QuickBooks, a feature-rich application, is used by businesses in different industries. Whether it is invoicing, billing, managing accounts, or generating reports to prepare taxes, the software can do it all.
Irrespective of this application’s advanced features and availability, the mobility of information is restricted when it is hosted on a local IT setup. To overcome the same, you would want to turn towards QuickBooks cloud hosting for the benefits it entails.
But before you do so, like many of your peers, you might want to ask:
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- Can I transfer the old QuickBooks accounting data to the cloud? And,
- If possible, how can I transfer old QB data to a cloud server?
If you have been using its desktop version to fulfill your business needs, you might already have a huge chunk of data stored on your local system. Indeed, you would want to back it up for later use.
This guide will cover various sides related to transferring existing QuickBooks data to the cloud. Let’s go step by step.
What Should You Consider Before You Migrate to QuickBooks Desktop Cloud?
Once you have decided to start using QuickBooks cloud solutions, you also need to know the following before moving forward with data migration:
- QuickBooks migration to the cloud does not only involve the transfer of data from local systems to a cloud server.
- You must evaluate the current IT infrastructure to select the right hosting plan according to your business needs.
- Allow your employees to understand the differences between private and shared cloud servers and provide the required training.
- Assess your needs and set the right expectations before migrating both QuickBooks applications and data to the cloud.
- Select a QB hosting provider carefully.
Steps Involved in Transferring Data to a Cloud Server
- Back up your QuickBooks files and store them on your system locally
- Click ‘Copy’ using the right-click function of the mouse
- Open QuickBooks in your cloud server
- Start restoring the backup by selecting the local backup and then proceed with the migration
- Navigate to the Cloud Files saved in the C-drive of your system
- Paste the files you have copied in the steps above
In general, there are two ways by which you can transfer QuickBooks data to a QuickBooks cloud:
- Use the steps given above to proceed with manual data migration by yourself
- Ask the hired QuickBooks cloud hosting provider to assist you in the process
- You can also ask for managed services for such needs
As you can see here, data transfer to a cloud server is relatively easy. However, you must do proper planning before taking your existing data to a third-party cloud server.
As a rule of thumb, it is recommended that you move some files from the local system to a cloud server and then try to access them with the authorized credentials via different compatible devices like a smartphone or laptop.
If you are still doubtful about switching to QuickBooks cloud hosting, continue reading.
Why Switch to QuickBooks Cloud?
1. Top-notch data security
Irrespective of the size of your business, you would agree that data security is a major concern. Depending on the value of data you deal in, cyberattacks and other threats can impact the integrity of your business. This calls for a robust, efficient system to combat security risks.
By joining hands with a renowned QB hosting provider, you will also get access to their high-end security measures, including multi-level firewall protection, DDoS protection, antimalware, and encryption. This way, you can focus more on growing your business while the security aspects are well taken care of externally.
2. High server uptime
In an ideal scenario, every business expects uninterrupted access to their data and business applications, which requires high uptime. Local systems, at increased risk of software failure and other technical issues, often fail to fulfill this requirement.
By switching to QuickBooks cloud hosting, you can make your business work in or near the ideal condition. Renowned cloud solution provider offers a 99.999% server uptime guarantee backed by Service Level Agreements. This way, you can have continued access to QuickBooks without facing any hurdles.
3. Cost savings
The traditional IT setup requires a significant upfront investment that may not be feasible for small businesses or accounting firms.
It is paired with the additional expense of hiring professionals for regular IT maintenance and system upgrades.
If yours is a small-scale business, you might have considered cloud technology a luxury meant only for big businesses, which is not true.
The availability of cloud hosting solutions has democratized easy cloud access to different forms of businesses.
Even solopreneurs can benefit from remote software accessibility and other cloud features with the help of a QB hosting provider. Since your data and software run on third-party cloud servers, you need not invest in a dedicated, on-premise system or its upgrade.
4. Round-the-clock support
Implementing new technology into your operations may result in issues that seem hard to resolve at first. The same holds true when you switch to QuickBooks desktop cloud.
Getting stuck in accessing cloud-hosted QB is a part of learning how to benefit from this technology. Instead of worrying about the outcome, you can raise a support request for any hosting-oriented queries.
Most cloud hosting providers offer 24×7 customer support to their clients, knowing the fact that a technical glitch can occur at any time.
To ensure continued business operations, they even provide multiple ways to ask for customer support by email, phone, or chat. Besides this, you also benefit from remote upgrades for cloud-hosted QuickBooks.
5. Data backup facility
Inevitable events like natural disasters, theft, or fire often damage businesses significantly. The worst part is that they make it difficult and, in some cases, impossible to recover data unless a data backup plan is in place.
With QuickBooks cloud hosting solutions, you can deal with such situations and minimize losses. Their in-built data backup and disaster recovery features manage to store the data on servers in multiple locations. If one such site goes down, the data can be recovered from other related sites or data centers.
The bottom line
The most crucial step when transferring your QB data to the cloud is identifying your business requirements. QB hosting can make your accounting tasks more efficient, provided you select the right cloud solution for your business.
