For nearly 40 years, small and medium-sized businesses have relied on Intuit’s QuickBooks accounting software to handle their bookkeeping and support them like a personal CPA. From invoicing to year-end tax preparation, QuickBooks software is an integral part of their daily workflows and has evolved to meet a whole range of business needs when it comes to managing and recording finances.
Part of that evolution has been the introduction of a cloud solution to complement the traditional desktop version of QuickBooks. Unlike the versions of QuickBooks that are installed and run locally on a Microsoft Windows or Mac computer, QuickBooks Online adopts a cloud computing model. This allows multi-user access to QuickBooks via a web browser as well as mobile apps. Pricing, like most software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, is a monthly subscription that varies depending on the number of seats and selected add-ons.
QuickBooks Desktop vs. QuickBooks Online
For some organizations, the major drawback to QuickBooks Online is that it lacks some of the functionality of QuickBooks desktop software. In the past, important features like job costing have been present in the desktop version but missing in the cloud editions of QuickBooks. Some small businesses also prefer to pay the one-time upfront cost of the desktop software rather than the ongoing monthly fees.
An alternative to QuickBooks Online is QuickBooks Desktop hosting, which combines elements of the two. Hosted QuickBooks is typically a scenario in which the desktop software is run on a local computer, an on-premises server or a data center server provided by a hosting service. QuickBooks users can then connect to the local software hosting solutions or the off-network server through some form of local network or remote access, such as a remote desktop client.
As you can imagine, these configurations involve many moving parts and can be tricky to set up. They also often involve changes to device firewalls and other security settings to facilitate access. To better maintain data security when using a third-party cloud server, it’s important for organizations to seek out an authorized QuickBooks hosting provider. Cloud hosting providers with this seal of approval have been vetted by Intuit and confirmed to be taking appropriate security measures to protect your data.
However, you will end up paying ongoing fees for dedicated QuickBooks cloud hosting from these providers, and the cost may or may not include customer support, technical support or uptime guarantees. Exact pricing will depend on the hosting plan you negotiate.
Cameyo: A simpler, more cost-effective alternative to hosted QuickBooks
Similar to many small to mid-sized businesses around the world, JTM Electrical Contractors relies on QuickBooks. As JTM has grown, so have the company’s business needs and what it requires from its core accounting software.
For many years, the company made use of the various hosted QuickBooks configurations with different QuickBooks versions. At first they ran QuickBooks Enterprise on a central computer and configured remote access to that machine. Then, in an attempt to introduce greater scalability, they looked to the cloud services model of QuickBooks Online. Unfortunately, that version lacked essential functionality. As an alternative, they found a QuickBooks solution provider that could host QuickBooks Enterprise, but the hosting and licensing fees started to mount.
Then JTM discovered Cameyo. Our virtual app delivery (VAD) platform gave them everything they were looking for: secure access to their preferred version of QuickBooks with all the scalability advantages of cloud computing and budget-friendly pricing. Now all their QuickBooks users can work with the full desktop software from any device.
“Not only did the cost of Cameyo balance out our previous costs, but Cameyo gives us the ability to grow and scale the number of users cost effectively, enabling us to grow as much as needed in the future,” said Kari Ugent of JTM Electrical Contractors, Inc. You can read the full case study here.
FAQs about Cameyo and QuickBooks Desktop
Is Cameyo truly cloud native?
Yes. Cameyo’s VAD platform was designed from the ground up so that you can self-host Cameyo in any cloud of your choice. You can also select Cameyo’s fully hosted option and choose between Google Cloud or Microsoft Azure.
How difficult is it to set up Cameyo with QuickBooks software?
It’s super simple. Deploying Cameyo involves no downtime. Many of our customers are up and running within a single business day—and sometimes as little as an hour. No infrastructure is required, and it takes minimal IT experience to configure and administer Cameyo.
What about security?
Your QuickBooks data is always keep separate and isolated from Cameyo, and no data is stored on our servers. All client connections are HTTPS encrypted, and Cameyo’s browser-based virtual app delivery model keeps QuickBooks software isolated from potential security issues on client devices. In fact, Cameyo is so secure that it can be used to support zero trust computing policies.
How does Cameyo work with my QuickBooks license?
Just like hosted QuickBooks, your standard QuickBooks Desktop license is valid for use with Cameyo. Your users will still be accessing the full desktop version of the software (so the licenses you have are still needed), but they’ll be able to access it seamlessly from any browser instead of it needing to be installed on their device locally.
Does Cameyo integrate with cloud service providers for added functionality?
Of course. For example, you can tie into Google’s G Suite for single sign-on (SSO) and multi-factor authentication, feature-enhancing add-ons and Google Drive storage.
When you say Cameyo works with any device, what’s the catch?
There is no catch. Cameyo has no operating system requirements for your QuickBooks users. Any authorized user with an Internet connection and an HTML5 web browser can access the full desktop version of QuickBooks in real-time via Cameyo. That means they can work just as easily from a Mac or an iPhone as they can from an Android tablet or a Chromebook.
How can I determine if Cameyo is right for my QuickBooks use case?
Easy! Just take a few seconds to sign up for a free trial of Cameyo—no credit card required. Along with seeing why Cameyo is ideal for giving users remote access to QuickBooks, you’ll also discover how VAD can be a complete cloud desktop solution—one that’s more streamlined, cost-effective and secure than virtual desktops. And if you’d prefer a one-on-one technical walkthrough, simply request a demo.