Certinia Services Billing vs QuickBooks vs Salesforce Quote-to-Cash comparison

Manage services-based billing with ease with Certinia Services Billing

Say good-bye to complex billing issues. Whether you deal in time and materials (T&M), subscription-based contracts, fixed-fee services, or a blend—all revenue and billing can be accommodated. You’re free to develop pricing and billing processes tailored to your customers’ needs.

Meet current and future billing requirements across specialized and hybrid business models: subscription-based contracts, fixed-fee services, or individual products. Consolidate multiple invoices into one. Automate billing operations and taxation.

Automate and streamline processes across every aspect of your business from sales and delivery through billing and revenue recognition.

Instantly connect to Salesforce CRM and any app in the Certinia Services-as-a-Business platform. Connect billing data across all your apps and share one customer master record across all departments. Establish an end-to-end audit trail and make compliance a breeze.

Now everyone has the information they need to manage the customer relationship. Analyze customer data at any stage, make informed decisions, and take actions that have impact.

Get real-time dashboards, reports, list views, and tools tailored to provide exactly the information you need, powered by Salesforce CRM Analytics.

QuickBooks Desktop is a robust accounting software solution that provides a comprehensive set of features for small to medium-sized businesses. It offers advanced functionality, industry-specific versions, and integration capabilities to streamline financial management tasks. By utilizing QuickBooks Desktop, businesses can efficiently handle their accounting needs, generate accurate financial reports, and make informed decisions to drive growth and success.

QuickBooks Desktop Features:

• Invoicing: QuickBooks Desktop allows users to create customized invoices with their company logo, track invoice status, and send invoices to customers directly from the software.
• Expense Tracking: Users can easily track and categorize expenses, import expenses from bank accounts or credit cards, and attach receipts for record-keeping.
• Financial Reporting: The software offers a wide range of pre-built reports such as profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements, providing valuable insights into the financial health of the business.
• Bank Reconciliation: QuickBooks Desktop simplifies the process of reconciling bank accounts by automatically matching transactions from the bank statement with those in the software, reducing errors and ensuring accurate financial records.
• Inventory Management: Businesses can efficiently manage their inventory with features like tracking stock levels, setting reorder points, and generating purchase orders to ensure optimal inventory levels.
• Payroll Processing: QuickBooks Desktop provides payroll functionality, allowing users to easily calculate employee salaries, track time, manage payroll taxes, and generate pay stubs.
• Customer and Vendor Management: Users can store customer and vendor contact information, track interactions, and maintain a complete record of transactions with them.
• Chart of Accounts: QuickBooks Desktop enables users to create and customize a chart of accounts that aligns with their business structure and financial reporting needs.
• Budgeting and Forecasting: Users can create budgets for different accounts and track actual performance against projected amounts, aiding in financial planning and decision-making.
• Integration Capabilities: QuickBooks Desktop integrates with a wide range of third-party applications, such as CRM software and payment gateways, allowing for seamless data transfer and workflow automation.

QuickBooks Desktop Benefits:

• Robust Accounting Functionality: QuickBooks Desktop offers a wide range of accounting features, including invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation, and financial reporting. It provides comprehensive tools to handle all aspects of financial management.
• Advanced Reporting Capabilities: The software provides in-depth reporting capabilities, allowing businesses to gain valuable insights into their financial performance. Users can generate customized reports, track key metrics, and make data-driven decisions.
• Industry-Specific Versions: QuickBooks Desktop offers industry-specific versions tailored to the unique needs of different businesses, such as retail, manufacturing, and professional services. This ensures that businesses have access to features and functionality relevant to their industry.
• Customization Options: Users can customize QuickBooks Desktop to align with their specific business requirements. They can create personalized invoices, set up unique chart of accounts, and customize templates to reflect their brand identity.
• Integration with Business Applications: QuickBooks Desktop integrates with a variety of business applications, allowing seamless data exchange and reducing manual data entry. Integration with CRM software, payment gateways, and other tools streamlines workflows and improves overall efficiency.
• Data Security and Control: With QuickBooks Desktop, businesses have control over their financial data as it is stored locally on their own systems. This gives them peace of mind regarding data security and privacy.
• Scalability: QuickBooks Desktop is suitable for businesses of various sizes, from small startups to larger enterprises. It can handle growing data volumes and provide scalability as businesses expand.
• Offline Access: Unlike cloud-based accounting solutions, QuickBooks Desktop allows users to access their financial data even without an internet connection. This can be beneficial in situations where internet access is limited or unreliable.
• Longevity and Established Reputation: QuickBooks Desktop has been a trusted accounting software for many years and has built a strong reputation. It is widely used by businesses globally, providing assurance of its reliability and stability.
• Dedicated Support: QuickBooks Desktop offers customer support through various channels, including phone and email. Users can get assistance with any technical issues or questions they may have.

