QuickBooks Connector - Optional Module

1. It enables you to own your accounting data, not your project management software provider. This means that when you decide to move to another project management system, you do not lose your accounting data.
2. Finding bookkeepers and accountants who already know QuickBooks is much easier than finding people who know proprietary bookkeeping systems.

A successful design firm needs project management software to runs its core business and accounting software to manage its finances.

QuickBooks alone is not suitable for an interior design firm because it doesn’t include project management features. However, when used with a project management system that communicates with it, such as DesignSmart, then QuickBooks is a great fit for interior design firms. 

Keep in mind that when it comes to accounting, an interior design business is no different than any other business that provides materials and services. Plus, the fact that QuickBooks is used by over 90% of small businesses means it is very good.

The Exec Dashboard was developed so principals and/managers could have easy access to QuickBook data. This means they don’t have to log into QuickBooks to find this information nor do they have to request it from their bookkeeper.  Here is what the Exec Dashboard will display:

• Account Balances (so you know what is in your checking account, savings account, and credit card account balances)
• Top 12 Clients by sales
• Top 12 Vendor by sales
• Accounts Payable (a list of outstanding bills)
• Accounts Receivable (a list of invoices that your clients have not paid)
• Profit and Loss reports for your projects and your firm

1. The Connector works with all desktop versions of QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
2. The Connector has a two way communication link with QuickBooks. This means that it not only pushes transactions to QuickBooks, but it also pulls transactions down from QuickBooks. This bi-directional communication links allows designers to see in DesignSmart if clients have paid their invoices,  or if vendor bills have been paid. And it allows more types of transactions to be available in DesignSmart’s Executive Dashboard. It also means that your QuickBooks file will not be cluttered with lots of unnecessary data that results with only a one way communication link.

QuickBooks encourages new customers to purchase QuickBooks Online. However, we strongly recommend that you consult with your accountant to see which version of QuickBooks they recommend for your firm. Our QuickBooks Connector works with QuickBooks Online and all Windows versions of QuickBooks Desktop.

If you purchase QuickBooks Online, be sure to get the version that includes Purchase Orders.

Good question. While we can see the attraction of having accounting features included in a project management system, we determined that it would be impossible for our firm to provide the same quality of accounting features that are provided in QuickBooks. Intuit, the parent company of QuickBooks, spends a hundred times more on research and development than the gross sales of all project management software companies combined. Plus QuickBooks is supported by most, if not all, bookkeepers and accounting firms. It didn’t make sense to provide our clients subpar accounting software that would require them to have to pay bookkeepers and accountants to learn.

So we opted to focus on providing the best possible project management software and let QuickBooks focus on providing the best possible accounting software. Yes, it means design firms have to run two separate programs, but that is small potatoes compared to the combined value of the two programs working hand-in-hand since our QuickBooks Connector eliminates dual entry.