ServiceCEO, ServiceMonster QBOnline not sure which suits me best.

[Bexiesbruv]

I currently use Simply Accounting, I use paper invoices and they are input into Simply on an ongoing basis. Its simple and it works.
I use Gmail for email and Google calendar for scheduling and a mobile phone constantly with me. My land Line is forwarded to my cell/mobile.
I have had a walkthrough for ServiceCEO and I am getting into a demo of ServiceMonster.
I am also using QuickBooks online (QBO).

My main concerns are the accounting side of stuff. In particular the bank reconciliation. I can see how that would be done with QBO easily enough, but what about the other two?
Another issue I have noticed today with QBO is that when tethered to my phone, the tablet I am using is lagging to the point that its almost unusable for online invoicing. It took 15 minutes to get an invoice emailed to a client. Thats just too long. I gave up on another because the client wanted to leave.

Does anyone have a really good package they use? What is it?
I like the idea of SM or SCEO but I am left wondering if the best part about them is the walk through they do with you over the phone/internet.

I did also wonder if I can get an accounts package put on two laptops and a third instance of it on an office based machine which would be the server/data file and access the data file via internet when out in the field.
Anybody doing this?
I also tried the app of QBO for Android and could not get it to work at all. Tried to do an estimate and found you have to create a customer first and then go back and create an estimate. Altogether too time consuming for me.

If you got as far as this, thanks for reading!
Any suggestions?

Bex

 

[Mike Krall]

How soon are you looking to take action?
I'm in the process of building a QuickBooks server for remote access, but have been sidelined by a huge amount of paperwork. I can let you know how it goes when I complete it.

There's also companies that will host your file online, but it's a bit pricey in the $145 + range per month.

 

[Bexiesbruv]

Mike, thanks. I would appreciate if you would.
I can get a server put together for free (actually have a linux box that was used to monitor our internet bandwidth when we were limited so that could be altered)
I have decided for the moment to continue with Quick Books online and Gmail/Google calendar.m My mobile phone provider is looking at my connection speeds and doing some back end tweaks today (I hope) so i will get
a converter to plug the tablet and phone into ( in the truck) . My biggest client loves that i can email an invoice as soon as I am done a job for them. Thats reason enough to pursue this.

Stay in touch

Bex

 

[Bexiesbruv]

I am also exploring a number of open source applications for calendar and accounting.

 

[Bexiesbruv]

I think I am going with Quick Books Online. 3 users for 20 bucks a month. I looked at a few open source options but they were just not user friendly enough and QBO wins hands down in that regard.
Now all I need to do is figure out the connectivity issues and buy a couple of notebook computers and (I think) internet sticks and I will be all set.;

 

[Mike Krall]

Good luck, let us know how it works out for you.

I like the idea of QuickBooks online, but it doesn't have all the same features of the desktop version.

I know you solved it, but Outlook does a great job of inter-grading your emails and calendar in one place.

 

[Bexiesbruv]

Good luck, let us know how it works out for you.

I like the idea of QuickBooks online, but it doesn't have all the same features of the desktop version.

I know you solved it, but Outlook does a great job of inter-grading your emails and calendar in one place.

What features that you want/use are missing?
Have you checked out the intuit App center? There are some scheduling/billing apps that look promising.

 

[Mike Krall]

What features that you want/use are missing?
Have you checked out the intuit App center? There are some scheduling/billing apps that look promising.

I've only checked out the App center for the online version, I didn't know you could use that stuff with the online version. There are some very nice aps there.

Not entirely features that are missing, but for me the issues that fit what I do:

Processing payroll through QB Pro is $300/year vrs online of $468.
I don't have total control of my data, if their server is down so is all of my company.
Not 100% fond of having all of my data at one online destination protected by some keywords.
It's $40/month online if I want to use the same features in the desktop: inventory tracking, track customer billable hours, create and print 1099s.

I haven't tried the online version since a year ago so maybe they have made improvements, but you couldn't sync your data between online and desktop, the interface online worked slower, and since the setup is very different I had to relearn everything.

 

[Mike Krall]

Stephen, did you see this for accessing a desktop version of Quickbooks remotely?

http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/articles/HOW12618

It uses Cisco's webex to make the connection: https://qb.webex.com/qb/account/login.php

 

[rob allen]

Service Monster and Quickbooks here. Work like a charm.

 

[aloha one]

Service Monster and Quickbooks here. Work like a charm.

To what degree do you use Service Monster Rob?

 

[Bexiesbruv]

I was demoing Servicemonster yesterday (or the day before) and had an issue with saving data (a customer) and noticed that I could not save it. However, when I left the system and logged back in, the data was there. In fact each instance of the customer was there for however many times I tried to input it in the first place. I spoke to a CSR and he told me not to continue with the demo but he would call me when the issue was addressed. Now thats great customer service but a poor product perhaps. I only mention it now because someone (Robert) has mentioned they use the program.
Robert, have you had this issue?
I would further add that if I was going for ServiceCEO or ServiceMonster I would go with the latter. SM focused on their product and on the other hand SCEO did a fine job of battering their competition, not something I believe is ethical or professional.

