How to Set Up and Use QuickBooks Enterprise Remote Access

QuickBooks Enterprise remote access has easily reached the pinnacle of finance and accounting management solutions, alongside other tools currently on the market.

The QuickBooks remote access feature has garnered the trust of several users due to its capability to complete several tasks without the need for more time and effort. Hence, the software has become a favorite among customers. The remote login feature is one of the key reasons for the spike in demand for this application.

In today’s article, we will be talking about the easy and seamless ways to access QuickBooks Enterprise remotely. But before that, let us learn what QuickBooks remote access is and why it is of such importance to QuickBooks users.

What is QuickBooks Remote Access all about?

QuickBooks remote access just means that you can use the software via a secure server on the web from any particular system. With the help of remote QuickBooks work, users can use all their emails. Documents, and every piece of detail without thinking of the physical location.

Not to mention, the QuickBooks documents and files can be used by several QuickBooks users in various locations. It assists in cutting down travel costs along with office infrastructure and expenditure.

Add to it, another advantage of remote access is that it enables several users to join forces and work on the same particular project, assisting managers and team leaders to monitor the activities of their follower co-workers with ease.

What is the significance of QuickBooks Enterprise remote access for Business?

Here is the list of the significance and importance of QuickBooks Enterprise remote access for business:

• Collaboration – With the help of remote access, you can easily collaborate with different team members, stakeholders, and accountants. Several users can use and then update the same QuickBooks data at the same time, enhancing communication and teamwork as well
• Flexibility – Professionals and businesses can use QuickBooks Desktop and complete their financial tasks from anywhere they like. Be it their office, home, or even when they are traveling. Flexibility at work is the key to boosting productivity and promoting work-life balance
• Real-time insights – Businesses can use real-time company financial data, company files, and reports remotely, allowing prompt decision-making even when they are not available at the office
• Continuity – Remote access ensures business continuity in the case of any emergency or natural disaster which limits or prohibits physical access to office premises. Crucial financial operations can keep functioning without any interruption
• Cost-Efficiency – Businesses can cut down infrastructure expenses by enabling employees to work remotely. It erases the need for any physical office space along with hardware setup for every employee.

Under what scenarios is Remote Access to QuickBooks Enterprise valuable?

QuickBooks Enterprise Remote access is crucial in the following cases:

• Travel – Accountants, business owners, and executives who often travel for business purposes can use their data or the financial data of their clients and complete tasks on the go.
• Data Security and Backup – Data Security is considered one of the main priorities when shifting to the cloud. By hosting QuickBooks on a safe remote server, businesses can protect their financial data from any kind of loss or physical damage
• Remote Work – With an increase in remote work arrangements, employees can use QuickBooks Desktop from home and uphold their accounting tasks with ease from their homes.
• Multi-Location Management – Businesses with several locations can use and handle data centrally, ensuring accuracy and consistency in reporting.
• Temporary or Seasonal Staff – Often, small or mid-sized businesses employ temporary or seasonal staff on a contract basis. This staff sets up QuickBooks remotely for employees. After the contract is over, access can be canceled with ease.

How to use QuickBooks Enterprise Software remotely?

QuickBooks Enterprise is a great desktop application that provides complete accounting solutions, comprising payroll, inventory management, bills, and various financial reports. It has simplified the accounting tasks for businesses of all kinds.

But QuickBooks Enterprise does not have a crucial built-in feature, which is remote access to the details. To meet this limitation, QuickBooks Enterprise is hosted on a particular cloud. The cloud allows access from anywhere and at any time to important information with the help of any internet-connected device.

Feature	QuickBooks Hosting	QuickBooks Remote Access Tools	QuickBooks Remote Desktop Services (RDS)	QuickBooks Online	VPN
How It Works	QuickBooks runs on a secure cloud server	Connects to a computer where QuickBooks is installed	Users access QuickBooks through a central Windows server	QuickBooks is accessed through a web browser	Connects users securely to the office network
Setup	Easy	Easy	Moderate to complex	Moderate; requires data migration	Moderate to complex
Cost	Moderate	Low to moderate	Moderate to high	Subscription-based	Low to moderate
Multi-User Access	Excellent	Limited to the host setup	Excellent	Excellent	Depends on network setup
Performance	Fast and consistent	Depends on the host computer and internet	Generally high	Depends on internet connection	Depends on the office network and internet
Scalability	High	Low	High	High	Moderate
Security	Managed cloud security	Depends on the remote-access provider and host PC	Requires proper server and IT security	Cloud-based security managed by Intuit	Secure when properly configured
Backup & Recovery	Usually includes managed backups	Depends on the host computer	Managed by the organization or IT provider	Cloud-based backup and recovery features	Depends on the office backup system
Best For	Businesses needing reliable multi-user access	Occasional remote access	Larger teams with centralized IT management	Businesses ready to move from Desktop to Online	Businesses that need secure network access

What are the system requirements for allowing Remote QuickBooks access?

