Mac users who want to (or have to) use Intuit’s QuickBooks have plenty of choices—we can run the Mac, Windows, or Web app version. One of those options probably pops out as an obvious choice. QuickBooks for Mac is the small business accounting app, in which you can manage your business effortlessly. Download QuickBooks for Mac Free. QuickBooks for Macbook Pro has everything you need to run a small business.
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about 'QuickBooks and Graphics Cards.' That article actually arose out of a webinar presentation I made about the relationship of RAM Memory to QuickBooks Desktop (QBD); however, during the webinar I mentioned that QBD performance could be enhanced if it were running on a computer with a 'graphics card with VRAM' because the graphics subsystem (GPU - graphics processing unit) would no longer be using the RAM otherwise available within the computer. When a graphics card has built-in VRAM (video RAM), the GPU subsystem is reliant upon the card's VRAM, not the RAM allocated by the computer's OS.
GPU_Radeon_Pro
A question was posed concerning 'memory-resident graphics cards' in virtual environments like QuickBooks, running on a remote server, or being hosted,' and the natural progression was then, 'what about QuickBooks Online.' So, in my article referenced above, I discussed the implications of Graphics Cards for all the various 'QuickBooks Environments.' Near the end of that article, I discussed the Windows and Mac App for QuickBooks Online saying:
- Intuit developed the Windows App to give you a ‘dedicated internet browser’ for QuickBooks Online. The intention was to be able to call for ‘dedicated memory’ to run the App rather than QuickBooks Online sharing the total memory dedicated to your Chrome (or other) browser among any and all open browsing windows. Some other features regarding decompression and refresh rates were intended to help improve the computing experience when using the App with QBO.
Source: Intuit
QBO_Win-Mac_App
- The ‘Windows App’ can, like a browser, make use of the dedicated memory and processing capabilities of your graphics card, you should experience enhanced QuickBooks Online operations over running the App with only ‘on-board’ graphics and your computer’s standard memory.
I then concluded the article by saying:
- Perhaps now you can see why not only the recommended (minimum) RAM requirements related to QuickBooks are essential to your successful use of the application, whether you are using the Desktop or Online version, but you can also recognize how a high-quality graphics card with dedicated memory can only enhance your experience regardless of the environment in which you are operating.
QBO App System Specifications
Well, in response to my article I received another inquiry about 'the system requirements' for the 'QuickBooks App for Windows or Mac,' and honestly it got me thinking that I didn't recall ever seeing such requirements even though I downloaded, installed and used (and still do) the Windows version of the App when I work with QuickBooks Online. After some research, I finally got the system requirements from Intuit, so here they are (along with my commentary where applicable):
Processor
- 2.4 GHz
- 4 GB of RAM
- Support for Streaming SIMD Extensions 2 (SSE2) instruction set or higher
Hard Disk
- 1 GB
- Solid State Drive (SSD): SSD may speed up the performance
Network Speed
- As suggested by QuickBooks Online
- Minimum Internet speed 512 KBPS
- Recommended Internet speed 1MBPS ('the higher the better')
Machine types supported (some machine types may not support optional graphics)
- Desktops
- Laptops
- Ultrabook/tablets
![Quickbooks Quickbooks](/uploads/1/2/5/7/125763395/906044305.png)
Win_10_comp
Operating System Supported
Windows
- Windows 10
- Windows 8.1
- Windows 7
Mac
- Mac OS X 10.14 (Mojave) ('Intuit compatibility unspecified for this new OS')
Apple_Mac
- Mac OS X 10.12 (Sierra)
- Mac OS X 10.11 (El Capitan)
- Mac OS X 10.10 (Yosemite)
- Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks)
Display
- Best optimized for 1280 X 800 screen resolution or higher
- Between 1200*800 and 1600*900
- Between 1600*1200 and 1920*1200
- Between 1920*1440 and 2560*1440
- Up to 200% DPI
- Extended monitor support
Summary
As with the System Requirements for QuickBooks Desktop, or QuickBooks Online (via the recommended 'Chrome Browser'), Intuit never tells you that you might get improved performance if you use a 'memory-resident graphics card (of at least 2 GB)' for video support.
Despite that, I will reaffirm my previous conclusions... The ‘Windows App’ (for QBO) like a browser, can (will) make use of the dedicated memory and processing capabilities of your graphics card. As such, you should experience enhanced QuickBooks Online operations with such a graphics card over running the App with only ‘on-board’ graphics and your computer’s standard memory.
