Managing accounts for several companies can take a lot of time. You may need to track expenses, and share data with your team. A single office computer may not be enough when several people need access.

QuickBooks hosting lets you run your desktop accounting software on a remote server. You and your team can access the software and company files over the internet. This helps business owners, bookkeepers, and accountants work from different locations.

However, you need to plan your hosting setup with care. You must consider user access, and software licenses. This guide explains what to check before you choose a plan.

How does QuickBooks Hosting Work?

Using QuickBooks hosting means that your accounting program will be hosted on the server which is located somewhere remote or virtual. In other words, the files of your organization will not be stored on any single computer from the office but rather on the remote server which you will then connect to and use the software normally.

The server will give you the necessary power to host the software. The following resources should be considered:

• RAM – This is the short-term memory that is used by your software during operation. It becomes especially important when many users work simultaneously.
• vCPU – vCPU is responsible for providing the necessary processing power for tasks like generating reports and storing data.
• SSD storage – SSD will store your software and all the files of your company. Faster storage helps to reduce the loading time.
• Network bandwidth – This resource is responsible for the quality of connection to the remote server. A good Internet connection could significantly decrease the delays.

There could also be additional features provided by your hosting plan such as user accounts, and security tools.

Managing Multiple Company Files in One Hosted Setup

Many businesses use more than one company file. For example, you may run a retail business and a separate service company. An accountant may also manage accounts for several clients.

Each company file holds its own records. These can include income, and financial reports. Hosting does not combine these records into one file. You must open the correct file when working on each business.

A shared hosting setup lets approved users sign in to the same remote system. They can then open the company files they need.

Before you set up your system, check these points:

• Keeping company data separate: Maintain each company in separate files if necessary.
• File naming conventions: Ensure that the file name can easily distinguish each individual company.
• Access restrictions: Ensure that each user can access only the files required for his/her work.
• Storage requirements: Review the size of your existing files and plan accordingly for future growth.
• Software compatibility: Ensure that your QuickBooks version is compatible with the number of company files and users.

Create a clear process for switching between company files. Ask users to check the company name before entering payments, or expenses. This can help prevent costly errors.

Supporting Multiple Users Without Delays

Various individuals may want to use the software together at the same time. While one individual is entering bills, another might be looking through the reports. The third individual might be updating customer information or verifying payment details.

Your server should have enough capacity to do this efficiently. Lack of sufficient memory or processing power on the computer may slow down the system with multiple users trying to log on. Sufficient capacities would ensure that your staff has fewer interruptions while working.

QuickBooks Desktop allows you to manage user access using company files and databases. Every individual should have the required credentials and access rights to the files. Your hosting environment should also support the multi-user environment. See the multi-user hosting guidelines from QuickBooks.

You can follow these guidelines for accessing users:

• Use these steps to plan user access:
• List everyone who needs to use QuickBooks.
• Note which company files each person needs.
• Check how many people may work at the same time.
• Estimate the memory and processing power your team needs.
• Test common tasks, such as opening reports and saving transactions.

Choose a plan based on your actual workload. The number of employee accounts alone does not tell you how much power you need. Active users, file sizes, and other software can also affect speed.

Security and Data Protection of Business Accounts

The documents you keep on your accounting records can include sales, payroll information, bank details, tax information and customer data. Your hosting needs to keep these records safe from any unauthorized access and data loss.

Begin by ensuring that each individual gets their own account. Do not let everyone use one login. Having separate accounts will be helpful for managing access and reviewing the actions of your users.

Make sure that the hosting services offer all these security features:

• Multi-factor authentication (MFA): This is another identity verification process when the user logs in.
• Encryption: This makes sure that the data remains secure when moving between the client device and the server.
• Role-based access: This prevents every user from seeing certain information.
• Backup: Regular automatic backups of the data.
• Testing of Recovery: This is done to test the recovery of files from backups.

Backups matter when you manage several company files. A damaged or deleted file can delay daily work and financial reports. Ask your provider how often it backs up your files, how long it keeps each copy, and how you can restore your data.

Set clear rules for file changes, too. Ask staff to check the company name before entering any transaction. Review records on a regular basis to catch mistakes early.

QuickBooks Hosting Costs: Considerations

The price for QuickBooks hosting depends on the server, the amount of users and other features offered by the package you choose. For a sole proprietorship less demands will be made to the host than to the office handling several company files daily.

Make sure you take into account the following costs when selecting a host:

• Basic cost of hosting: See what you get included in the subscription price.
• Cost per additional user: Some hosting companies may charge for any additional user beyond the first one.
• Software licensing: You should have a proper license for QuickBooks.
• Server and storage resources: Large files and complex operations might necessitate a more expensive package.
• Security features: There might be extra cost for some security measures offered by your provider.
• Technical support and backup services: Ensure that they are provided with the package.

Compare the monthly fees taking into account all costs, not just the introductory ones.

How to Pick a Hosting Plan That Fits Your Team?

Choosing a plan will depend on the type of business you run. A smaller company with only one user can require fewer requirements than an accountancy department dealing with numerous files simultaneously.

It might be that a shared server hosting plan fits your team’s needs. If the users are several and the application is used by more than one person, a dedicated virtual server hosting plan could fit well.

When choosing a hoster, you should consider asking yourself the following questions:

• How many users does each plan support?
• How much RAM, CPU power, and storage does it include?
• Does it support your QuickBooks edition and version?
• Can you add users as your team grows?
• How often does the provider back up your files?
• How does data recovery work?
• When is support available, and how quickly does the team respond?

QuickBooks hosting pricing should match your needs. A low-cost plan may work well for a small team. It may not suit a busy office with many active users. Choose a plan with enough power for your daily work, but avoid paying for resources you do not need.

Steps to Ensure a Seamless Transition to the Cloud

To ensure an effective transition of your accounting files to the cloud-based system, there is a need to plan carefully. Start with backing up all the files of your companies. Be sure that all the files open properly and have all the necessary information. Secondly, verify the software version and licenses. Contact your hosting provider to learn how they are going to transfer your files, install the software and set up the users’ accounts.

Finally, after the transition check everything:

• Open all the files of your companies.
• Look through the most important financial statements.
• Input a test transaction, where necessary.
• Be sure that printing is working.
• Be sure that access rights of each user are set properly.
• Be sure that backup procedures work as expected.

Keep in mind the new sign-on procedure and the contact person. Train your staff on choosing the right company and securing their login credentials.

Conclusion

QuickBooks Hosting will allow you to handle multiple company files and provide your employees with remote access to accounting software. Your requirements regarding QuickBooks Hosting will vary according to the size of the files, number of active users, server capacity, security, and licensing issues.

Consider these considerations prior to making your decision. Request your service provider to clarify total costs, technical support, and the procedure for recovering lost data.

Apps4Rent provides hosting solutions for companies that require remote access to their accounting software. Learn more about the plans at Apps4Rent.