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QuickBooks Desktop is Sunsetting: What Businesses Should Know

Posted on by Matt Bernot

By now you should have heard that Intuit is making significant changes to their QuickBooks product offerings. After May 31, 2024, if you are not already a U.S.-based QuickBooks Desktop customer, new purchases of Desktop Pro and Desktop Premier are going away. New customers, however, can still buy a yearly Desktop Enterprise 2024 subscription.

For current QuickBooks Desktop customers, on May 31, 2024, Intuit is discontinuing all 2021 Desktop versions as they continue to nudge QB Desktop customers into their online, cloud-hosted version called simply, QuickBooks Online. QBO for short. More on that later.

Here is the complete list of QuickBooks Desktop 2021 on the chopping block:

  • QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2021
  • QuickBooks Desktop Premier 2021 (General Business, Contractor, Manufacturing & Wholesale, Nonprofit, Professional Services, and Retail)
  • QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 21
  • QuickBooks Premier Accountant Edition 2021
  • QuickBooks Enterprise Accountant 21
  • QuickBooks Desktop for Mac 2021
  • QuickBooks Desktop Point of Sale 19.0 is going away as well on October 3rd, 2024.

It’s important to know that access to those indispensible services you’ve been using via QuickBooks Desktop 2021 software will be discontinued after May 31, 2024. These include:

  • Online Banking
  • Online Backup
  • QuickBooks Desktop Payroll
  • Desktop Payments
  • Live technical support

For a complete list of services being sunset, check out Intuit’s QuickBooks Desktop service discontinuation policy. 

Any business using QuickBooks Desktop 2021 should have an actionable plan before all these services suddenly disappear along with critical security updates that help protect your business from cybertheft.

What are your options to replace Desktop 2021 QuickBooks?

Option: Move to QuickBooks Online 

If you were to contact Intuit about your options to replace QB Desktop 2021, they would likely point you toward QuickBooks Online. QBO has been around since 2004, long before cloud-hosted software became so prevalent in recent years. 

When QBO was first made available to consumers, many customers who switched over from previous Desktop versions of QuickBooks reported that QBO initially lacked many core features as compared to QB Desktop software. 

Over the years, QuickBooks Online has evolved significantly, adding various features and integrations to better serve its users’ needs.

Cloud-hosted business management software platforms, often referred to as Enterprise Resource Planning software (ERP), can offer benefits over traditional on-premises (desktop) apps. Security, accessibility, data backup, scalability, cost efficiency—all required components for running today’s business.

Before you pull the trigger to migrate from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online there are several considerations to take into account to ensure a smooth transition and to leverage the benefits of cloud-based accounting software. Here are key points to be aware of:

  • Feature Differences: QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop offer different sets of features. Before moving, evaluate if QuickBooks Online meets all your business needs. For example, some industry-specific features in QuickBooks Desktop may not yet be available in the online version.
  • Data Migration Limits: When migrating data from Desktop to Online, note that not all data may transfer seamlessly. Detailed transaction history, custom reports, and certain types of attachments may not migrate. Review what data will and will not transfer to plan accordingly.
  • User Interface and Workflow Changes: The UI and workflows between the two versions differ. QBO users will need to adapt to the new layout and navigation in QuickBooks Online.
  • Subscription Pricing: QuickBooks Online operates on a subscription model, which is different from the one-time purchase or annual subscription for QuickBooks Pro, Premier, and Enterprise desktop versions. Investigate the ongoing monthly or annual costs for the online version.
  • Internet Dependency: QuickBooks Online requires a stable internet connection for access. Make sure your internet reliability and speed will support using cloud-based software effectively.
  • App Integrations: QuickBooks Online often integrates with a broader range of third-party apps and services than its desktop counterpart. Review and consider any changes needed to your current tech stack.
  • User Access Levels: QuickBooks Online allows for different levels of user access and multiple users to access the account simultaneously from different locations. Plan your user access levels and who needs what level of access in your organization.
  • Security and Data Backup: While QuickBooks Online offers strong security measures and automatic backups, understand how Intuit protects your data and what responsibilities you have, such as managing user access and passwords.
  • Training and Support: Intuit and various third-party providers (ProAdvisers) offer tutorials, webinars, and customer support for QBO.
  • Review and Clean Up Data: Before migrating, it’s a good practice to review your QuickBooks Desktop data for any errors or unnecessary information. Cleaning up your data can simplify the migration process and improve your accounting practices in QuickBooks Online.

