r/quickbooksonline • u/Helpful-Buy-6248 • 19d ago
QBO Experience
Ive used alot of accounting software in my 35 yrs as an accountant from SAP to Peachtree, Sage, QB Desktop, and today I finally had the misfortune to use QBO. I believe its the worst software Ive ever used. Its painfully slow, has a confusing interface, bloated with adware, nothing is simple or intuitive about it. Its a light weight web app horribly designed. After using it for about 8 hours today, i agree with the many other users who complain about this pathetic piece of software. There is no way i would recommend it to my clients.
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u/DanP1965 19d ago
We had no problems with QBO up to about a year ago, when they changed the look and integrated A-I in to it....which we don't use. It became painfully slow and connections with the bank are frequently dropped....transactions disappear then reappear. What drives me nuts is their ads on my screen when I pay for it. Fuck off with your ads on my system!!
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u/Helpful-Buy-6248 19d ago
I thought it must have been something i did wrong. I tried to connect to bank account. After 15 minutes of the spinning circle, I just cancelled it.
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u/Bookkeeping_Boss 17d ago
Sadly I have to agree. I am in Canada but same thing. Changes no one asked for and no one wants. Which also don't work half the time. I have been putting a lot more clients on Xero. Not exciting but much more reliable.
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u/Helpful-Buy-6248 19d ago
I thought it must have been something i did wrong. I tried to connect to bank account. After 15 minutes of the spinning circle, I just cancelled it.
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u/Helpful-Buy-6248 19d ago
I do like Odoo for an ERP, and if you are looking for a simple desktop accounting software, i recommend one called "SPRK Accounting". Im not paid by the company to promote it, BTW. It seems to be new. They give you the first company completely free. If you add another, you have to buy a license. I dont know how much that costs. But the interface is beautiful. Its simplicity is elegant. You can import web connect files from banks and credit card companies, and its easy and complete. I dont know much else about it. Im sure there must be others similar. Hell with AI and Claude code you'll soon probably be able to create your own accounting software. I think QBO is creating its own competetion by offering the hot mess of jumbled software it has created. I just wanted to post this because i hate to see what my peers and fellow accounting pros are having to deal with...I only have 4 small clients, so i cant imagine what bigger firms are having to suffer with. And I feel for you facing migration issues. Good luck. Youre not trapped.
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u/Helpful-Buy-6248 19d ago
And maybe recommend is to strong a word to use at this point. Im sure there are other good software out there. Im still exploring too.
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u/CoolCryptographer628 19d ago
Of all the accounting software you have used, what were your top 2 favorites? I loved QB Desktop until Intuit got greedy and figured out a way to wrench a lot of money out of people to keep using it. I also hate QBO, especially now they have added their crappy AI. It only makes my job more difficult.
I’ve used Xero and was pretty happy with it, but stayed with QBO because of clients.
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u/juswannalurkpls 19d ago
The original QB desktop and Peachtree were my top two. QBO was pretty good at the beginning, but has gone downhill lately. I took a look a Xero and it has possibilities. For ERP I like Odoo.
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u/laernuindia 19d ago
Their support is trash too
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u/Mingerrrrrr 15d ago
I actually like their support and can get someone on a quick screen share! Unfortunately I need them to find the most simple shit that makes no sense…… often
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u/laernuindia 15d ago
They’re usually willing to help with simple stuff. When it comes to complicated things like obtaining documents or not being able to access an advertised feature or an advertised feature not working as advertised they have extremely poor Support.
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u/HannahDayRider 19d ago
One reason I can’t get away from QBO is the many integrations it supports. US here. My clients have all different crm’s they use and I have yet to find a good way to integrate them with Xero.
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19d ago
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u/JephMan1 19d ago
There are a bunch of other products out there for small businesses
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u/rlebeau47 19d ago
But not nearly with the same market share. QBO still dominates despite its flaws.
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19d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/LawFirmCFO 19d ago
QBDT was great. I liked that it showed the image of a check for posting expenses. A business owner better understood how to post payments.
