QuickBooks has been one of CPA’s most trusted accounting software, in addition to small business owners and bookkeepers. It has all the advanced features you need to manage your business accounting tasks with ease. Although many accountants use local-hosted QuickBooks applications, people gradually turn towards the next-gen cloud technology and opt for QuickBooks hosting solutions.
Since you need a third-party cloud service provider for such services, the next question that arises is:
‘How to find and select the right QuickBooks hosting service provider?’
Before you switch to the cloud, it is crucial to understand how a reliable cloud service provider can benefit your business. Since there are numerous service providers in the market, zeroing in on an industry expert does require some research.
Here’s a checklist of service features you should consider while looking for a QuickBooks hosting solution provider:
1. Server Uptime
Server uptime, in simple words, refers to the extent to which the cloud servers will be accessible to the users. Ideally, a cloud service provider should offer a server uptime of 100%. However, regular maintenance of servers does result in limited downtime. If you look for cloud industry experts providing application hosting services, you can find service providers with an SLA-backed uptime guarantee of 99.995%.
Hence, it would be best if you compared cloud solution providers in terms of uptime. In layman’s terms, the more 9’s guaranteed in the uptime, the better. This will also give an idea about the market reputation of different cloud service providers.
2. Data Security
One of the primary reasons many accountants switch to QuickBooks hosting solutions is the need for advanced level data security. The risk of losing local-hosted data is significant, but it gets substantially reduced when you choose cloud technology to host your QuickBooks application. This does not mean you can select a cloud service provider without double-checking the security benefits.
QuickBooks hosting provider you select must have top-rated data security measures deployed for best results. You should check and ask for measures like data encryption, intrusion detection, DDoS protection, firewalls, and similar others.
3. QuickBooks Versions Support
QuickBooks accounting software is available in different versions – Pro, Premier, Enterprise, each with distinct features for various accounting needs. A solo accountant using QuickBooks Pro would need QuickBooks Enterprise while growing their business. Hence, it would help if you asked the QuickBooks hosting solution provider about the versions supported on the cloud servers.
It does not make sense to select a service provider who does not have the expertise to host the QuickBooks versions of your choice. The ideal option would be the one that can host all versions of QuickBooks. This way, you do not have to switch to another cloud service provider for later needs.
4. Automated Data Backups
Cloud hosting providers offer their service with the help of a network of connected servers located in different regions. In this aspect, cloud data backup implies keeping the data stored in multiple servers and not just in one place. In case of any natural or man-made disaster at the server locations, these data backups can help you recover the lost data.
The chosen QuickBooks hosting provider must offer an automated backup facility so that you can prevent loss of data from remote servers whenever needed. Additionally, you can also go for managed backup services for your business needs.
5. Customer Support Services
Whether you are switching to QuickBooks hosting solutions for the first time and have worked with it before, customer support is essential for all. It simply refers to the services you can ask for if you face any technical issues with your cloud-hosted QuickBooks application.
Since you would want to get the quickest resolution of hosting issues, you must select a cloud service provider with round-the-clock support. Furthermore, there should be multiple modes of communication available, be it chat, call, or email, to connect with qualified support professionals.
Selecting a cloud service provider to host QuickBooks is a long-term choice. Hence, it is vital to make informed decisions by considering various aspects of these services and your business.
