If you’re considering an upgrade to QuickBooks 2015, be aware that IPN (e-invoicing with a payment link and auto-reconcile and sync) is no longer available except in QuickBooks Online.

Not to worry, however, there are several low-cost add-ons that provide for this essential functionality (and arguably do it better than Intuit ever did).  We will explore a few of them that work great whether the QuickBooks software and file are hosted on Cloud9 or in your office. Each add-on provides a unique mix of payment solutions, including the potential replacement IPN QB sync. This is not an exhaustive list, but a sampling of some of the more popular solutions …

First, The Lowdown –

You will not be able to include a pay link on invoices in the QuickBooks 2015 desktop versions.  You will be able to continue to use IPN outside of QuickBooks to request payments, but you will be required to manually add pay links to your emailed invoices.  You will also need to manually reconcile the deposits and fees.  If you have already invoiced via the IPN in 2014 or earlier version prior to upgrading to 2015, you will still be able to receive payments for those invoices.

Update From Intuit –

Integration of Intuit PaymentNetwork will be unavailable in QuickBooks 2015, you will not be able to include a pay link in any invoices you create and send from QuickBooks 2015. If you upgrade to QuickBooks 2015, you may continue to use Intuit PaymentNetwork outside of QuickBooks to request payment, but you will need to manually add pay links to your emailed invoices and manually reconcile the deposits and fees. See below for how to do this.

Note: Any existing invoices created with an Intuit PaymentNetwork pay link before upgrading to QuickBooks 2015 will still be able to get paid and will reconcile back into QuickBooks 2015 through the same download link. The inability to add pay links only applies to newly created invoices made in QuickBooks 2015.

The Shortlist – 

Bill & Pay: One of our favorites, Bill & Pay is not simply a replacement for IPN, but also provides many additional features to improve and automate your Accounts Receivable efforts.  Here’s how . . . create your invoices in QB and they auto-sync into Bill & Pay.  The customer is sent an email with the invoice and a link to pay.  Customers can pay using ACH or a credit card.  The payment is sent to the processor for payment.  The payment auto-posts into QB:  the invoice is marked paid, it generates a credit in A/R and posts to un-deposited funds. 

In addition to the payment link in the email, customers can pay from a link on the business website.  The business also has the option to enter customer payment information directly into Bill & Pay and process the payment or setup recurring auto-payments.

Bill.com: Another Cloud9 favorite, you choose the payment method – ACH or credit card. Bill.com sends the invoices for you. By email or post office, while syncing with QuickBooks. Customers can see your invoices instantly, online. Bill.com sends automatic reminders by email. Online payments go straight into your bank account. Customize and schedule auto-reminder emails to go out automatically. Recurring invoices go out automatically.

BillQuick:  BillQuick synchronizes with QuickBooks Pro and Premier editions, QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions and Canadian, UK & Australian editions of QuickBooks. This exchange of critical data between a leading time billing solution and a leading provider of business and financial management solutions for small businesses, consumers and accounting professionals will provide a wide variety of businesses with a breakthrough product that will save them time, money and resources.

FreshBooks:  FreshBooks falls into the “invoicing” category – products that can be quite handy for some kinds of businesses because they make invoicing easy – FreshBooks excels at easily creating invoices, tracking time, and even logging expenses.  Leveraging the simple, online invoicing features of FreshBooks while handling their other accounting chores with the familiar QuickBooks Desktop product is easy.

gotoBilling: Integrated plugin for payment processing inside QuickBooks®. The GTB QuickBooks® Plugin is an alternative solution to process credit-card and eCheck payments in QuickBooks®. Payment requests are initiated directly from QuickBooks® and are transmitted to any payment provider you use. The gotoBilling QuickBooks® Plug-in supports practically all QuickBooks® versions including QuickBooks® Point of Sale (POS) and QuickBooks® Enterprise Edition. Solution includes Electronic Invoicing, Automated Customer Notifications, and  Online Bill Payment options.

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