My 10 Favorite Apps - Week 6: PrintBoss

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After taking a bit of a hiatus from her QBO Monday Minute By-line to work with her compadre, Amanda, on our very first Women in Accounting Wednesday features, Liz has returned to give us 'Week 6' of her 10 Favorite App series.  This week she focuses on PrintBoss.

As part of the mission to create synergy and utilize time saving technology, PrintBoss Online is one of my App favorites. Remember, my 10 favorite Apps are in no particular order so this is not a racking or hierarchy but instead just a list of the Apps our firm 'loves'.

PrintBoss Online allows you to print checks from your QuickBooks Online company onto blank check stock or process ACH payments. The benefits of blank check stock are:

  • More secure – no longer will pre-printed check stock with sensitive account numbers need to be stored in the office
  • Less expensive than pre-printed checks
  • Allows you to print from multiple bank accounts onto one check stock

My History with PrintBoss

For years, our firm has used PrintBoss Select for many of our homebuilder clients. PrintBoss Select works for them because it can map to their QuickBooks Desktop overhead, spec., and custom home company files. PrintBoss is easy to use with very little maintenance, it even works in hosted environments like RightNetworks.

But now there is a new kid on the block. PrintBoss Online (PBO) caught my attention during last fall’s Intuit App Showdown. Knowing how much I loved the desktop product, I just had to check out the all new PBO as did so many of our peers. In fact, PBO received numerous votes during the Showdown from ProAdvisors just finding out about the product.

So the question becomes, "which PrintBoss is right for you?" Is it PrintBoss Online (PBO) or PrintBoss Select/Enterprise?

PrintBoss is designed to give us the ability to take blank check stock and print QuickBooks checks, in other words we don't need pre-printed checks. The software also gives us the option of processing ACH payments. Both desktop and online versions do both of these.

By having three versions of the software, we can pick the version that best fits oour business model.  Let's look a little more closely at each version.

PrintBoss Select or Enterprise (for Desktop)

These versions are desktop software that you purchase, the price varies significantly between the two options. These versions use a local print driver which allows you to print from multiple QuickBooks companies and bank accounts.  You can purchase a single copy of PrintBoss which can then be mapped to an unlimited number of QuickBooks Desktop (or Online) companies allowing you to print checks from your computer using blank check stock for any of those companies. You can use the same check stock, or different stock, it's up to you (or your client).

PrintBoss Online (PBO)

This version is a web-bassed software-as-as-service subscription. It's intended for users who are 'on the go' using their mobile devices just they way they maybe with QuickBooks Online.  Just like QBO, PBO users can make use of an App that allows them to respond remotely to payable requirements.  This is where the PBO workflow comes into play.

  1. PBO allows the 'approver' to authorize a check run, or a single check, using the PBO Mobile App.
  2. The User in charge of actually processing the payment(s) will get an email notification of the approved check run (or single check).
  3. The actual payment function is then available using one of three options:
  • Print the check(s) back at the office,
  • Process the payment(s) via ACH, or
  • Use PrintBoss Online full-service check printing and mail service powered by Wellspring.

Did I mention that you will find PrintBoss Online within the Intuit App Center.

Compare & Contrast the 3 Versions

Even though I pulled this(graphic below) from the PrintBoss website, it is still a good way for you to see the comparative features between the three version of the software (Select, Enterprise, or Online).

As you can see, many of the features are common throughout the three versions, in other cases only the Enterprise product will have some features, and in other cases only the Online version will have select features.  Smaller companies, especially those using QuickBooks Desktop will find the Select product perfect for their needs.  Many larger companies, especially those running 'Citrix or RDS/terminal-server' (or making use of multiple accounting software packages) will want to make use of the Enterprise version  (which can support multiple simultaneous instances).  Most QuickBooks Online and QBO-Accountant users will probably prefer the convenience of PrintBoss Online.

It's at this moment I will migrate away from the software to talk about check colors of all things.  No, it's not just a 'girl thing'; rather, check colors are really important to a lot of people. Maybe they want a check that matches their overall logo-color scheme, or that fosters a certain 'image' in the mind of the recipient.  No matter what the reason for color-preference you should know that PrintBoss check stock, even though it isn't pre-printed, comes in a lovely assortment of colors and safeguard feature options. 

When it comes to other features, let me just mention two. First, PrintBoss offers 'positive pay', but that's a subject for another day. Second, PrintBoss has great support and support staff, and I can say that from a lot of personal experience over the years.

The Future of Payables

During December I was one of the instructors for the Intuit/Woodard QuickBooks Online Master Class road show. While walking through the hotel lobby at one of the events, I was thrilled to come across Stu Neale, the President of PrintBoss.  It turned into a great opportunity to visit with Stu about not only his products, but the future of 'payables'.

So, you maybe wondering why were are even talking about 'printing checks' when the trend is going 'paperless'. In reality, I see PrintBoss as a solution that will help us 'transition' from traditional check printing to totally paperless on an 'adaptability basis'.  In other words transition in our own time, or the time frame of our clients.

The three PrintBoss payment processing options can help us transition by allowing for a gradual shift from office printed checks, to full-service (outsourced) check printing with mailing, to the ultimate goal of paperless via ACH processing. With PrintBoss we don't have to pick just one of the software options to get this transition-ability because they all offer the same three payment methods.

PrintBoss offers the ability to process safe, secure payments. PrintBoss Online offers the same features with the added ability to do so from any location via internet access. Any of the options provide a ease toward transitioning into the future of payables.

So, if you are tired of buying pre-printed checks, or are ready for greater flexibility in how you process payables, then check out PrintBoss, definitely one of 'my favorite' Apps.