In the world of business accounting software, few names carry as much weight as QuickBooks Desktop Premier. This powerful accounting solution has been helping medium-sized businesses manage their finances efficiently for years, offering industry-specific features that set it apart from other accounting platforms. Whether you’re running a manufacturing company, a nonprofit organization, or a retail business, QuickBooks Desktop Premier provides tailored tools to meet your unique accounting needs.
QuickBooks Desktop Premier represents the mid-tier offering in Intuit’s desktop software lineup, positioned between QuickBooks Pro and QuickBooks Enterprise. What makes it particularly valuable for growing businesses is its industry-specific reporting and features. Unlike the one-size-fits-all approach of many accounting solutions, QuickBooks Desktop Premier recognizes that different industries have different accounting requirements and provides customized solutions accordingly.
The software includes built-in industry editions for manufacturing and wholesale, retail, professional services, nonprofit organizations, and contractor businesses. Each edition comes with specialized features, reports, and tools designed specifically for that industry. For example, the manufacturing edition includes inventory assembly features and bill of materials, while the contractor edition offers job costing and estimating tools that construction businesses desperately need.
One of the standout features of QuickBooks Desktop Premier is its advanced reporting capabilities. The software includes over 150 built-in reports that can be customized to show exactly the information you need. The Company Snapshot feature provides an at-a-glance view of your business’s financial health, showing key metrics like income and expense trends, account balances, and customers who owe money. For businesses that need to track inventory, QuickBooks Desktop Premier offers robust inventory management tools that help you maintain optimal stock levels and avoid both shortages and overstock situations.
When it comes to financial management, QuickBooks Desktop Premier excels in several key areas:
- Comprehensive income tracking with the ability to categorize income by department, location, or product line
- Advanced budgeting tools that allow for detailed fiscal year budgeting
- Powerful accounts payable management with custom payment terms and vendor credits
- Sophisticated sales and receivables tracking with custom pricing levels and sales orders
- Detailed job costing and estimating for businesses that work on projects
- Payroll integration options that streamline employee payment and tax filing
The user interface of QuickBooks Desktop Premier will feel familiar to anyone who has used other QuickBooks products, but with additional menus and features specific to the Premier edition. The home page provides quick access to common tasks like creating invoices, entering bills, and writing checks. The icon bar can be customized with your most frequently used features, making navigation efficient even for complex accounting tasks.
For businesses that have outgrown basic accounting software but aren’t ready for enterprise-level solutions, QuickBooks Desktop Premier hits the sweet spot. It supports up to five simultaneous users (with additional licenses available), making it suitable for small accounting teams. The software maintains the reliability and speed of a desktop application while offering network capabilities for multi-user environments.
Data security is another area where QuickBooks Desktop Premier shines. Since your data resides on your local servers or computers rather than in the cloud, you maintain complete control over your financial information. This can be particularly important for businesses in highly regulated industries or those with sensitive financial data. The software includes robust user permissions that allow administrators to control exactly what each user can see and do within the system.
Integration capabilities represent another strength of QuickBooks Desktop Premier. The software can integrate with hundreds of third-party applications through the QuickBooks Desktop API. This means you can connect your accounting system with point-of-sale systems, e-commerce platforms, time tracking software, and more. While QuickBooks Online has made strides in this area, many businesses still prefer the depth of integration available with the desktop version.
Businesses considering QuickBooks Desktop Premier should be aware of both its advantages and limitations compared to cloud-based alternatives:
- Advantages include one-time purchase option (though annual subscriptions are now encouraged), no ongoing monthly fees per user, faster performance for large data files, and more advanced features in certain areas like inventory and reporting
- Limitations include lack of automatic updates unless you subscribe, no access from anywhere without remote desktop setup, and responsibility for your own data backups and security
The purchasing model for QuickBooks Desktop Premier has evolved in recent years. While a one-time purchase option still exists for certain versions, Intuit strongly encourages an annual subscription model that includes automatic updates, payroll services, and support. Businesses need to carefully consider which model works best for their budget and needs.
Implementation of QuickBooks Desktop Premier requires careful planning. Unlike simpler accounting software that you can set up in an afternoon, Premier deserves a more thoughtful approach. Many businesses benefit from working with a QuickBooks ProAdvisor who can help with setup, training, and ongoing support. Proper implementation includes setting up your chart of accounts, configuring user permissions, establishing inventory items if needed, and customizing forms and templates.
Training is another important consideration when moving to QuickBooks Desktop Premier. While the software is generally user-friendly, its advanced features have learning curves. Intuit offers various training resources, including online tutorials, webinars, and certification programs. Many businesses find that investing in proper training pays dividends through more efficient use of the software and better financial management.
For specific industries, the specialized features of QuickBooks Desktop Premier can be game-changing:
- Nonprofit organizations benefit from fund accounting features, donor management tools, and nonprofit-specific reports
- Manufacturing businesses can track inventory assemblies, create bills of materials, and manage work in process
- Retail businesses get point-of-sale integration, inventory management with multiple price levels, and retail-specific reports
- Contractors appreciate job costing, estimating tools, change order management, and certified payroll reporting
- Professional services firms benefit from time tracking, project profitability analysis, and billing rate management
As businesses grow, their accounting needs become more complex. QuickBooks Desktop Premier is designed to scale with your business, handling increased transaction volume, more complex inventory needs, and additional users. However, there does come a point where even Premier may not be enough. Businesses with very high transaction volumes, need for more than 30 simultaneous users, or requirements for advanced features like advanced inventory may need to consider QuickBooks Enterprise.
The future of QuickBooks Desktop Premier remains strong despite Intuit’s increased focus on their online products. Many businesses continue to prefer desktop accounting software for its reliability, speed, and one-time purchase option. Intuit has committed to continuing support for the desktop versions, though the feature gap between desktop and online continues to narrow with each release.
When evaluating whether QuickBooks Desktop Premier is right for your business, consider your specific needs:
- Do you require industry-specific features that Premier offers?
- How many simultaneous users do you need?
- What is your preference regarding cloud vs. desktop software?
- What is your budget for both initial purchase and ongoing costs?
- Do you have the IT resources to maintain desktop software?
- How important is remote access to your accounting data?
For businesses that answer these questions in favor of desktop software and need the advanced features that Premier offers, it remains an excellent choice. The combination of industry-specific tools, robust reporting, and the reliability of desktop software makes QuickBooks Desktop Premier a compelling option for growing businesses across multiple industries.
In conclusion, QuickBooks Desktop Premier continues to be a workhorse in the small business accounting world. Its industry-specific features, advanced reporting capabilities, and desktop reliability make it particularly well-suited for businesses that have outgrown basic accounting software but don’t yet need enterprise-level solutions. While the accounting software landscape continues to evolve with cloud-based options, QuickBooks Desktop Premier maintains its position as a powerful, feature-rich solution for businesses that prefer desktop accounting software or need its specific advanced features.