What is popular is not always good. It’s a lesson we learn at an early age, and it’s as true of blockbuster films as accounting software. QuickBooks is an ideal example. It’s a great introductory accounting solution, which is why millions of startups and small businesses rely on it. But what they quickly discover is that QuickBooks is only an introductory solution. As soon as accounting gets a little more complicated, QuickBooks gets a lot more inadequate.
The challenges start out as frustrating but manageable. However, as time goes on and accounts grow, the challenges go from manageable to overwhelming. At that point, QuickBooks is a problem, not a solution, yet some people continue to use it for every aspect of accounting. There can only be a few explanations why:
You Love to Manage Hundreds of Spreadsheets
The deeper you get into Quickbooks the more spreadsheets you have to rely on. At a certain point, it becomes a labyrinth of sheets, cells, facts, and figures. There is the illusion of organization, but in reality, data is spread across too many spreadsheets to really understand anything. If you want to keep wrangling the spreadsheets you already have while adding dozens more to the list, QuickBooks is eager to accommodate.
You Prefer to Manually Enter and Re-Enter Data
QuickBooks is not great at integrating with other enterprise technologies, even if their functions overlap. The only workaround is to manually enter data between systems, which sucks up a lot of time and resources for what amounts to clerical work. If you prefer a hands-on approach to data management instead of relying on automation, QuickBooks will create plenty of work to keep you busy
You Believe Uncertainty Aids Decision Making
The most that QuickBooks has to offer is pre-made reports with little relevance to your specific business. It also lacks dashboards and offers no form of real-time visibility. As a result, you make decisions based on outdated and irrelevant data. If you like to roll the dice when it comes to your business, prepare for QuickBooks to leave a lot up to chance.
You Don’t Want the Business to Evolve
The larger and more complex your business becomes the harder it is for QuickBooks to adapt. Menus and interfaces begin to slow down, and the tools that initially seemed so helpful now feel underwhelming. Inflexible accounting creates a roadblock exactly when companies are trying to speed up and change course. If obstacles and setbacks are part of your growth strategy, QuickBooks should be too.
You Enjoy Having Less Control
QuickBooks is designed to handle the nuts and bolts, not the kind of complex, fast-moving accounting that characterizes growing businesses. The solution fails to offer an enterprise-wide perspective and struggles to keep your data accurate and updated. If you want your company to be defined by what it can’t do then QuickBooks is the best choice.
We are being tongue in cheek, but only because this situation is common. Lots of companies commit to QuickBooks for too long despite the fact that superior solutions are accessible and affordable. If you’re ready to explore a better way, contact InCloud360.