Accounting & Finance

QuickBooks Integration Guide: Get More From Your Accounting Software

Jul 20, 2016

Finding the right QuickBooks integration can help you improve your small business' processes, saving you time and money. Start here to find out more.

James ThorntonContent Manager

QuickBooks Online has just been crowned king of accounting apps, following the release of GetApp’s Q3 accounting Category Leaders ranking. So we decided to revisit this post that was originally posted on March 31, 2016, which explores one of the main factors behind QuickBooks' success in the Category Leaders ranking - its software integrations.

The app scored an impressive 19 out of 20 for integrations in the Q3 Accounting Category Leaders ranking. But before we take a deeper look at QuickBooks' integrations, let’s rewind to the original post… which rewinds back to the very start of QuickBooks…

QuickBooks is one of the kingpins of the accounting software world. First released for DOS way back in 1992 by developer Intuit, QuickBooks has blossomed to become one of the most popular accounting applications for small businesses. The software comes in two flavors: an on-premise version, and the cloud-based incarnation, QuickBooks Online. The latter has become known for its ease of use and connectivity with other apps, with many popular business software now featuring QuickBooks integration.

We’ll explain more about QuickBooks and its ecosystem of apps, walking you through some of the core features of the product and explaining some of the most useful QuickBooks apps and integrations.

What is QuickBooks?

The web-based version of the software, QuickBooks Online, is an accounting software that’s designed to rescue small businesses from the terrors of doing their finances. There are three different pricing plans available for QuickBooks Online, which is great for small businesses as it allows them to scale as they grow.

The cheapest option, the Simple Start plan, costs $12.95 for the ability to track income and expenses, create estimates and invoices, and sync bank accounts and apps. The most comprehensive package, QuickBooks Online Plus, costs $39.95 per month, and gives you access to the full gamut of QuickBooks features. This functionality includes:

  • Invoice creation and management

  • Sales and expenses tracking

  • Online banking integration

  • QuickBooks integration with third-party apps

  • Manage and pay bills

  • Dashboards and reporting tools

  • Inventory tracking

  • Preparation and printing of 1099-S forms

  • Up to five users can get access

  • Free access to smartphone apps

In terms of its user base, QuickBooks is a bigger hitter with the small business crowd. According to GetApp data, 75% of QuickBooks Online users are from companies with less than 50 employees.

What QuickBooks apps are available?

Besides its subscription-based QuickBooks Online product, Intuit has built up a large ecosystem of QuickBooks apps and services based around the software. For example, there’s QuickBooks Self-Employed for freelancers, contractors, and home-based entrepreneurs; QuickBooks Desktop, which is the on-premise version of the software (available for a one-off fee starting at $219.95); as well as various other add-ons that can expand the functionality of QuickBooks. This includes applications for:

There are QuickBooks apps for Android and iOS, as well as Mac and Windows clients that can be downloaded for free and used by subscribers to the software. The mobile capabilities of QuickBooks are generally well regarded. QuickBooks Online topped the accounting GetRank for mobile support, and many users are quick to praise the capabilities of the pocket-sized version. “The app includes basic purchase orders, stock tracking and time recording which are unusual at this price point,” says reviewer Rajeev Sharma, ICAEW Chartered Accountant.

QuickBooks integrations unraveled

QuickBooks Online boasts one of the widest-reaching application ecosystems of any accounting software. Trying to find a QuickBooks integration or add-on to make it sync with your business apps is like looking for a baguette in Paris. They are everywhere!

40% of the most popular apps on GetApp feature QuickBooks integration, appearing in software categories as diverse as project management, customer service, and HR & employee management. The most popular QuickBooks integrations among GetApp users are Zendesk, Wrike, Mavenlink, Fundbox, and Acuity Scheduling.

The QuickBooks API provides app developers with the ability to integrate their products with QuickBooks Online and expose their software to a large pool of small business owners. Intuit’s app store is where third-party apps can be published and found by businesses looking for systems to further simplify their processes.

There are some notable apps that don’t have QuickBooks integration out of the box, such as Google Drive, Basecamp, and TribeHR. However, QuickBooks Online does support the integration platform Zapier, which allows you to connect it to hundreds of other apps without the need for any coding knowledge.

What do users think about QuickBooks integration?

GetApp users seem to dig the integration capabilities of QuickBooks Online, and have commented on the way it can slot seamlessly into their small business’ existing technology stack.

“QuickBooks online has a good range of apps integrating into it and the list is growing daily,” says Sharma.

“The multi-platform us very transparent and it auto-syncs to all your connected and up to five users can connect at the same time,” says marketing and business strategist, John North. Another GetApp user, QBguy, adds, “Integration with other tools is certainly a unique advantage to moving my clients’ books online, and they appreciate not having any monthly backups to maintain.”

How well do QuickBooks integrations compare to other apps?

QuickBooks tops the pile when it comes to integrations with other business software. QuickBooks Online scores 19 out of 20 for integrations in the Q3 2016 accounting Category Leaders ranking.

Other accounting software solutions listed on GetApp don’t come near QuickBooks and its rival software Xero when it comes to integration. For example, FreshBooks integrates with 83 other apps listed on GetApp, while Zoho Books only integrates with 17 others.

Next steps

QuickBooks integration is one of the obvious selling points of the application, whether its integration with third-party apps, its public API, or the bevy of tools and services that Intuit offers under the QuickBooks brand umbrella.

If you’re an existing QuickBooks Online user, you should check to see which of the apps you use have QuickBooks integration, since new ones are being added all the time. If you’re not using QuickBooks Online as your current accounting software, you can compare it with your current solution choice using GetApp’s comparison tool. If you use a bunch of different apps in your daily work then it’s possible you’ll be more productive if you made the switch to QuickBooks (or another well-integrated accounting solution, such as Xero or NetSuite).

Already using QuickBooks integrations? Write a review and let us know about your experiences.

About the author

James Thornton

Content Manager