There is always a tradeoff in any business decision, and only you can ultimately determine what the best course of action for your business is. Be clear about both the upside and downside of the transition from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online to minimize potential disruptions to your business operations.

Option: Renew your 2021 QB Desktop software to the latest version.

Before May 31, 2024, if QuickBooks Online doesn’t meet your needs, or you feel you can’t get your business prepared to migrate to a cloud-based platform before your clock runs out, you can contact Intuit’s QB Sales team to upgrade your existing Desktop QB version. If you’ve been a Desktop QB user over the years, you know this will require a pre-paid yearly subscription.

Yes. Unquestionably, shelling out big ducats for an updated Desktop QB package is the path of least resistance. With this option, you can just go back to business as usual without the need to move to cloud-hosted accounting. 

Bear in mind, you’re likely just kicking the can down the road. At some point over the next few years, it’s likely that all Desktop QB will be discontinued, so you’ll once again find yourself exactly where you are now, only with fewer options.

Option: Consider moving away from QB to an all-inclusive business management software platform.

Intuit QuickBooks Online is not the only game in town. Small to mid-market businesses (SMBs) might consider migrating away from QuickBooks to an all-inclusive Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform for several reasons, often tied to the growing complexity and scale of their operations. 

While QuickBooks is effective for accounting and financial management, a cloud-hosted ERP system offers a broader range of integrated business functions. Here are 10 reasons why leaving QuickBooks for an industry-focused ERP with integrated accounting capabilities can help your business grow:

  1. Integrated Business Processes: ERP systems integrate core business processes, including inventory management, supply chain operations, customer relationship management (CRM), human resources, and more, alongside accounting and finance. This integration facilitates streamlined operations and data consistency across departments.
  2. Scalability: As businesses grow, their processes and systems become more complex. ERP platforms are designed to scale with the business, supporting a larger number of transactions, more extensive inventory, a bigger workforce, and expansion into new markets or product lines without the need for multiple disparate systems.
  3. Real-time Data and Reporting: ERPs provide real-time data across all integrated business functions, offering comprehensive insights and reporting capabilities. This allows for better decision-making based on current information rather than historical data.
  4. Improved Efficiency and Productivity: By automating business processes and reducing the need for manual data entry across systems, ERP platforms can significantly improve operational efficiency and employee productivity.
  5. Enhanced Customer Experience: With integrated CRM functionalities and self-service portals, ERP systems help businesses manage customer interactions more effectively, from sales and support to after-sales services, leading to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.
  6. Compliance and Risk Management: For businesses in regulated industries or those dealing with complex tax scenarios, ERPs offer robust compliance and risk management features. These systems can be configured to ensure compliance with various regulations and standards, reducing the risk of non-compliance penalties.
  7. Customization and Extensibility: ERP platforms typically offer more customization and extensibility options than QuickBooks. Businesses can tailor the ERP system to their specific processes and integrate it with other software, providing a solution that grows and evolves with their needs.
  8. Global Operations Support: For businesses operating internationally, ERPs support multiple currencies, tax regimes, and languages, which is essential for managing global operations efficiently.
  9. Cost Efficiency Over Time: While the initial investment in an ERP system can be higher than continuing with QuickBooks, the long-term benefits of streamlined operations, efficiency gains, and the ability to scale can lead to significant cost savings and a higher return on investment.
  10. Data Security and Control: ERP systems offer advanced data security features, ensuring sensitive business information is securely managed and controlled, which is crucial as businesses grow and face more complex cybersecurity threats.

