FreshBooks Boosts Apps With Apple

FreshBooks, the accounting software that serves small business companies in the service arena via the cloud, is looking to grow its mobile app.

Techvibes reported Tuesday (June 23) that the cloud-based company is working with behemoth Apple to develop a made-for-business app that is geared toward small businesses. The app would allow management to run operations from any location. Techvibes said working remotely can help businesspeople add convenience to round-the-clock monitoring — which, in turn, helps the bottom line.

“Service-based small business owners — people who get paid for their time and expertise — are the future of the economy, and their unique accounting needs are incredibly underserved,” said Mike McDerment, CEO of FreshBooks, as quoted in Techvibes. “Much of their time is devoted to tracking their hours, generating accurate invoices, and trying to stay on top of their cash flow.”

FreshBooks has worked with Apple before. The two companies jointly developed Touch ID and Passcode, which was billed as among the first of many new initiatives targeting FreshBooks customers who use iOS devices. The platform uses fingerprints as a passcode to gain entry to the mobile app. That adds a layer of security while improving the ease and speed to the consumer of the app itself. Other, as yet unnamed, features will debut soon, said Techvibes.

Earlier this month, FreshBooks stuck a deal with BMO Bank of Montreal in an effort to broaden relationships with the bank’s small and medium-sized enterprise customers. Through that new relationship, the bank’s customers now have access to the FreshBook’s platform that allows businesses to track and manage cash flow and operations. The partnership came as the bank said its own research showed that as many as 36 percent of small business owners say that managing day-to-day operations and eyeing cash flow remains a challenging affair.