Mike, I think the pricing is all to pot, Canada has payroll for free at the moment and I cannot find the costs. The cost is less than the desktop version (just) but quite a bit less if you add in the cost of update and support for the PC version too.
A client of mine suggest thie online because it works out cheaper, she is an accountant and gets as many of her clients as possible to switch to it. Its always up to date I guess, is a plus.
Data storage and security is concern. I looked at it differently than you I guess.
If someone steals the laptop I intend to use, I am only down a laptop and not the data (its on their server)
If their server is down, it will be back up again and would be frustrating, but if my PC/server breaks, I could be down for a lot longer.

I really appreciate the info about the login server. It doesnt support my QB Pro 2009 but it is certainly worth considering for the latest version. I think I will download the 2014 demo again and try it. Is this the method you use to gain remote access? Its a work around isnt it? I notice its INTENDED for an accountant to guide a client in operation of their software but would work like a charm for us. Certainly worth exploring. The downside is if they decided to discontinue the service how to (cost effectively) get over the issue.

EDIT I just found this article and now I wonder if it will work? Do you do this? https://support.webex.com/MyAccountWeb/knowledgeBase.do?articleId=WBX21648

 

[Mike Krall]

I was demoing Servicemonster yesterday (or the day before) and had an issue with saving data (a customer) and noticed that I could not save it. However, when I left the system and logged back in, the data was there. In fact each instance of the customer was there for however many times I tried to input it in the first place. I spoke to a CSR and he told me not to continue with the demo but he would call me when the issue was addressed. Now thats great customer service but a poor product perhaps. I only mention it now because someone (Robert) has mentioned they use the program.
Robert, have you had this issue?
I would further add that if I was going for ServiceCEO or ServiceMonster I would go with the latter. SM focused on their product and on the other hand SCEO did a fine job of battering their competition, not something I believe is ethical or professional.

Mike, I think the pricing is all to pot, Canada has payroll for free at the moment and I cannot find the costs. The cost is less than the desktop version (just) but quite a bit less if you add in the cost of update and support for the PC version too.
A client of mine suggest thie online because it works out cheaper, she is an accountant and gets as many of her clients as possible to switch to it. Its always up to date I guess, is a plus.
Data storage and security is concern. I looked at it differently than you I guess.
If someone steals the laptop I intend to use, I am only down a laptop and not the data (its on their server)
If their server is down, it will be back up again and would be frustrating, but if my PC/server breaks, I could be down for a lot longer.

I really appreciate the info about the login server. It doesnt support my QB Pro 2009 but it is certainly worth considering for the latest version. I think I will download the 2014 demo again and try it. Is this the method you use to gain remote access? Its a work around isnt it? I notice its INTENDED for an accountant to guide a client in operation of their software but would work like a charm for us. Certainly worth exploring. The downside is if they decided to discontinue the service how to (cost effectively) get over the issue.

EDIT I just found this article and now I wonder if it will work? Do you do this? https://support.webex.com/MyAccountWeb/knowledgeBase.do?articleId=WBX21648

Not sure how payroll is free for you, it definitely costs me $300+ for the Enhanced Payroll option on the desktop. Quickbooks online states it's $39/month to use. The actual online Quickbooks comes in 3 flavors, Simple Start $13, Essentials $27 and Plus $40 all a month. The first 2 won't work for me so Plus is $40/month x 12 = $480. I can buy the desktop version, Pro for under $200 and use it for 2 years.

Updates are free on the desktop, never paid for one in 10 years. Support, I dunno, I call 2 times or so a year and they answer my problem no questions.

Accountants/bookkeepers love the online version, no doubt about it. They simply log in with your info and they are set. Most are not technically savvy so you basically have to make a backup of your file to give to them to use if you go the desktop route.

If you set up a connection from your laptop to your desktop it's essential the same as using Quickbooks online. The data isn't on your laptop, it's on your desktop safe at home. You can setup automatic backups with QB on your desktop or use a 3rd party ap to do it for you. Certainly there's some work involved with setting up your own vrs paying QB to do it for you.

Like I said I'm not done setting up my server as I've run into some paperwork issues. But I was going to take another path which is called Remote Desktop. It's already built into Windows and you basically 'remote' into your home desktop computer from a mobile device, laptop, etc and receive a duplicate of what's on your PC. So not only can you run QB, but Office aps, access your browser and bookmarks, etc.

I never used webex, but it's pretty much a remote desktop utility and there are many out there. You can use
http://www.teamviewer.com/en/index.aspx
https://secure.logmein.com/
http://www.splashtop.com/

They all do the same stuff.

If you want to learn more this site has some decent info on setting up a server and how it all works:
http://painlessquickbooks.com/

 

[Bexiesbruv]

Awesome info, thanks.
The Canadian pricing is different. Essentials is going to cost me 20 a month for 3 users. Payroll is free until March 2014 but I cannot find pricing online and will make a call to find out. http://quickbooks.intuit.ca/accounting-software/quickbooks-online-accounting.jsp
Going back to ServiceMonster, my main reason for going that route is the marketing. I really need to get into that if I want to increase the volume of business I do and this looks to be the best value hands off approach. There are a couple of the previously mentioned apps that might also work, but not like the SM set up.
I am really conflicted.
I guess I need to chat more with the CSR at ServiceMonster. First thing is to get the accounts up and running, then integrate ServiceMonster into the mix. Yes, I think thats the way to go.