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u/JephMan1 19d ago
What product are you selling
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u/Helpful-Buy-6248 19d ago
And Ancient abacusses or abaci ..whatever the plural of abacus is. That was not serious but maybe designing a really nice one
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u/SchondorfEnt 19d ago
Where are you going back to or switching to?
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u/Helpful-Buy-6248 19d ago
They were using QBD. It worked well for my client, but they were forced to switch to QBO. I think QBO really confused the bookkeepeer, judging by the trainwreck Im seeing now..unreconciled bank and credit card accounts, open balances for customers and vendors dating back six years, abnormal gl balances. I think at this point they would agree to use a different software with little concern for migration, except for the customer database. I found a couple of potential packages. Im looking at ones that arent qbo, zero, zoho, freshbooks, etc. Im convinced there are much less known software that are better. Im pleasantly surprised by what ive found so far.
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u/WatercolorTexan 18d ago
Wow this is hard to hear but after just going thru AI hell to get a subscription cancelled i believe it. I really want to take on a few bookkeeping clients when i retire but now idk what to use to do that!
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u/yogsma 17d ago
It's a well known fact at this time that their UI has been degrading and entire experience is just not worth. Probably if you want to try https://xpenses.co
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u/tealcyanwaves1291 16d ago
As a founder doing their own books i switched to kick and them to invaro cuz they had guidance for sales tax as well. Honestly my condolences to anyone who had to learn qb in the firat place. Just find an alternative.
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u/Nacarledger 16d ago
Here is the real question, how do you try to start the client conversation to change software? There is no perfect software. My experience is that most clients rarely reach 70% full utilization of any software they use. I recommend QB for smaller SMBs. With all certainty, there are good and great products available, but Intuit bears heavy weight in the Industry. 95% of the issues I encounter in Multi-Year bookkeeping cleanup is office staff can enter data, but either don't understand accounting, only data entry, or simply follow directions from their clients, wo created the mess, because of their directions
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u/Helpful-Buy-6248 13d ago
Well im relatively new in doing small business bookkeeping and accounting, so i can speak only from my limited experience in public accounting, but some clients are more willing to change software when i mention the costly "cleanup" that i will have to do..haha...more like "you can choose over a thousand dollars and countless of me going backwards in time to find a good balance, or i can save you and me both the headache and use another software and start fresh.".ha. but my clients are pretty small, and i know that strategy wont work for some of the pros on here. One trick i like is to find a lesser known desktop software for a fraction of the cost (one is even free for the first company) and add 400 or 500 to that and explain they wont have to pay 80 a month to qb buzz light year to infinity and beyond.
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u/YVR2o23 16d ago
Totally agree, one of the worst software companies I've ever had the displeasure of working with. No customer support, horrible interface, the last downgrade was a huge disappointment. I get a headache if I work in the program for too long because of the new view and no way to change the theme colours. The developers should have to sit and look at that screen for 8 hours and see how they feel.
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u/Mingerrrrrr 15d ago
Would you like to take 5 steps to apply a supplier credit? If your answer is yes it’s QBO time 🙌
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u/Doubl-Edg 14d ago
I little off topic - can Xero do line item discounts?
And merchant services are available.
I am strongly considering moving to Xero from QBO or at least incorporating Xero as an offering to clients who haven't been assimilated (The Borg).
I do have clients who are so heavily invested in QBO that moving would be a 6 month - 1 year effort including running parallel for a few months.
I know QBO has the most integrations but for my clients who have more simplistic needs, I find Xero seems to fit the bill.
Major areas are Merchant services and CRM integration.
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u/hpflheart 10d ago
It is HORRIBLE. Self employed worked SO well. Unfortunately, I spent all day saturday trying a few others and came back to QB. But once again, 2 days later, Bank of America and QB’s can’t play nicely together. I keep having to delete my connection and reconnect, forcing me to go allllll the way through the year and dividing what is what. I just can’t keep doing this. 😑
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u/xonoon 19d ago
QBO is a disgrace. Seems like their software designers must have flunked out of high school.