A New Blunder
June 30, 2014
A New Blunder
Score 2 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Software Version
Harmony interface
Modules Used
- Classic interface
- Harmony interface
Overall Satisfaction with QuickBooks Online
As a Staff Accountant in the Accounting Services Department, I use QBO for several of my clients. QBO offers the mobility that my clients have come to expect from a cloud-based accounting software. We are able to complete their full-cycle accounting needs, and they are able to review their database, their transactions, and even their financial statements without any action needed by us, such as sending the file or preparing consolidated financial statements.
- The old Classic interface was a resemblance of desktop. Though it took some additional navigating tips, I was able to pick it up from what I knew about QuickBooks Desktop and run with it.
- The new Harmony interface continues to fit the needs of a cloud-based accounting software in the respects that it is available wherever you can access your web browser. Many banks will either download transactions directly to QBO or will have a compatible file that can be downloaded and uploaded to QBO. Different user settings allow more people to access the system with various rights and responsibilities.
- QBO is also one of the highest supported cloud-based accounting software in the market today. Intuit offers a wide range of support and Intuit Gold and Diamond level ProAdvisors such as myself have the opportunity to address any issue directly with Intuit.
- The name behind QBO is Intuit. Intuit is great at providing products that are "intuit"ive; the new Harmony interface is not intuitive. As an informed and advanced user of the Classic interface system, one would think I had an advantage to learning the new system; wrong. I had to call customer support to find simple tasks: where is a journal entry? where are my recurring transactions?
- QBO Payroll has no after-the-fact reporting. When I set up a payroll in April, it asked me for previous paychecks paid to the employees. I entered in all the information needed, checked my GL, and nothing. The information I entered was for the tax forms and other behind the scenes information only; I had to enter the journal entries separately. With checks that had already been written, I needed to adjust the amount of Federal withholding when running the payroll; could not do that. To get us back on track, QBO Tech Support had to kick us out of the database for 10 days and have a programmer go in and fix everything.
- Other than that, I feel it is just unappealing to the eye. Text on most of the pages is extremely large. The chart of accounts shows about 20 in the open window as to where if they shortened up the borders and shrank the text slightly, they could probably fit a good 50 or more in. This just causes problems when we are trying to find information. It involves a lot of scrolling, and sometimes the vertical scroll bar on the right disappears, so I have to refresh.
- Positive - Access to the business' accounting information anytime, anywhere; unlimited reports-only users. Custom e-mailing preferences for automatic report distribution.
- Positive - Vast reviews, blogs, community discussion boards, and Intuit product support to handle most issues that one would come across.
- Negative - The time in learning how to use an unfriendly product. That time leads to money, and the time and money lead to frustration.
The only advantage QuickBooks Online has over QuickBooks Desktop is the mobility. Since the new Harmony user interface, all else is sub-par. QuickBooks Desktop has been around for years, customizable options have been added to reports, and it becomes more user friendly every year. QuickBooks Desktop is also more supported than QuickBooks Online.