Much like the option for moving from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online, migrating to a cloud-hosted ERP system represents a significant step for any business. The future landscape of business software is likely to become entirely a cloud-hosted Software as a Service (SaaS) model over the next several years. So, whether now, or a few years from now, every business will go through a transformation and move towards a more integrated and sophisticated approach to managing its operations. 

Conclusion

The decision to transition your business to an all-in-one business management ERP software platform should be based on a careful assessment of the business’s current and future needs, the costs involved, and the potential benefits to be gained from a more centralized and comprehensive system.

Identity Verification: Why is it Vital for Growing Businesses

Posted on by Juliette Anderson

Global data breaches have skyrocketed over the past couple of years. This also led to the rise of account takeovers and ident

As a result, businesses need to find a reliable way to confirm if someone is who they say they are. Doing this quickly and easily without any road bumps is vital to your business’s success.

The Advantages of an Online Identity Verification Solution

The process that’s designed to confirm an individual’s identity by checking using specific credentials is identity verification. It’s one of the most important steps when doing business with another party. 

Online identity verification is crucial to the risk management of your company. If you still don’t have a streamlined identity verification system in place, here are the reasons why identity verification is vital for your growing business:

Why Is Identity Verification Important?

Reduces Risk For Your Business

Integrating an online identity verification on your website or mobile app will help prevent fraud. It will also protect consumers’ identity, verifying their identity before they can buy products and services online.

 An automated id verification solution helps prevent data theft and reduce the risk of cyberattacks which is one of the threats many organizations face. By verifying your customers’ identities, you’re sure who they are. Having a verification will also prevent fraud and other cyber crimes.

Maintain Your Reputation

Reputation is critical to businesses of all shapes and sizes. In an era of data breaches, customers want to know their data is safe.

If you run identity verification checks, this shows your customers that you want to build trust in an increasingly exposed online world. Trust is the foundation of any relationship, especially in a digital landscape that’s grown increasingly fickle. 

Failing to establish trust damages your business’ reputation and eventually hurts your revenue. On the flip side of everything, enhancing your reputation and giving your customers the assurance they’re looking for in what they need to use or continue using your service will work wonders in your overall bottom line.

Prevents Identity Theft

Identity theft is an ever-growing concern as more and more people rely on online services for more sensitive tasks like banking, data storage, and shopping. 

Your revenue will also suffer when you lose your customers because of identity theft. If you have the means to protect your business from these situations, your operations can be protected, depending on how severe the damage is. That’s why you need to know what to do to reduce the risks of this situation happening. 

Having robust cyber security measures in place with solid identity verification, such as facial recognition log-ins, two-stage authentication, and adequate security protection on sensitive data, is vital. 

Prohibits Unauthorized Access to Data

Verifying the user’s identity will ensure only authorized individuals can access your data. 

That’s why this is vital for businesses that deal with sensitive customer data like financial and personal information. 

Enhances Customer Experience

In this highly digital age, customer experience is everything. People are likely to continue with your service if it’s safe and they feel satisfied. They’re also expected to spread the word about the solutions you offer. 

That’s why excellent identity verification is critical to making your customers happy. By verifying users, you can ensure they’re saying who they are and not using someone else’s information. This can decrease frustration from your customers and boosts their overall satisfaction.

Compliance Adherence

It’s also crucial to comply with regulations. In different industries, some laws and regulations will require businesses to verify the identity of their users. Depending on your location, these regulations are imposed by different bodies. 

Here are examples of the major AML regulatory bodies around the world: 

There might be times when a country has more than one regulator that covers various aspects of fraud or may specialize in a specific industry. 

Nevertheless, each country is mandated to prevent fraud and ensure that the businesses within their jurisdiction will adhere to the laws that the government sets out.

Enhances Your Customer’s Trust

Identity verification enhances the trust between a business and its customers. 

Having these verification precautions in place, you can protect your company’s data and show customers that you’re taking security seriously while safeguarding their personal information. This helps you improve customer relationships and overall trust in your business. 

