QuickBooks Live

Pros

Once everything is set up everything is automatic, especially that payroll portion. You don't have to back it up, it is automatically saved. You can access from anywhere.

Cons

You do get tossed around some with the customer service as everyone is trained in specific areas. It did take some learning to understand and setup everything properly.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Choosing QuickBooks Live

Switched From

Reasons for Switching to QuickBooks Live

Pros

Cloud-based so able to access from numerous computers.

Cons

Inability to change all of the items / charts on the home page.

Pros

The potential is great if they did what the sales guy said they would do.

Cons

The salesperson told me the live bookkeeper would work WITH me as I want to fully understand my books and I want to learn my bookkeeping front to back.

The reality was, I was completely shut out of the process, messages would not be responded to for days or not at all.

Making an appt to speak to someone would take a week or more. The first bookkeeper did nothing at all, the second one completed the cleanup but did not communicate with me during the process regarding my business, my processes or procedures, what they were doing or why.

My request is to do my own bookkeeping with their assistance guidance and oversight, they will not do this.

After the cleanup was complete, I found a massive error, I had attempted to communicate to them regarding my processes but apparently what I said was completely disregarded. It took my sister and I several hours to figure out what was wrong.

The problem was, I was taking owner distributions in cash without having logged the cash as having entered the company to start with. Yes, a stupid error on my part, this is why I wanted someone to communicate with and to assist me. How will I learn if I am shut out?

Obviously, the bookkeeper wasn't paying enough attention to catch the error, but had I been allowed to be part of the process, then together I am sure we would have found it.

So now my books have the "QuickBooks Livebooking Guarantee" for accuracy, which clearly means nothing now that I have found this massive error.

Pros

Being web based, it is so much easier to stay updated on my business from anywhere. We were able to tie it in with our industry specific quoting and scheduling system which cut down on wasted time in the office.

Cons

It took a little longer to learn the software than I anticipated. I thought it would be easier since I had used the Desktop verson for years.

Pros

I started using Quickbooks as a new small business owner. Starting a small business with no prior experience was daunting. Quickbooks itself was a great start, but adding the Live Bookkeeping was a game-changer. It took so much off of my plate as well as removed any worry that I would not be doing things correctly or accurately.

The bookkeeper I was assigned was knowledgeable and very helpful. He was also available when I needed him and was very easy to get in touch with and set up live meetings with.

Cons

Nothing that I can think of. Quickbooks delivered everything that they promised with the Live Bookkeeping service.