The Case for QuickBooks
A small percentage of inquirers (now a dwindling minority)
still approach their research for a new shop management system
thinking that they want to find a system which has its own,
built-in, fully-integrated General Ledger and/or Payroll
functionality (presumably developed by the shop management
vendor). Their thinking is "I want something seamless." or "I
don't want to have to switch between two programs." or "I don't
want to have to learn two programs."
There was a time when a system with a fully integrated
accounting solution made sense. Service2000's predecessor,
Senior Service Manager, had it. It worked, and it worked well -
unlike many we hear about that simply do not work. In fact, most
Senior Service Manager users have used it for years, and for
those who have not yet switched to ServiceShop, still do.
However, as with all products in all product categories,
circumstances and the factors that dictate them change with
time, and what made good sense 10-15 years ago frequently no
longer makes sense today. Such is the case when it comes to the
subject of integrated accounting. Why? Several reasons.
1. Robust, mainstream, easy-to-learn, easy-to-use, commercial
accounting software is readily available.
2. It is possible to build excellent, reliable integration to
mainstream accounting software - integration that works so well
that there is no real inconvenience to running two programs
instead of one.
3. One brand in particular, Intuit's QuickBooks, has become
the de facto standard for small business accounting software,
which raises a strong case for integration with that brand in
particular. Nine out of ten shops who contact us are already
running it and would rather fight than switch.
4. No software developer (such as GenesisFour or any of its
competitors no matter how big they are) that specializes in
specific industry software (such as ServiceShop) has the
resources or expertise to develop accounting software that can
come close to offering the functionality that the most
entry-level version of QuickBooks offers - it's not even
remotely possible. In all likelihood, QuickBooks will instantly
give you every accounting feature you ever dreamed of.
5. It is extremely easy to find people familiar with it. When
it comes time to hire or re-hire, finding people who already
know QuickBooks is relatively easy. Finding people who can train
or consult on QuickBooks is effortless, as there is a national
directory of certified QuickBooks trainers on Intuit's web site.
If you run an ad for a bookkeeper that reads "Knowledge of
QuickBooks a requirement", you'll probably get more responses.
Imagine trying to run a bookkeeper ad "Knowledge of Brand XYZ
Automotive Shop Management software a requirement".
In conclusion, not only does this eradicate the need for an
integrated accounting solution, but it turns what used to be
considered a pro, into a con. Non-mainstream, proprietary
accounting software, especially something provided by a shop
management systems vendor, is not an asset. It's a liability.
Most of it is hard to learn and doesn't work very well anyway.
When it comes to the accounting solution question, the
integration to QuickBooks is not only the preferred solution,
it's the perfect solution.
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