Avoid Hefty Chargebacks

Credit card fraud takes up a large portion of the total identity fraud cases yearly. When businesses allow their customers to use credit cards for online purchases, committing fraud is easier because most of these transactions fall under the “card not present” category. 

Thus, people use credit cards fraudulently that aren’t theirs to buy goods online, and once the actual owner finds out, they will cancel the transaction. A business must identify and trace the original fraudster to avoid being liable to pay back the money. 

In the finance world, this is known as a chargeback. Unfortunately, this can be costly for companies that accept credit card payments. By revising the identity verification protocols for card-not-present transactions, identity verification lets you avoid costly chargebacks. Using stricter verification methods also stops “friendly fraud” in its tracks.

What’s Next For Identity Verification?

Technologies that enhance identity verification are being developed every single day. There’s also a possibility of blockchain-enabled decentralized identity for everyone on the internet in the future. 

The motivation behind this is that it gives people more control over their personal information. Furthermore, businesses can take a backseat in managing identity documents and what has been a very hands-on verification process before.

Over To You

Data breaches scare many customers. To alleviate these fears and avoid incurring costly fines and any money laundering issues, as a business, you need to create a smooth identity verification process that’s not only customer friendly but also adheres to an organization’s guidelines. 

The Impact of AI on ERP Software

Posted on by Pohan Lin

Artificial intelligence has been changing the world around us in many ways. No, we aren’t quite living in the matrix, but we are interacting with Artificial Intelligence (AI) all the time. Many organizations are now turning to AI to improve sluggish Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). AI can provide the processing power to deal with the increasing complexity of modern business needs.

This article will explore the impact of AI on ERP software and how it is revolutionizing this decades-old system.

Current Trends and Future Needs

Before considering the implications of AI in ERP, let’s crunch some numbers about the current use of AI and how this will change in the coming years. According to a recent study, the enterprise AI market size in 2022 was estimated at $16.81 billion. By 2030, it’s predicted to grow to $102.9 billion as a CAGR of 47.16%.

According to a report by IBM, AI adoption by businesses as a whole is at around 35%, a rise of 4% from the previous year. Such evidence indicates the importance attached to this by companies all over the world. And why is this? 

One application of AI in ERP is increasing workplace efficiency and productivity to make companies more competitive. For instance, it is thought that 40% of the work of a sales representative could be done by AI, allowing these valued members of staff to focus on more complex tasks.

Such innovative technologies can put a company in a prime position for the future and in line with businesses that already have the right software engineer talent and are looking to use AI to help their ERP systems.

Businesses who currently use AI in any format, or are working towards having it.

What Is An ERP System?

Whilst the term itself dates back to the 1990s, companies have actually been using ERP management systems since the 1960s. It’s evolved greatly over time—and to many, AI is the next new innovation to improve efficiency.

An ERP system is the organized storage and use of information for the benefit of a company or organization. In layman’s terms, this allows enterprises to create a single database for all departments in an office or organization, uniting finance, accounting, supply, warehouse management, customer service, marketing, and more. 

It offers services like simplified data entry, business processes, automation, reporting, and forecasting, all integral to driving profit. Combining this with AI will fundamentally change how these operations are managed.

Image sourced from trustradius.com

Will More AI Actually Help?

Britannica defines AI as the “ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with humans.” AI services currently available to enterprises include chatbots, intelligent process automation, AI-enhanced financial planning, and automated data entry.

Using AI can benefit many departments and business processes, like accounting, analytics, data mining, sales automation, and warehouse management, by increasing productivity. It can also reduce human error when inputting data, cut operational costs, and enhance human capabilities by streamlining routine processes. Ultimately, this will reduce staff frustration and boredom while doing these menial tasks.

Challenges To Implementing AI

However, companies face certain obstacles to benefiting from these services fully. Firstly, it can be challenging for firms to effectively implement AI because they may lack the technical IT skills, expertise, or knowledge. So, it’s worth considering investing in relevant qualifications like a Databricks engineering certificate. 

Furthermore, companies can lack the investment capital to set it up, or data can just be too complex to make sense of.

