Intuit tests new interface combining QBO and Mailchimp

Intuit is testing a new user interface for QuickBooks Online, which combines it with Mailchimp in a single integrated platform. Customers choose to opt in or out of the test, and if participating businesses decide to opt out of the test, QuickBooks will automatically revert to its standard user interface. 

With the QuickBooks Online interface Intuit is currently testing, businesses will see a carousel that shows key applications they use every day to complete the jobs that need to be done. Businesses that choose to take part in the test can add an accountant during the test period. As a result, accountants will also see the new experience when they access their client's books through QuickBooks Online Accountant.

Accountants can also choose to opt their client out of the test on their behalf. To do so, they can just click on the settings gear icon on the navigation bar on the top of the screen. A pop-up window will appear with a "Leave early access program" prompt at the bottom. Once they click on the prompt and submit the request, QuickBooks will revert to the standard format.  

In general, the new interface test will be offered to new small business customers (who are not yet connected to accountants) to help them accelerate productivity and profitability.

Late last year during Intuit Connect, Intuit expressed a vision of bringing together QuickBooks Online and Mailchimp into a single integrated platform that streamlines workflows and helps increase productivity to drive business growth. The new interface test is the first step in implementing this vision. 

The announcement comes just a few weeks after Intuit said its TurboTax product guarantees that federal tax refunds will be delivered five days early no matter what the filer's banking institution is. For a $25 flat fee, TurboTax delivers the refund into any U.S. bank account in the customer's name, whether they file through TurboTax or Credit Karma. Refunds will be delivered at least five days early into a customer's bank account of choice or customers will not be charged the five-day early fee. Intuit also plans to continue to offer the option to deposit a federal refund into a Credit Karma Money account delivered up to five days early, for no additional cost. An Intuit spokesperson declined to elaborate on specifically how this program worked and how it was able to guarantee refunds five days early.