How QuickBooks Cloud Hosting Saves You From The Hassles Of Local IT Setup

For an accounting professional, QuickBooks software needs no introduction. QuickBooks Desktop has been the most favorite tool for accounting professionals for more than a decade now.

However, installing QuickBooks on the legacy hardware setup, be it your computer system or local server, comes with its own set of challenges. Like any other desktop-based software, QuickBooks Desktop also requires a minimum hardware specification to function optimally. Also, the more expansive the IT setup in your premises, the bigger the fraction of the budget it consumes.

You should ask yourself this – Am I willing to compromise with the security and performance of my QuickBooks, or should I be looking for a better solution than my on-premise IT setup?

If you are indeed looking for a better solution, then the answer to all your IT-related issues is QuickBooks cloud hosting. Hosting QuickBooks on the cloud of a third-party provider means that it is now responsible for all your IT-related needs.

Let us look at some of the on-premise IT problems you can relate to and the solution that QuickBooks hosting offers.

1. Hardware Deployment

While setting up the local IT infrastructure in the accounting firm, the first thing you think of is the hardware setup to be deployed and the space required for it. You then have to choose the office space accordingly or move on to a bigger space if the accounting process expands with time. Moreover, the cost of high-end hardware these days can take up a big chunk of your budget.

With QuickBooks Cloud Hosting, you do not need to think about the underlying hardware and its associated costs. The QuickBooks software and all the accounting data is hosted on the cloud setup of a third-party provider. Hence, all you need is the basic hardware devices like a thin client to access the cloud.

2. Hardware Maintenance

There is one thing to buy a piece of hardware, another thing to maintain it. Every piece of hardware, whether a desktop or a server, a mouse or a keyboard, a RAM or a hard disk, has a limited lifecycle. You need to maintain the hardware setup regularly to increase its life. As an accounting professional, you do not need these tasks to affect your business.

The entire effort of hardware maintenance can be avoided when you host QuickBooks on the cloud. As the hardware is owned by the cloud hosting providers, they are the ones that look after the hardware setup and monitor it for any issues.

3. IT Infrastructure

When you deploy a hardware setup in your local premises, it does not include only the local servers or computer systems. To run QuickBooks on the hardware setup efficiently, you also need supporting IT infrastructure.

It might be the power required to run your systems/ server, the cabling, and the cooling equipment for air conditioning. Moreover, network equipment like routers and switches are also a vital part of this setup.

However, in the case of hosted QuickBooks, the data center in which your accounting application and data resides already has a state-of-the-art infra. Hence, the cost and effort of deployment of the supporting IT infrastructure are eliminated.

4. IT Team

Less workforce, less trouble. Have you ever tried to cut down on the budget overheads by optimizing the workforce in your firm? You might have realized that it is not as easy as it seems. Every professional is hired for a specific role, and with the expanding accounting process, you need an army of skilled employees.

QuickBooks hosting enables you to keep the workforce requirements at bay by minimizing the need for an IT team at your premises. The hosting provider has a dedicated IT team that looks after all the issues related to QuickBooks hosting.

The best ones even offer you round-the-clock customer support over phone, email, or chat. Hence, you can contact them at any time if any issue affects your process.

5. Security

The accounting process is critical to any organization as it is the mirror of its finances. Any breach of the accounting data can compromise some vital information that, in no case, should fall into the wrong hands.

You might think that it is better to keep the data close to your chest, on your premises. However, in the local IT setup, the data is more vulnerable due to the regular hardware crashes. Moreover, the implementation of the latest security methods in your local setup requires a team of skilled professionals and extra funds.

Contrastingly, the QuickBooks cloud hosting providers offer a secure environment for your QuickBooks software and data by deploying the latest security safeguards like data encryption, multi-factor authentication, access controls, Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (IDPS), among others. Also, even if your end-point device malfunctions, all the data is still secure on the cloud.

6. Backup

Deploying the hardware setup in your local setup is a painstaking process. However, taking into consideration the critical nature of the QuickBooks files, you also need to have a backup server(s) in place to negate the effects of a disruptive event.

This adds an additional burden to your existing IT process. Moreover, if any event affects your entire office location, your production, as well as backup servers, face downtime.

In the case of QuickBooks hosting, the provider offers you data backup services, so you do not have to deploy a backup server on your premises. The competent cloud hosting providers also offer Disaster Recovery solutions, where your entire accounting process is replicated on servers at multiple geographical locations.

Hence, even if your area is affected by a disaster like an earthquake, you do not lose any billable hours.

To Sum It Up

Local IT setup brings with it the age-old hardware problems and restrictions. Hosting QuickBooks on the cloud comes as a breath of fresh air for the accounting industry as they can now focus solely on their clients rather than wasting time on IT-related issues.

However, it does not mean that you should move all your accounting operations to the cloud. Some considerations should be taken into account before moving to the cloud, like choosing the right cloud provider. Moreover, you should also look into the different cloud models and strategies.

For more assistance, get in touch with our cloud experts at +1-855-223-4887.