If you want to reap the benefits of the QuickBooks Enterprise Remote Access feature, there is no need for extra system requirements. If you have QuickBooks on your computer up and running, it is easy to install the remote access feature without making any extra changes to your system.

Before setting up Remote Desktop Services for QuickBooks Enterprise, make sure the server has enough RAM to support all users working at the same time. Use the following recommendations as a starting point:

Simultaneous Users	Recommended RAM
1–5 users	8 GB
5–10 users	12 GB
10–15 users	16–24 GB
15–30 users	16–32 GB

Note: These are general recommendations. Actual RAM requirements can vary depending on the QuickBooks Enterprise version, company file size, number of applications running on the server, and overall workload.

QuickBooks Remote Access Features

With the QuickBooks Enterprise Remote Access feature, accessing files instantly has become easier. When you use it, you are allowed to:

• Transfer files and even folders from one computer to another
• Copy and paste files and folders between remote and local PCs
• Print documents from your remote PC to a local printer easily

Benefits of Using QuickBooks Remotely

When you use QuickBooks Enterprise Remote Access, there are several benefits that you get. These include:

• The remote access feature will let you save your travel time and infrastructural costs for accountants
• As an accounting professional, you can enjoy up-to-date access to the software even when you’re not at your office as and when required
• The remote access feature allows you to collaborate with multiple users on the same QuickBooks file
• It gives the owners or bosses a chance to track the activities of the accountants

How Do you Remotely Access QuickBooks Enterprise software?

Here are the steps to remotely access QuickBooks Enterprise software:

Step 1: Acquire the QuickBooks Enterprise License

The first and foremost step is to buy a QuickBooks Enterprise License or lease it. The particular license can be bought from any QuickBooks Solutions provider or from the Intuit Authorized Commercial Host, which Intuit permits to provide services to QuickBooks end users.

Step 2: Select a Trustworthy Cloud Hosting Provider

In this step, you need to choose the right QuickBooks Enterprise hosting provider, which can address your business requirements. Every business has different needs. Hence, some of the elements one needs to take care of before investing in the cloud service comprise:

• Security – It is important to review the security standards applied by the hosting provider on both physical and virtual levels. One must check the privacy policy to make sure the confidentiality of information is implemented.
• Expertise – The total number of years a service provider has been performing in the business, its field expertise, along with the number of clients it is addressing at the moment, speak volumes about its reputation.
• Service Level Agreement – Review the SLA for uptime guarantee, disaster and backup recovery policy, and the terms and conditions to make sure that the services meet the expectations.
• Pricing – The cost-efficiency of the service is based on the scalability of the plans provided. It is important to note that you need to pay for only such services which are being used.
• Assistance – Review whether the cloud hosting provider promises 24/7 services and which versions of QuickBooks Enterprise are assisted by the vendor, and what are the means of contact, like chat, phone, email, are provided by the vendor for any tech assistance.
• The parameters stated above assist in selecting a reliable QuickBooks Enterprise hosting provider to host the particular accounting application.

Step 3: Log in to the Portal

After the application is hosted on the virtual servers of the particular cloud provider, the QuickBooks Enterprise user can sign in to the portal via the Remote Desktop Protocol or other processes offered by the hosting provider.

Step 4: Use QuickBooks Enterprise remotely

Type the credentials (username and password) offered by the cloud hosting provider to use QuickBooks Enterprise from any point at any specific time. The functionality of the QuickBooks Enterprise software hosted will stay the same compared to the desktop-based application. Not to mention, such changes will be updated in real-time automatically.

Recommendations
There are three types of QuickBooks Enterprise Remote Access options you can opt for based on the purpose you will be using it for.

QuickBooks Remote Access Tool

This alternative is chosen when an individual does not require frequent remote access.

QuickBooks Hosting

This is for those businesses or professionals who need remote access frequently and thereby want to improve their collaboration between multiple users.

Best Alternative – QuickBooks Online

This is for those who need frequent remote access, but their requirements and expectations from the software are not huge.

Final Words!

Having remote access to QuickBooks Enterprise is essential for gaining a market advantage. It is also one of the several advantages that QuickBooks Enterprise cloud hosting provides. In addition, it can improve performance by offering regular backups, sophisticated security, multi-user collaboration, and much more. Still, if you have any doubts, you can reach out to our panel of QuickBooks experts.

Frequently Asked Questions