Nevertheless, recent advances in AI technology, the increasing savings it can make, competitive pressures, and the need to satisfy supply issues and environmental concerns are encouraging companies to turn to AI.

Read on to find out the fantastic potential for your business.

8 Ways AI Enhances ERP

The bottom line is that it makes your business smarter, more cost-effective, and thus more competitive. Here’s how:

1. Better Quality Data Handling

One major issue today is coping with the growing volume of data being collected and making intelligent and accurate insights into it, like reducing complex business systems. This is possibly the most important factor in how AI can help improve ERP, making companies active rather than reactive.

AI offers integrated analytics that can collect enormous amounts of data. It can then produce more detailed reports than traditional ERP systems, allowing more accurate predictions and ensuring that business solutions are correct. Other features include maximizing process efficiency by analyzing processes and workflows to save time significantly and increase productivity. Any data collected this way is accessible and tailored to business needs to increase ROI.

Furthermore, AI can provide algorithms that permit companies to notice trends that might have otherwise gone undetected by mining data and searching for complex patterns. Such activities make it operate in a similarly fluid way as the human brain. Such data analysis assists with planning, problem-solving, strategy, and organization.

2. Automate Repetitive Tasks

Boosting automation has always been a way for companies to increase productivity, saving time and thus increasing competitiveness. For instance, manual data entry used to take up a huge amount of time and money and was also subject to human error. Automated data collection is not only more accurate but improves operational effectiveness on these essential, menial tasks.

For example, your HR department can save time on repetitive data entry and can even use automation in the recruiting process. This frees them up to concentrate on things like employee training programs or compensation and rewards for exemplary staff.  

While this does present issues regarding reducing the amount of work people can do, these kinds of jobs are usually considered boring and prevent your talent from engaging in more fruitful activities that they enjoy. That’s why, according to IBM, 30% of companies say they are already saving time thanks to AI.

3. Advanced Forecasting Models

AI’s ability to constantly collect data is the most effective and accurate way to make predictions. For example, it can make supply chain and warehouse management run more smoothly by keeping real-time figures, enabling warehouse managers to better prepare for spikes in demand or potential disruption. This is especially important in the light of the Covid pandemic and changing geopolitical situations.

One common criticism of traditional ERPs is that they are too slow to adapt to change, yet changes to the supply system happen daily, presenting a huge challenge to businesses. AI constantly predicts and measures past, present and future data to enable more measured responses to current conditions. 

The increase in the amount of data analyzed ensures that predictions are accurate, closing the gap between them and the reality of the future, be this accounting, customer trends, or research and development.

Image sourced from Gartner

4. Better Problem Solving

By analyzing data, AI can detect workflow issues before they occur. For instance, manufacturing systems can be monitored closely to develop a better understanding of when maintenance is required, reducing the potential for a break in production.

This can be further enhanced by self-learning algorithms, based on past data, that predict incidents before they occur, for instance, within hardware or even software. Some software solutions contain a database framework that can be integral to core ERP processes. This is why high-tech industries often use AI to prevent expensive errors and faults from occurring. 

This creates more agile companies, especially as staff can focus on complex problems rather than maintenance unless it’s necessary.

5. Better Accounting

AI is capable of spotting common issues like irregular or suspicious payments or data entry mistakes. It can also aid in more complex tasks like creating financial documents or preparing for auditing.

Furthermore, when assessing financial risks, AI can help run diagnostics and other reports, allowing finance departments to produce more accurate forecasts. The graph below shows how finance teams are planning to invest in emerging technologies, such as AI and cloud-based ERP, to streamline their operations. 

Image sourced from Gartner

AI can achieve this by analyzing data it has mined about a company, such as past financial performance, current backlog, purchase rates, and market opportunities. A potential setback is its inability to control commodity prices, macroeconomics, and supply chain surprises.

6. Better Marketing

AI in ERP helps departments explore new business opportunities that they might not have noticed. By analyzing more client information, businesses can deploy a more bespoke marketing campaign that reaches the right people. The optimization of business data can lead to a significant rise in profit margins.

