intacct-vs-quickbooks-desktop-enterprise

QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise and Sage Intacct are both accounting platforms with ERP capabilities, such as order management and purchasing. QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise is an on-premise accounting solution, while Sage Intacct is a cloud-based platform. 

QuickBooks generally caters to the SMB market, and the Desktop Enterprise offering serves the largest companies within that segment, particularly those that require some light ERP capabilities like inventory management. In contrast, Sage Intacct is designed for when businesses need a more scalable and customizable accounting system. Its user base is more centered around larger midsize companies and small enterprises. 

Features

QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise and Sage Intacct both provide strong features that differentiate their ideal customers. 

QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise stands out among users for its native payroll system, which streamlines one of the more routine and otherwise time-intensive financial processes. It also has excellent out of the box reports. These simple reports make the platform accessible and easy to learn even for new or inexperienced users. 

In contrast, Sage Intacct excels in the customization and expanded capabilities that larger organizations require. In particular, Intacct allows users an exceptional level of customizability in how their deployment and reporting is structured. This allows uses to tailor their reporting and data slicing to the business’s specific needs. The high level of customization, as well as robust 3rd part integrations, all facilitate significant scalability on the platform. 

Limitations

While both products have standout features, QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise and Sage Intacct also have some limitations worth considering. 

QuickBooks’s ERP capabilities, such as inventory management, are less robust than some users need. This issue becomes more pronounced as businesses grow and scale up while using the software. The customizable reporting has also been glitchy or error-prone for some users. Limited user management and administration capabilities have also hampered some teams as they add members and administrators. 

Sage Intacct’s strength in customization also makes the platform more intimidating for newer users. There are fewer effective out of the box reporting options, and all the customization also entails a more substantial learning curve. Some significant functionalities, like budgeting, are also positioned as add-ons, and cost extra on top of the base subscription. 

Pricing

QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise has 3 packages, each of which are sold either as a local license or through a cloud-based subscription. The Silver plan, at $1091.70/yr for local or $134/month for the hosted version, offers the core software, customer support, online backup storage, automatic upgrades, and reporting. The Platinum package, at $1746/yr for the local version or $189.80/month for the hosted version, adds on Inventory management, pricing, and bundled payroll. The Diamond package, at $3442.88/yr for the local version and $311.91/month for the hosted version, adds timesheets and a CRM connector. 

Sage Intacct’s pricing varies with each customer. Concrete pricing numbers are available by quote from the vendor.