Reviews from Real Users

Mimi Evans, owner & operator at Fearless Bookkeeping Services LLC, writes that QuickBooks Online has “Useful importing capability, beneficial inventory module, but lacking automation”

Another PeerSpot user, managing Partner at a tech services company, states that QuickBooks Online “Provides excellent tracking of my finances and is easy to use and deploy”.

Max Rubin, CFO at Make The Switch, says that "QuickBooks Online has improved my organization by offering a vast array of integrations with other products that allow you to improve process efficiencies while keeping the cost of your ERP or accounting software affordable."

Salesforce Quote-to-Cash (QTC) is a cloud-based software solution that streamlines and automates the entire sales cycle, starting from generating quotes to finalizing cash transactions. It is designed to enhance sales effectiveness, improve revenue management, and deliver a seamless buying experience for customers.

Salesforce Quote-to-Cash Components and Features:

Configure, Price, and Quote (CPQ):

• Enables sales teams to quickly configure products, set pricing rules, and generate accurate quotes.

• Provides guided selling features to help sales representatives recommend the most suitable products and services to customers.

• Automates complex pricing calculations, discounts, and promotions to ensure pricing accuracy.

Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM):

• Manages the complete lifecycle of contracts, from creation to renewal or expiration.

• Tracks contract terms and conditions, ensuring compliance and minimizing risk.

• Enables collaboration and approvals throughout the contract process.

Billing and Invoicing:

• Generates invoices based on the products and services quoted and purchased.

• Supports different billing models, such as one-time, recurring, or usage-based billing.

• Automates billing processes, including invoicing, payment collection, and revenue recognition.

Revenue Management:

• Provides comprehensive revenue management capabilities, including revenue forecasting, recognition, and reporting.

• Ensures compliance with revenue recognition standards, such as ASC 606 and IFRS 15.

• Automates revenue calculations based on contract terms and milestones.

Analytics and Reporting:

• Offers robust reporting and analytics tools to track sales performance, quote-to-cash metrics, and revenue metrics.

• Provides real-time insights into sales pipeline, pricing effectiveness, and revenue trends.

• Helps sales teams make data-driven decisions and identify areas for improvement.

Salesforce Quote-to-Cash integrates seamlessly with other Salesforce products, such as Sales Cloud and Service Cloud, as well as third-party systems, allowing for a unified and efficient sales process. It enhances collaboration between sales, finance, and operations teams, ensuring smooth transitions from quoting to contract management and billing.

Salesforce Quote-to-Cash Benefits:

• Streamlined sales process from quote generation to cash transactions.

• Accurate and consistent quoting with CPQ functionality.

• Improved sales efficiency with guided selling features.

• Enhanced revenue management through forecasting and recognition.

• Efficient contract lifecycle management, reducing risks and improving compliance.

• Seamless integration with Salesforce products and third-party systems.

• Improved collaboration between sales, finance, and operations teams.

• Enhanced customer experience with quick quotes and streamlined billing.

• Real-time insights and analytics for data-driven decision-making.

• Scalability and flexibility to adapt to changing business needs.

Reviews from Real Users

PeerSpot user, systems Engineer at a security firm, states that "The stability is pretty solid”, but also adds, "The solution is a little bit slow sometimes.”