7. Enhances User Experience

By connecting AI with ERP, customer behaviors and demographics can be more closely monitored. AI assistance can analyze customer feedback in real time, increasing trust and profits as well as improving the all-important customer experience. Additionally, AI can quickly identify bugs, mistakes, or gaps in your user experience to help provide the best service. According to the IBM report, companies have witnessed a 48% increase in user experience satisfaction thanks to AI.

8. Improved Customer Service

Any successful customer service team requires data. Not just any data. Good data. Better than simply sending customers to FAQs, they can engage with chatbots that are more geared up to answer individual requests with up to 79% accuracy. This gives customers the agency they desire to get things resolved.

Not only are your agents freed up from automated tasks, they have easy access to data to help them deal with potential buyers effectively.

The Takeaway

AI can have a hugely positive impact on many areas of a business, including managing data, forecasts, company departments, and increasing automation. Such improvements improve the user experience and customer service, improving loyalty to a company and driving sales. This all boils down to a company that is more competitive and productive in a fast-paced market. While a lack of training and money may be an initial barrier, implementing AI in ERP can enhance any enterprise.

Why Integrated Accounting Software is Key for Mental Health Practices

Posted on by John Fay

If you own a growing private mental health practice, maybe you have considered investing in mental health management software. If you’ve done some research, then you know how beneficial mental health management software can be for your practice. But what you might not have read in your research is how important integrated accounting can be when making a choice between mental health software solutions. Beyond the usual benefits that accompany cloud based accounting, your private practice can especially benefit from mental health accounting software.

Why Cloud Based Accounting Is Better

Ultimately the best advantage that mental health accounting software provides is its efficiency and accuracy as compared to spreadsheets, pen and paper. Excess labor and miscalculations will be a thing of the past with mental health accounting software. In turn, this will lead to detailed financial reports that can be completed in seconds instead of hours. With mental health accounting software being cloud based, these reports and data can be updated and shared automatically, providing your growing practice with data transparency. It’s especially important to consider how conveniently data can be shared between departments. Mike Whitmire from Forbes states “Accounting works with each department on a regular basis,” so the ability to share data between departments through cloud accounting software can really save your staff time and avoid unnecessary problems.

But while there is transparency within your private practice, you don’t have to worry about security leaks. Mental health accounting software is more secure than any alternatives, as Norton points out when talking about cloud based storage, “The data that you save with cloud service providers may likely be safer than the information you’ve stored in your computer’s hard drive”. This security extends to the rest of your mental health software so that you make sure that your private practice is always HIPAA compliant.

Mental health accounting software isn’t just for tracking and calculating expenses.. Mental health billing software also manages payroll information, from salary earned, to hours worked to time-off taken, and much more. All of it is made simpler for the human resources department. This feature is especially important for your private practice, where doctors might have to spend odd hours helping patients and not sitting down to take care of logistical documentation.

These are just some of the main benefits that private practices can gain from mental health accounting software. Maybe you’re wondering why you should look for integrated accounting instead of buying a separate software program to manage that facet of your business. Well, there are two big reasons why an integrated accounting feature will be better for your private practice.

How Integrated Accounting Makes a Difference

A big advantage to integrated accounting software is the ability to sync data. You won’t  have to worry about whether the data will transfer or share between two programs because there won’t be two separate software programs, just one, unified software system. Synced data allows for quicker financial decision making and can offer benefits, too. For instance, your private practice can send invoices electronically and because you have your accounting software integrated with your practice management software The process is almost effortless compared to using multiple, disconnected software systems that don’t easily share data between them. Mental health accounting software also facilitates the logistics of insurance claims. Because data is centralized in one system, your staff no longer has to hunt down information in order to properly file claims—it’s already synced together.

However the simplest reason why an integrated accounting option is better is because it’s more cost effective. Why pay for two separate programs when you can pay for one instead? Additionally, there’s the benefit that the staff working in your private practice will only have to learn one software program instead of two, decreasing the cost of labor and time getting up to speed.

