuous manual operations. Similarly, depending on the business vertical and choice of the add-on, there are a number of hassles with accounting that can be resolved.

Let’s look at various industries that often require the services of add-ons for QuickBooks:

1. QuickBooks Add-ons for Construction

Like most businesses, construction business also has to maintain employee payrolls, infrastructural maintenance expenses, etc. But what sets them apart is their unique needs like – statements of material purchase, workforce allocation, and contract management.

Such aspects are not always directly connected with the accounting department. But at the end of the day, accounting department has to look into it. To simplify the operations, construction add-ons can be used with QuickBooks.

Best Add-ons for Construction Businesses:

KickServ: The add-on serves the project planning and customer interactions. Integrating this add-on with QuickBooks, you can create and manage tasks, reminders, interactions, customer history, and a lot more that concerns with the client at a construction firm.

HammerZen: The add-on is used to import financial data, receipts, inventory, and non-inventory items into the QuickBooks application, and hence, eliminates tedious data entry tasks.

Corecon: The add-on is specifically developed to help the construction businesses with estimate proposals, manage expense & bid schedules, collaborate on documents, etc. Its cross-device capabilities make it a very powerful companion for QuickBooks.

2. QuickBooks Add-ons for Manufacturing

Managing orders, raw material inventory, and supply chain are some of the major segments of any manufacturing business. Their real-time analysis and accordingly allocating the funds while maintaining bills can be a little tricky. QuickBooks offers significant relief, but there are some lacking that can be replaced with add-ons for manufacturing business only.

Best Add-ons for Manufacturing Businesses:

Access Manufacturing Management Overlay: This add-on is skilled enough to maintain a number of accounting aspects for the manufacturing business, such as – creating invoices and checks, job costing, shipping and updating inventory, contact tracking, etc.

MISys Manufacturing: From work in progress to counting inventory change, MISys Manufacturing add-on has amazing potential in simplifying a number of complexities. It is packed with high-end features with immense customization methods, like – cost adjustment, costing methods, inventory level and more.

3. QuickBooks Add-ons Property Management

Accounting in property management business has a number of distinctions compared to other traditional accounting fields. Various property taxes, lease rules, etc. demands the requirement for a more dedicated accounting solution than what QuickBooks alone can offer. Here comes the role of add-ons for property management.

Best QuickBooks Add-on for Property Management:

Rent Roll Professional: This add-on has almost everything that one can require for managing the accounts with property rents. Be it renewal notices, demand payment, or lessee refunds, Rent Roll Professional has all that integrated with QuickBooks.

PropertyBoss: This add-on for QuickBooks is able to work upon the residential, multifamily, student housing, tax credit, etc. to keep the accounting automated and well in control with QuickBooks accounting software. The add-on is available as a web service, which makes it an even more friendly solution for QuickBooks cloud.

4. QuickBooks Add-ons for Invoicing

QuickBooks is renewed for its amazing assistance with invoicing and payment management for usual accounting departments. In the case of accounting professionals who have to work more dedicatedly on complex or larger number of invoices and billing options, the requirement for the add-ons may arrive.

Best add-ons for Invoicing and Payments:

Bill & Pay: It is one of the most advanced invoicing and payment add-ons for QuickBooks. With the ability to work with any merchant account and accepts variable payment options (PayPal, credit card, etc.) for Residential & Commercial Services, Wholesale Suppliers, and several other requirements.

InvoiceSherpa: This add-on is focused on getting the payments received faster. It can automatically send payment reminders to the clients and even thank them for the payment. Integrated with QuickBooks, your books are automatically updated and have the option to track the payment status manually as well.

5. More QuickBooks Add-ons to Choose from:

The choice of the add-ons can always vary with the methods that you adopt for your accounting. You may even consult QuickBooks experts personally to find the finest solutions for your needs. For common accounting needs, we have earlier mentioned about the most preferred QuickBooks add-ons:

• ACCTivate! (Used for Inventory Management)
• SmartVault (Used for Document Management and Sharing)
• BillQuick (Used for Time Tracking, Billing, and Project Management)
• Billcom (Used for Billing and Payments)
• Fishbowl Inventory (Used for Manufacturing Inventory Management)
• Method CRM (Used for Customer Relationship Management)
• QuickBooks Time (Used for Time Tracking and Scheduling)
• Avalara (Used For Automated Tax Filing)

You can check the complete list here: Top QuickBooks Add-Ons Every Accountant Should Use

6. Add-ons With QuickBooks Hosting

Most of the add-ons are designed to integrate with multiple versions of QuickBooks Desktop but they usually go fine with all – QuickBooks Desktop, QuickBooks Online, and QuickBooks Hosting. In terms of smoothest add-on functionality, QuickBooks Hosting has an edge over others. This is because it is able to deliver all features and functions of the desktop version while delimiting it from the local hardware restrictions.

As you can scale up or down the server resources with the requirements, adopting QuickBooks add-on with hosting ensure that the performance remains optimum and best features are still available with any device, anywhere, and anytime. Along with that, it allows you to collaborate with multiple users.

Coming Up Next

Are you using any of the QuickBooks add-ons mentioned in the article? Let us know in the comments below about your review on them or if you have other suggestions to offer.

In the next and final article of the series, we will explain the services and features that Ace Cloud Hosting can offer for accounting needs of SMBs and startups. You can subscribe to receive blog updates via email. You may even follow our social media channels to remain on the top of the tech accounting news.