How to Connect to QuickBooks
The procedure for connecting to QuickBooks depends on whether you are connecting to the QuickBooks Online version, connecting to your QuickBooks from a remote computer or using the Intuit remote connection option that comes with the Accountant Premier edition. The QuickBooks Online version is a fully functioning accounting software that the client pays on a monthly basis to access from any computer anywhere. Connecting using a subscription service like GoToMyPC connects you to your home or office computer from any computer anywhere. With the purchase of the QuickBooks Accountant's Edition, remote access is free for two computers.
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Instructions
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Connecting to QuickBooks Online Version
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Choose the QuickBooks Online version you need from the QuickBooks Online website. The Online Simple Start software is a limited version for one user and costs $12.95 monthl, as of October 2010. The Essentials version is a little more advanced with three user licenses and costs $24.95 monthly. The Plus version is for five users and handles more advanced functions like tracking inventory and creating purchase orders. It costs $39.95 monthly as of October 2010.
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Purchase the version that serves your needs best. Click on the "Try it Free" button underneath the version you want and follow the prompts to enter your company contact data and payment information. The first 30 days are free for any version. From that point on you will be charged.
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Create a user ID and a password. All transactions are encrypted in transfer between the computer and the online storage site. A lapse in security comes most often from not keeping user IDs and passwords secure.
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Log in to the Online QuickBooks site with your user ID and password. You will be connected to the Online version and able to begin entering data for the first time or exporting data from your current QuickBooks version to the Online version.
Connecting to QuickBooks Through a Third Party
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Purchase a subscription for a remote access service through a company like GoToMyPC. There are a number of remote access services available, so you may want to do some research to find the one that is right for you.
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Download the remote access file to the desktop computer with the QuickBooks software on it. Follow the prompts, which will ask for a user identification phrase or number and a password. The GoToMyPC company, for security's sake, requires an additional password. This additional password identifies the computer you wish to access remotely. It also reduces the chances of your account being hacked.
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Go to a remote computer to test the connection. Log in to the remote access website with your chosen user ID and password. Enter the second password you chose to identify the computer you want to connect to. You will be able to connect not only to your QuickBooks file, but also the rest of your PC as well.
Connecting to QuickBooks Through Web-Ex
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Compare the cost effectiveness of the above options based on your situation. If you already have QuickBooks software installed on your desktop, using the third-party option or online version might be more financially feasible for you. If this will be your first purchase of QuickBooks software, you may want to consider the Premier Accountant edition. For first-time purchasers, the price difference between Premier Accountant and the Premier editions is, as of October 2010, only about $30 at $429.
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Click on the "Accountant" button and scroll down to and click the "Remote Access" option. QuickBooks will connect to the Internet to the Intuit Remote Access registration page. With the Accountant Edition, this is a free service; with the Premier version it is a monthly subscription. Click the "Register for the Service" option.
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Download the "Remote Access" program from the Intuit server. When the "Remote Access" window opens, you will see a "Set up this computer NOW" button. Click the "Install" button, and the connection service called Web-Ex will install the program onto the computer. This process may take some time, do not try to complete other transactions during the remote access installation process.
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Click "Next" on the setup wizard screen. When the process is completed, choose the method you wish to use to authenticate your identity, either an access code or your company phone number. Click the "Finish" button. Your computer is now ready for remote access.
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Test the connection. Leave the computer with the QuickBooks file turned on and connected to the Internet. Log in to the Web-Ex server with your authentication and password and connect to your QuickBooks file. You can now access your computer from anywhere as long as it is on and connected to the Internet.
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