Patient Focused

While all of this certainly makes work more efficient for your staff, integrated mental health accounting software helps your patients as well. As previously mentioned, patients can receive their invoices electronically, meaning they can receive their invoices quicker and more securely, but there are other benefits for patients as well. Patients can pay electronically too, ultimately increasing a patient’s payment options to suit their needs. They can view their past bills, see their transaction status, and ultimately have a clearer and easier picture of what their financial obligations are in relation to their healthcare..  

Perhaps most importantly is the customer portals that accompany mental health services software. Patients and staff can have communication that is convenient for both sides. If they have a question about their most recent bill, patients don’t have to spend half an hour on hold while trying to contact someone, and staff can immediately help patients with the most up to date data that’s all in one place.

The more efficiently a software handles the processes of a private practice, the more time can be spent taking care of patients and focusing on their treatment.

The Takeaway

Choosing a mental health services software is an important step to take for your growing private practice so, when you compare your options make sure to look for a software that includes mental health accounting software. Not only will it improve the efficiency of your accounting team and reduce miscalculations, it will benefit your whole practice. With secured, synced data, every process will be more effective and help both the staff and your patients.

Landscaping Management Software: The Do’s and Don’ts

Posted on by John Fay

It can be tough to find a practical, simple, and affordable software solution for your landscaping business. Some software can seem as cluttered and random as the weeds you’ve been hired to pull out. Keeping track of inventory, searching for documents, and managing accounting can be arduous chores if your current software system doesn’t have the right features, or if you’re using a bunch of disconnected and inefficient software solutions.

Pruning the garden of your software and technology stack, so to speak, is just as important as the pruning you do for your customers. In fact, it’s this kind of pruning that needs to be taken care of before any of the physical weeds can be removed. Here’s a list of do’s and don’ts for what to look for in the landscape management software you depend on to be efficient and competitive as a business.

DO automate as many daily tasks as possible.

This can include scheduling jobs, dispatching landscapers, online booking, and even managing invoices. The best landscape management software provides an all-in-one interface where everything and anything can be put into your computer system, saving your business time and money. Learn it, then love it.

DON’T rely on pencil and paper systems for your documentation.

Joanne Bratton from Aspire explains: 

“Creating estimates on paper gives more room for error, especially if more than one person at your landscaping company writes estimates. Without a centralized business software system, inaccurate and unprofitable estimates often result from:

  • Shortage of time.
  • Erroneous or repetitive manual calculations.
  • Inaccurate labor and materials costs.
  • Inconsistent proposals.
  • Lack of visibility into costs of past landscaping projects.”

Save some trees (and lots of time, money, and labor) by switching to a landscape service software! ERP software solutions are designed for easy and effective landscape and lawncare management that avoids these major pitfalls that come from not utilizing the best landscaping management software on the market. Combining accounting, CRM, project management, HR, operations, and more into one easy to use interface allows your business to take on more work and to better service the customers that you already have. 

DO make the most of marketing.

A key service that landscape management software offers is the ability to launch automated email campaigns, raising brand awareness and netting more clients for your business. 

DON’T ignore the full range of possibilities that your landscape management software brings to the table.

Look for a software that boasts a full suite of features from accounting to dispatching. Remember, every employee in your SME can make use of a landscape management software system, meaning executives, accountants, gardeners, architects, salespeople, and so on can streamline their workflows equally. Most of these software systems are available as an app, meaning your employees will be able to add customer and job information, estimates, photos, and service notes with just a few clicks. 

DO try a free demo.

Budgets can be tight, and there are lots of different kinds of business management software out there, so look for a software that has a free trial period.

DON’T clutter your business with too many software systems that don’t work properly with one another.

Simplicity is key—one single, integrated software system that your entire business can run on is always more efficient (and cheaper) than using a bunch of systems to complete your work. The quicker and easier you can accomplish a task, the better your workflow will be. Landscape management software allows you to spend less time on back office things like accounting, inventory management, or rooting around for documents and more time making the decisions that matter. For your employees, it means more time spent in the garden!

