QuickBooks Enterprise: Why No 2 User License Available?

I don't get it...

Why doesn't Intuit offer the ability to add an additional 2 user license to QuickBooks Enterprise after the initial purchase of the software? Instead, businesses are forced to purchase another block of 5 licenses.

As I have mentioned directly to Intuit, most businesses that I know of don't add QuickBooks users in evenly spaced 5 user chunks. In most cases, these businesses add 1 or 2 people to their accounting department at a time. Having a 2 user license option available for them would be a perfect fit (and an extra revenue generator for Intuit too!).

In fact, I have seen businesses resist purchasing additional licenses of QuickBooks Enterprise because they simply don't need 5 more licenses. They simply make do with their existing setup, forcing people to share computers or yell down the hall to "get off QuickBooks" so someone else could log on (I won't get into their potential violation of the licensing agreement in these situations though...).

Since QuickBooks Enterprise is designed for larger businesses than QuickBooks Pro or Premier, I can see why the minimum number of licenses that has to be purchased initially is 5. However, once we get past that, the lack of a 2 user add-on license makes no sense to me. I can't imagine there is any significant cost involved to Intuit to make this happen - in fact, they created 2 user versions of Pro and Premier starting with the QuickBooks 2009 version.

What are your thoughts on this requirement to purchase additional QuickBooks licenses in 5 user chunks - agree? disagree? Post your comments below - let Intuit know your thoughts!

RELATED POSTS: 

• The Differences Between QuickBooks Pro, Premier and Enterprise

• 3 Reasons Why QuickBooks Enterprise Could Be a Wise Choice for Your Business

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Scott Gregory specializes in QuickBooks Enterprise, Premier and Pro accounting software. He brings comfort and clarity to frazzled QuickBooks users across the US.

Connect with Scott at Bottom Line Accounting Solutions to resolve your QuickBooks questions and concerns.

Comments

[Paul Levine]

Couldn't agree more. Just 'cuz you need a 6th or even a 7th QB user in your organization, doesn't mean you'll *ever* need a 9th or 10th. Just seems...greedy?...but self-defeating as you point out. Small businesses who ponied up for Enterprise are gonna "share" licenses before they pony up several thousand more $$ just to add one or two users.

[Scott Gregory, QuickBooks Expert]

Alex:

Thanks for the post.

Your point about additional user licenses is a good one - it isn't hard for those that are in the software sales business as Intuit is.

Maybe we'll see some changes in QuickBooks Enterprise 2010?

Scott

[Alex Eldridge]

I would agree with the author. We currently have 5 seats of Enterprise and are about to deploy some integration tools that would lock up a seat. I don't understand why we can't buy a single seat of Enterprise beyond the first 5 - there is no way that we need another 5 seats at this time, so otherwise we will have to juggle. I would think Intuit could make more money off selling individual seats than imposing this 5 seat minimum for additional seats - so why don't they do it? By the way, we are a software company and sell additional user licenses one seat at a time, it's not difficult to do.