Why SMBs Need to Make the Switch

QuickBooks still serves as a useful starting point for new businesses who need to manage their basic accounting needs. But it’s only a matter of time until a company develops complex operations and advanced requirements that far exceed the capabilities of QuickBooks. Fearing the price tag and process of implementing a holistic ERP instance, SMBs will often install several separate applications to attempt to take control over their business.

However, acquiring these disjointed systems proves more of a burden than a solution. QuickBooks doesn’t easily support integrations, and maintaining separate software requires manual data entry that inevitably leads to errors and several work hours down the drain. Now that cloud computing has made ERP solutions more affordable and easier to install and maintain than ever, SMBs should no longer fear ERP. One ERP can do the work of multiple platforms, without all the hassle.

Still not convinced that you should trade in your QuickBooks software for cloud-hosted ERP? By the time we break down the differences between these two systems, you’ll be ready to make the switch.

Download our white paper to learn more about migrating from QuickBooks to cloud ERP. 

QuickBooks Weaknesses

Limited Functionality

As an accounting-only point solution, QuickBooks can only do so much for a discrete manufacturer or distributor. Even when it comes to financial management, QuickBooks can’t easily consolidate fiscal metrics from multiple locations and manage critical processes such as the quote-to-cash cycle and billing. This leaves users to manually merge multiple QuickBooks records into separate spreadsheets, a process that is not only time-consuming but prone to errors that could strain customer relationships. Furthermore, its limited forecasting capabilities and inability to provide real-time data hinder business growth.

Poor Scalability

QuickBooks’ lack of scalability also prevents business growth. The software can’t support a large number of user licenses. Additionally, the system’s rigidity makes it difficult to take advantage of new opportunities and facilitate integrations with other enterprise software. Without software that easily scales, companies find themselves struggling to keep up with new demands as they expand.

Lack of Visibility

The rigidity and limited functionality of QuickBooks makes real-time visibility impossible. Employees end up amassing countless Excel spreadsheets and even sticky notes to manage enterprise data and operations because QuickBooks simply can’t support complex processes and large datasets. An extensive paper trail leads to errors and a constant search for the right information. This means that businesses can’t efficiently build strategies or maintain accuracy, causing them to fall behind the competition.

Cloud ERP Strengths

All-in-One Solution

Whereas QuickBooks only has basic accounting features, ERP software is often modular by design, meaning that several critical tools and management capabilities are integrated into one holistic solution. Epicor ERP, in particular, has earned a reputation for seamlessly connecting modules into a system that meets a wide array of manufacturing and distribution needs.

By integrating supply chain management, inventory management, financial management and additional suites and modules into one place, users gain end-to-end visibility to boost efficiency and improve decision making. Epicor, unlike QuickBooks, also includes global management tools and a scalable infrastructure to support international expansion.

Ease of Implementation

Before the advent of cloud computing, manufacturers and distributors were restricted to on-premises ERP deployments. These required businesses to reach deep into their pockets to purchase the necessary hardware and perform ongoing maintenance, as well as lengthy implementations.

Now, the cloud levels the playing field for businesses of all sizes, providing the affordability and ease to enable SMBs to leverage ERP for business improvement. Since cloud-based applications are provided as web-based applications, companies can avoid lengthy installation processes and investing in hardware and servers. Though cloud ERP is normally offered on a monthly subscription basis, these payments fall well below the costs of on-premises maintenance and implementations.

Mobility

QuickBooks users who desire real-time information from wherever they do business are out of luck, as the software fails to adequately support mobility. Cloud-hosted ERP enables users to access critical data on any device. The increasingly mobile nature of today’s workforce makes this availability imperative to generating revenue.

Security

Regular updates are necessary for ensuring your business is taking advantage of technological innovations that could give you an edge over your competition. Even more importantly, updates maintain data security. Software vendors must diligently make changes to protect users from new threats. Whereas QuickBooks lacks key security features to protect sensitive fiscal information, cloud providers take care of maintenance and upgrades and maintain robust security standards to keep your ERP data safe. On a daily basis, cloud vendors perform backups and automatically update and store data to mitigate risks.

Wrap Up

Where QuickBooks falls short, cloud-hosted ERP excels. But it’s understandable for small and mid-size manufacturers and distributors to remain hesitant about making major changes to their workplaces. To take on a low-risk, hassle-free Epicor ERP implementation, team up with Datix consultants. After 20 years of experience, we recognize that businesses undergoing their first implementation want the process to be fast and easy.

That’s why we created our fixed fee Epicor implementations for manufacturers. As an Epicor Gold Partner, Datix has the expertise to implement your cloud-hosted Epicor ERP instance quickly at a low fixed price. Additionally, we provide Microsoft Azure. Microsoft Azure is the most reliable and scalable cloud platform, giving you full control over your software and worry-free cloud hosting. 

Ditch QuickBooks—contact Datix today to start transforming your business with ERP software.  

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