Intuit to Announce its new QuickBooks Hosting Program (finally!)

Tomorrow Intuit is to announce it's "new QuickBooks Hosting Program ....  the Program is available to Intuit partners including commercial hosting companies, QuickBooks ProAdvisors and Intuit Solution Providers...". Last weeks scheduled briefing on this had to be re-scheduled due to travel difficulties, so I don't have up-to-date information but I'll just refer you to my post of almost exactly one year ago. Looks like I was a tad early on the whistle back then --- once they get this new Program announced and we've all seen the terms and conditions (that's where the devils will live) we can come back to this post and see just how wrong (or possibly right?) I actually was.

I'm just saying .......

gll 

February 15, 2009

Intuit to Begin Enforcement of “no-hosting” Rules for QuickBooks

What’s long been widely known as a “dirty little secret” regarding access to hosted QuickBooks is about to become very public. Rumor has it (from several independent sources, most of whom are in position to know) that Intuit will soon announce the creation of an “authorized hoster” program and will, by inference if nothing else, finally begin enforcing a no-support policy for all others. Initially those officially authorized to host QuickBooks for third-party use will be InSynq, RightNetworks, and Uni-Data. Technically if you, or more importantly, your CLIENTS, are currently utilizing QuickBooks hosted by a third-party other than those listed above, you (and your hoster) are (and have been) in violation of Intuit’s licensing terms. This move to enforcement simply means that Intuit is going to begin enforcement of what they’ve always disallowed.

The open question is how the enforcement will proceed. Will there be “cease and desist” letters sent? To whom? What’s the timetable for users to get into compliance? What is the process for a vendor to join this “authorized hoster” program and is Intuit ready to accept the almost certain flood of applications? Finally, and certainly most important to us as practicing tax and accounting professionals, what do we tell our clients?

I’m sorry that I don’t have more answers --- seems like all I have are questions. I’m sure Intuit will answer (most of) these questions when their official announcement is released. Although I have no direct knowledge of the timing of this announcement my sources seem agreed that it’s forthcoming and most certainly will be released before the end of tax season.

How’s THAT for one more thing to worry about when your plate’s already too full?

gll

06:26 PM | Permalink

What’s long been widely known as a “dirty little secret” regarding access to hosted QuickBooks is about to become very public. Rumor has it (from several independent sources, most of whom are in position to know) that Intuit will soon announce the creation of an “authorized hoster” program and will, by inference if nothing else, finally begin enforcing a no-support policy for all others. Initially those officially authorized to host QuickBooks for third-party use will be InSynq, RightNetworks, and Uni-Data. Technically if you, or more importantly, your CLIENTS, are currently utilizing QuickBooks hosted by a third-party other than those listed above, you (and your hoster) are (and have been) in violation of Intuit’s licensing terms. This move to enforcement simply means that Intuit is going to begin enforcement of what they’ve always disallowed.

The open question is how the enforcement will proceed. Will there be “cease and desist” letters sent? To whom? What’s the timetable for users to get into compliance? What is the process for a vendor to join this “authorized hoster” program and is Intuit ready to accept the almost certain flood of applications? Finally, and certainly most important to us as practicing tax and accounting professionals, what do we tell our clients?

I’m sorry that I don’t have more answers --- seems like all I have are questions. I’m sure Intuit will answer (most of) these questions when their official announcement is released. Although I have no direct knowledge of the timing of this announcement my sources seem agreed that it’s forthcoming and most certainly will be released before the end of tax season.

How’s THAT for one more thing to worry about when your plate’s already too full?

gll