Chromebook for Accountants: Taking it To the Cloud!

Does Google Chrome OS and the Chromebook work for accountants? It depends.

Since so many tax and accounting applications that I depend upon are Windows applications, I never saw myself as the Chromebook type.  Lately, I've been reconsidering.

What changed? About a year ago, I moved all of my critical Windows applications and client data to a virtual server hosted by Cloud9Realtime.Com.

With all of my applications and data on the cloud, it really doesn't matter whether I access the server with a Windows computer, a Mac, or even a Chromebook.  To access my Cloud9 server from the Chromebook, I use CloudRDP from Ericom.  This is an HTML5 based RDP client that works great from Google Chrome or Chromium browser in any operating system. You can configure the app to use full screen or to fit in the browser window.  You can even toggle between the two views, if you need to get information from email or another browser window.

One of the advantages of using the Chromebook to access my server is instant access.  The Chromebook boots in about 8 seconds directly into the Chrome browser.  A second advantage is security.  Critical client data is not stored on my notebook if I have a senior moment and leave it somewhere or if it gets stolen.  Plus, all my stuff is there when I log into a replacement Chromebook or even a Chrome browser on another computer.

Challenges include printing and using dual displays.  CloudRDP includes a print driver that causes anything I print to show up as a separate browser window in the browser.  From there I can  either print using Google Cloud Print Services or save the document as a PDF.  From within my server environment, I can print directly to Nitro PDF driver and save the output to my client directory or attach to an email.  Dual displays are also a challenge because the Chromebook doesn't support extended desktop displays, only mirroring.

My experiment with a Chromebook has been short-lived but instructive.  Chromebooks are small and portable with instant on and good battery life, perfect for when you are on the go.  I can do many of the same things with my iPad using an RDP app, but the iPad doesn't support a mouse. Poking at icons on my screen inside the Windows server environment on the iPad can be frustrating for all but the briefest interactions whereas I can work for hours on the Chromebook.

CloudRDP works in your Chrome browser on any platform so you can check it out before you commit to going ChromeOS.  You can also install Chromium (the open source foundation for Google's Chrome OS) on a USB stick and run it on many common notebooks or netbooks to try before you buy.

My Cloud9RealTime virtual server is the key to my mobile strategy and makes any computer or tablet capable of doing "real work."  Don't listen to the haters.  Consider whether Google Chromebooks may have a place in your firm's mobile IT strategy.

To the Cloud!

Yesterday, my firm launched a virtual server with Cloud9 Real Time.  I've been hosting QuickBooks desktop software with them for about a year.  That solution worked well for me, my staff and my clients, but we were still using a variety of other tools and I was still having to maintain a server in my office.  Recently, I made the decision to move all of my Windows applications and client data to a dedicated virtual server with Cloud9.  This will help my firm in several ways:

1.  Provide a consistent user platform for all my firm users whether they are working in or out of the office and whether they use a PC, a Mac, or even a Linux computer.

2.  Consolidate all of my client data on a secure dedicated server with rigorous backups and contingency planning to minimize service disruption.

3.  Create an environment that can be customized for interaction with specific clients as we continue to grow.

Some of my users will continue using the cloud as they did the shared environment. They can log in via a browser  and see an "e-dashboard" to launch their QuickBooks files:

For the rest of us, who need to access multiple applications and interact more directly with client data for multiple clients, we will login via Microsoft Remote Desktop Connect (for Mac or Windows).  This provides a virtual computing environment that looks like a rather homely but familiar Windows desktop:

We are just getting familiar with our new work environment and how we will modify our workflows to accommodate it.  I'd love to hear how other CPA firms and businesses are going to the cloud.  I'll post more as we get up and running.