The principle holds true for the 'Mac App for QBO' itself. Of course, there is one big difference. Apple has always been ahead of most 'Windows computer designers' and they have for some time provided 'graphics with on-board memory' in all but their lowest-end desktop machines, laptops are a different matter. There are simply too many variations in the Mac 'lineup of products' to talk more specifically in an article like this, so consult your Apple Store or Apple Support regarding your present or future graphics requirements if you are using or considering a Mac purchase.
With that said, I will also repeat my prior concluding remarks: '...no folks, I am not going to recommend or even suggest a specific 'graphics card'.' Consult your local computer-professional or computer-manufacturer (Windows-based or Apple-Mac, as the case may be) regarding your graphics, if you are unclear as to what your current graphics capabilities are, or you wish to upgrade your graphics technology to insure full compatibility.
For the last two years, I’ve been using QuickBooks® Online without a browser by accessing it through the QuickBooks for Mac app on my desktop. Last fall, the Windows app was also released, and now everyone has the ability to work more productively in QuickBooks Online.
The QuickBooks Online App for Windows is “thin-client” for QuickBooks Online that gives you the ability to use QuickBooks Online as if it was a natively installed program. Similar to apps such as Spotify or Outlook for Office 365, it is a desktop application that accesses online data. The app was specifically designed for power users like accountants. Using the desktop app means that we save time doing routine tasks, and have access to desktop application standard features.
Saves Me Time
I love that I can start working in QuickBooks Online in seconds, with one click of the App icon on my taskbar or Dock, just like any other Windows or Mac application.
Not only do you stay permanently logged into your account, but the app also opens right to the last company you accessed, letting you get back to work within seconds. Contrast this to the browser experience of having to log in, perhaps choose your identity, then the company you want to access from your client list and then opening up the windows you were last working in. And, unlike the browser, you can stay logged in for days, not the maximum of four hours that the browser allows.
Pages load up to 150% faster in the app than they do in the browser because the QuickBooks app uses local caching of data. This is most noticeable when you access long lists of data, such as a bank register or a chart of accounts. The caching also means that when you open a screen the second time, it loads even more quickly. Data entry is quicker than browser, since you don’t have to wait as long for Save and the form to refresh. The local caching also means that you are not as vulnerable to slowdowns in network speed or temporary QuickBooks Online outages. And, for those concerned about online data security, this is a more secure way to access client data than in a browser.
Not only can you open multiple windows and even use them on separate monitors, but the data in those windows also always stays in sync. Unlike using separate tabs in a browser, you don’t have to refresh or reload a tab to see the changes you made on one page reflected on another page.
Works Like a Desktop Program
When working in the QuickBooks for Windows or Mac app, you feel like you are in a desktop program – familiar menus on the top give you quick access to most used windows and forms, pop out windows let you use multiple monitors, and standard keyboard shortcuts speed data entry. Also, printing uses local print dialog boxes, rather than Adobe or browser print dialogs, meaning that reports and forms, such as checks, are formatted more reliably and consistently. For my accounting colleagues who say that they don’t like working in QuickBooks Online, this app removes many of the major objections.
QuickBooks Online for Accountants Tools
Everything you can do with QBOA in the browser is available in the app as well.
You can use the “accountants only” tools:
Access clients from the client list and send requests to clients:
Switch between clients using the Accountant Tools list or the drop down menu at the top, or even a menu item on the file menu.
It’s so easy to switch companies that you may find yourself popping into a client account for a few minutes to answer a question, or switch to your own firm’s books to send a quick invoice.
Tips for Working with the App
Here are some tips for working with the App:
- Take advantage of the ability to add Favorites in order to quickly access any forms or reports you use regularly that might not be one of the standard keyboard shortcuts or menu selections. You can access and manage the Favorites from the star at the upper right or from the Favorites menu.
Note that just like the desktop version, these favorites are per person, per company.
- Review the keyboard shortcuts and learn how to use them. You can access a PDF with a complete list of the App shortcuts from the Help menu.
- Check the box to Stay signed in, and you will really enjoy the one click startup every morning.
Download and Install
The App can be downloaded from this website, or from Intuit Apps.com. Search for the Mac or Windows App. It takes just minutes to download install and sign in, and you’ll be on your way to saving a significant amount of time working with your QuickBooks Online clients.