One has many options with QuickBooks, but when it comes to QuickBooks setup, they boil down to two fundamental ways to install QuickBooks.
1 – Setup QuickBooks as a client server application with software on each computer that accesses QuickBooks on a server. This is the least expensive way, in up front costs, to deploy QuickBooks. You can use a Windows Server product or XP Pro. My step-by-step manual details an inexpensive XP Pro “server” for five users or less. Intuit publishes support documentation for a typical peer to peer multi user installation of QuickBooks.
2 – Setup QuickBooks as a Terminal Services or Remote Desktop Services application. No QuickBooks software is installed on any computer except the server. Most deployments use Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services to pull this option off. Although, there are several other products on the market that will accomplish the same thing, including one that uses XP Pro as a terminal server. If you require Intuit service, they require the QuickBooks Enterprise on your server. Intuit does not support any other version on a Terminal Services or Remote Desktop Services server.
You will need high speed, firewalled Internet access to remotely reach your QuickBooks environment.
1 – If you are setup as a client server application with software on each computer that accesses QuickBooks, use a remote PC access tool like QuickBooks Remote Access, LogMeIn or GoToMyPC to access the desktop of a QuickBooks client computer.
2 – If you are setup as a Terminal Services or Remote Desktop Services application, have a remote user get to QuickBooks using an RDP client on a PC, MAC, tablet or smart phone, from the Internet, through the local firewall, to your QuickBooks Terminal Services or Remote Desktop Services server.