Some people start out with QuickBooks Desktop while others go directly to QuickBooks Online and there’s nothing wrong with that at all! People choose whichever one they want based off their needs, but it can be quite a switch going from one to the other, especially if you’re a newbie to the two programs.
One of the biggest differences I noticed, being new to QuickBooks programs, was the layout being a little different going from desktop to online. After becoming quite the user of the desktop version, it was quite jarring doing what I always do then to find what I need not be in the same place. It certainly keeps me on my toes switching back and forth!
So this layout business. If you use the desktop version, it’s really easy to get to the reconciling. All you have to is go to the ‘Banking Tab’ and then click on ‘Reconcile.’ It’s really rather straight forward and easy to find once someone shows it to you a time or two. Now with the online version, it makes no sense to me. The ‘Reconcile’ button is located under a cogwheel…which in my head doesn’t compute. Why you may ask? Because I typically associate the cogwheel with settings and preferences. Anyone else do that? Therefore, it takes me a moment when I switch to online that the cogwheel is my friend.
Another thing with the layout. When I need to use the back button on a previous deposit or an expense I’ve just logged, I can push that button. With the online version, I can’t really do that. Online has a wee clock in the upper left hand corner that you click on and can look at the previous expenses logged in. Again, I don’t really understand the image of the clock or why the previous logs are under that. Maybe it’s a symbol for entries that I’ve just done or recently done within the past couple of minutes. Who knows!
Now, control F. I find this to be another great function in the desktop version. If I can’t remember how I posted something, control F saves me just about every time. It would bring up a list of everything that matches what I typed in and I could click through to see what I really was looking for or see what immediately was missing if I hadn’t in fact logged something. Control F, however, in the online version, pops up with a teeny box in upper right hand corner to type something in. Then it dings annoyingly at you if it hasn’t found anything. I much prefer the list the desktop gives you, it’s a great visual aid.
One more little difference that isn’t a big deal, but something to get use to, is the location of the delete button. Within the desktop version, when you’re entering in an expense, the delete button is conveniently located in plain sight of the task bar. Contrary, when you’re working in the online version, the delete button is not in plain sight. You have to go to the bottom of the screen, click on ‘More’ and then click on the delete button. It’s nothing complicated in all honesty, but is seems like the desktop version is more user friendly, or as I call it to myself, dummy proof. Everything you need it pretty much right in front of your fact without having to hunt and peck through the system to find what you need.
Now, none of this is a big deal and totally biased to how I work with QuickBooks. I started out on the desktop before moving to online. For people who started out from the gate with online wouldn’t have the little adjustments to make that I have. Some people may really like the way the online version is laid out and how it works. If that’s the case, great! This little article is just a small heads up that the two products have their slight variations.
Lastly, sometimes the autofill the programs does when an entry is common is a huge time saver! It is in both the desktop and online versions so no worries there! However, if you’re working on a lot or have a lot being processed through your internet or Wi-Fi signal, the autofill can lag with the online version. Again, no biggie, unless you’re in a hurry. I haven’t experienced this with the desktop one, but again, each product has its own quirks.
Without a doubt, QuickBooks tends to make accounting and bookkeeping easier! If you have questions, let us know!
