For years, QuickBooks has been synonymous with small business accounting. However, today’s QuickBooks ecosystem is designed not only for small businesses but also for upper SMB and mid-market operations. Companies managing complex financials, multiple locations, and extensive inventory operations are now finding that QuickBooks—particularly with the introduction of the Intuit Enterprise Suite (IES)—is a powerful and scalable solution.
The Evolution of QuickBooks for Growing Businesses
Intuit is leading the charge to transition businesses from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online (QBO), leveraging cloud-based innovations for flexibility, security, and scalability. That said, QuickBooks Enterprise remains a robust option for businesses requiring advanced accounting capabilities, particularly those in wholesale distribution, manufacturing, asset management, and high-growth verticals such as:
- Food & Beverage
- Construction & Trades
- Healthcare & Pharma
- Automotive
- Electronics
The introduction of multi-entity management and consolidated reporting within QuickBooks Enterprise Suite demonstrates Intuit’s commitment to supporting businesses with complex operational needs. And for companies requiring advanced inventory, manufacturing, or supply chain management capabilities, QuickBooks Enterprise continues to be a strong option, especially when paired with Fishbowl.
Fishbowl: Extending QuickBooks’ Capabilities for Product-Based Businesses
Fishbowl seamlessly integrates with both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Enterprise, providing critical solutions for product-based businesses that need more than what QuickBooks alone can offer. Whether you’re operating in wholesale, distribution, or manufacturing, Fishbowl helps bridge the gaps in QBO and enhances Enterprise capabilities. Key benefits include:
- Advanced Inventory Management – Gain real-time visibility into stock levels, manage multiple warehouses, and streamline purchasing.
- Manufacturing & Production Support – Track work orders, bill of materials (BOM), and production schedules with ease.
- Warehouse Management System (WMS) – Optimize warehouse operations with barcode scanning, real-time tracking, and automated workflows.
- eCommerce & Omnichannel Integration – Connect QuickBooks to platforms like Shopify, Amazon, and Magento for seamless sales order management.
- Order Management & Fulfillment – Automate order processing, reduce errors, and speed up shipping with integrated label creation.
A great example of the power that QuickBooks and Fishbowl can provide together is Grill Works, a manufacturer of high-quality wood vents and flooring accessories. Grill Works faced significant operational hurdles due to outdated technology and disjointed processes. They were relying on a Microsoft system designed primarily for accounting purposes, leaving inventory management entirely unsupported.
Their reliance on spreadsheets and manual processes led to inefficiencies, errors, and an inability to access real-time data. These limitations made it difficult to manage operations effectively across their two manufacturing plants, which operated as separate entities with little integration. Grill Works needed a modern, data-driven solution to streamline their processes, unify operations, and improve decision-making.
After evaluating multiple options, including NetSuite and Cin7, Grill Works selected Fishbowl Advanced for its robust manufacturing features and cost-effectiveness. Fishbowl’s comprehensive inventory management capabilities addressed their specific needs, offering the flexibility to handle complex manufacturing workflows, while QuickBooks has answered the financial need with a strong solution.
Navigating the Transition: QuickBooks Enterprise to QBO with Fishbowl
For those who are already on QuickBooks Desktop / Enterprise and considering the best path forward, Fishbowl can provide flexibility and solid solutions. While Intuit continues to encourage businesses to transition from QuickBooks Enterprise to QBO, Enterprise remains available and fully supported for those who need its advanced capabilities
For businesses that do choose to migrate, Fishbowl helps facilitate a manageable, controlled transition by filling key functionality gaps. Whether staying on Enterprise or moving to QBO, businesses can ensure they maintain efficiency, minimize operational disruptions, and optimize their financial and inventory management processes.
We Don’t Outsource Your Success
As important as software is, Fishbowl ensures that deployment and implementation are rock solid to ensure success. Our in-house implementation teams, dedicated account managers and CS specialists are there to help you every step of the way.
New customers can expect white glove treatment, a dedicated project manager, trainer and we handle the data migration into Fishbowl as part of every new customer onboarding. Go live support is supplemented with best-in-class support that is also in-house (literally) and US based. Recent call wait times have been in the 3-5 minute mark or below and we focus on fast and effective time to resolution, so you’re not tied up on a support line phone call unnecessarily.
In addition to a great phone number to call, Fishbowl also supports an almost instant chat support path, email and extensive documentation to help supplement the conversations and provide better visibility.
Take Your QuickBooks Experience to the Next Level
Whether you’re staying on QuickBooks Enterprise or transitioning to QBO, Fishbowl provides the missing link that ensures your business operates at peak performance. See firsthand how QuickBooks + Fishbowl can transform your operations by scheduling a live demo today.