Accounting
2016 Review of Intacct
May. 20, 2016
Intacct (Internet Accounting) has the broadest and deepest feature set of all the programs reviewed. In addition to the core accounting applications, Intacct offers cash management, order management, inventory management, purchasing, project accounting, multi-entity and global consolidations, time and expense management and more.
From the 2016 Reviews of Virtual CFO Accounting Systems.
All of these applications are native Intacct applications which do not rely on third party add-ons. Therefore, Intacct is targeted more towards the mid-size enterprise, as compared to the others that are targeted towards small business.
There are two distinct paths for partnering with Intacct and deploying it into your client base. The value added reseller (VAR) model requires you to purchase and resell the software directly to your clients. The Business Process Outsourcer (BPO) model allows you to license the software through the AICPA Business Solutions program managed by CPA.com. This program provides significantly lower licensing fees that come with substantial limitations in the number of users per client.
You will need to evaluate the details of the two plans to determine which option best fits your firm’s strategy. However, the BPO model is designed specifically for accounting firms that want to offer outsourced accounting services.
Strengths:
- Breadth and depth of software applications
- BPO accountant’s partnership program through AICPA Business Solutions
- Outsourced accounting service practice development training and support through AICPA
- Sophisticated general ledger and financial reporting tools for multi entity and multi departmental reporting
- Advanced dashboard reporting application
- Intacct Marketplace catalog of third party add-on applications
Potential Limitations:
- May be overkill for the basic needs of some small businesses
- Investment required to provide training and support on the full suite of applications
Summary and Pricing:
Due to the nature of the alternative VAR and BPO partnership models, as well as the scope of applications, it is not practical to try and define the pricing model here. Suffice it to say that through the BPO model, Intacct pricing is competitive with the other solutions reviewed. The VAR model on the other hand will result in pricing that is substantially higher.