Why Mental Health Services Software Is Essential To Your Private Practice

Posted on by John Fay

For any growing business, an excellent software system is crucial. That applies to private mental health practices, too. Luckily, there are mental health services software systems that can increase the efficiency of your private practice, allowing it to easily expand all while maintaining HIPAA compliance. By improving the efficiency of patient care and improving the way that your practice organizes and safekeeps its data, by optimizing scheduling and making billing and accounting easier, mental health services software benefits both the practice and the patients.

Mental Health Software Creates a More Efficient Practice

The biggest advantage that mental health services software can bring to a growing practice is its ability to increase operational efficiency, which outperforms pen and paper by any standard metric.. One way in which mental health software increases efficiency is through data management.

Mental health services software makes data easier to update and is safely secured after each edit, so that your private practice remains HIPAA compliant and that confidentiality remains front and center. EHR (electronic health records) software allows multiple health organizations to update patient data facilitating communication between doctors. This way, doctors can have up to date information about the patients they treat and can provide the best support possible since they won’t have to worry about any logistical hiccups.

Mental health services software also provides organizational tools to facilitate patient focused work. Note taking templates, looking up DSM codes, and intake/outbound forms are just some of the functionalities that mental health services software provides. 

Effortless Scheduling

Scheduling can be difficult enough on its own, and with an average of one in five Americans with mental health concerns who may be looking for professional help, the process can be made even more troublesome and complex. Mental health services software eases this demanding task with intuitive patient scheduling features.

Patient scheduling software optimizes front office work by allowing the schedule to be more easily adjusted based on both patient and doctor needs. Best of all, mental health services software systems include patient portals which can help your patients maintain easier lines of communication with practitioners.  Not only can patient portals build better and more friendly relations with patients, they also assist with last minute scheduling changes or unforeseen mental health dilemmas so that your practice and your patients can quickly and effortlessly figure out the best path forward .

The scheduling feature of mental health services software has other benefits too. This feature can track patient attendance so that the doctors in your private practice know who attends in individual or group therapy sessions and make note of any potential changes that need to be made to better aid your patients. Patient scheduling software can also send out reminders to patients that their appointments are due so they can make sure their personal schedules are adjusted for the meeting, or call and reschedule if necessary.

Insurance and Billing

Although, arguably the most appealing feature of mental health services software is how it can help with billing and insurance claims. One of the more simple additions that mental health billing software provides is credit card processing so that your patients are given multiple options for paying. Patients can also receive receipts and invoices through mental health billing software so that they know how much they pay and your practice gets compensated for its services.

More importantly, mental health billing software simplifies insurance claims. With an estimated number of 907 insurance companies in 2017, each with their own policies and plans, submitting insurance claims can be frustrating and confusing from both the patient and practitioner end of the spectrum.

Mental health billing software assists in that process by allowing your doctors to submit insurance claims, ERA files and CMS-1500 forms with the software. Combining the ability to file insurance claims with patient portals enables your private practice to make sure that both you and your patients are both adequately taken care of.

Accounting

With billing features and insurance management already included in mental health billing software, it only makes sense then that the best mental health services software contains integrated accounting features. Your private practice is a business too, so your mental health software should include features that help the business facet of your growing practice in addition to all of the tools necessary for providing patients with the best care possible.

Accounting software will help process payments as well as secure your financial data, and make the process of accounting incredibly easier for your practice. The meticulous records kept within the integrated accounting system is sure to simplify insurance claims and increase efficiency. Above all, integrated accounting is altogether just cheaper for your practice. Instead of paying extra for an accounting software to work alongside your mental health services software system, simply find a mental health software with accounting integrated into the system. That way, your growing practice doesn’t have to pay for two (or more) software systems.

Mental Health Services Software – The Takeaway

Investing in a mental health services software is one of the best decisions you can make for your growing practice. With the increased efficiency that the software provides, your employees and doctors can focus on what truly matters, the patients and their mental health. And with how easy mental health software makes scheduling, billing, and accounting both your employees and patients will benefit from the simplified process.