Gravity Software vs. IES: Best for multi-entity accounting
When you're managing financials across multiple locations or subsidiaries, your accounting software should simplify your job—not make it harder. Yet many CFOs and controllers still find themselves trapped in an endless cycle of spreadsheet exports, duplicate data entry, and month-end chaos.
That’s especially true for businesses still clinging to entry-level platforms or transitioning from QuickBooks.
QuickBooks has historically been popular with small and mid-sized businesses, but until recently, it lacked built-in support for managing multiple entities within a single environment. Businesses that needed consolidated reporting or automated intercompany transactions often had to juggle separate company files or rely on spreadsheets and third-party tools.
Intuit recently introduced multi-entity accounting features in its new Intuit Enterprise Suite (IES). These enhancements aim to help mid-sized companies stay with Intuit family as they become more complex.
However, they also invite a deeper comparison with software like Gravity Software, which was designed for multi-entity accounting from the start.
Here’s a closer look at how Intuit Enterprise Suite features compare to Gravity Software in key areas.
How do Intuit Enterprise Suite and Gravity Software manage intercompany transactions?
Intuit Enterprise Suite has made improvements in handling intercompany transactions. Its multi-entity hub allows users to initiate transactions that span multiple entities and generate due-to/due-from entries. The setup still requires mapping intercompany accounts.
Gravity Software takes it a step further. With all entities residing in one database, intercompany transactions are created in a single entry. When Company A pays a bill for Company B, the information is updated in both ledgers, eliminating duplicate data entry.
The software automatically updates receivables and payables between entities. The ease of multi-company transactions is a key reason thousands of users have chosen Gravity Software over the years.
For growing companies with multiple locations like Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care, these features have cut the time it takes to close the books each month in half.
“Gravity Software has helped us reduce our month-end close from over 30 days to just 10-15 days,” Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care VP of Finance and HR Tera Carpenter said. “The time we save allows us to focus more on strategic financial analysis and supporting the company’s growth.”
How does Intuit Enterprise Suite pricing compare to Gravity Software?
Intuit Enterprise Suite uses a per-user subscription model starting at $583 per month. While it includes unlimited entities, costs scale rapidly with users and additional features like payroll or cloud hosting (up to $389 per user, per month for its Diamond tier). Additional users cost $200 per month.
Gravity Software’s pricing model is based on the number of users and entities in increments. A typical plan starts at $375 per month for the first user and $100 per month for five entities. Companies can add users for $275 per person; however, many companies find their users need read-only access, which is only $40 per month.
Gravity Software offers flexible and competitive pricing, tailored to fit the needs of mid-sized companies with multiple entities. For businesses already using the Microsoft Power Platform (on which Gravity Software is built), there are special pricing advantages. Additionally, Gravity Software provides discounted rates for qualified nonprofit organizations. This makes it an affordable solution for businesses seeking ERP-level capabilities without the high costs typically associated with larger ERP systems.
How easily can you personalize the solution?
IES is known for a relatively quick onboarding process. However, many of its features are “out of the box” and may be more difficult to change later to fit your business processes.
For instance, many workflows like expense approvals are standard and not as easy to personalize for the way your company actually works.
Gravity Software uses Microsoft Power Automate, a “workflow engine” that can easily be tailored to be aligned with the way your business operates without needing to hire a developer.
The same is true for reporting. Gravity uses Microsoft Power BI, which offers endless opportunities to display your data the way you need it without continually requesting support.
These features may make Gravity Software more scalable over time.
How well do they integrate with other features?
Intuit Enterprise Suite integrates well with other Intuit products to manage functions such as payroll, time and billing, and it has a large ecosystem of apps you can connect for other features.
As a Microsoft Power Platform application, Gravity Software natively integrates with many features your company may already be using, including Microsoft 365, Power Automate, Power BI, and Dynamics 365 CRM.
It also includes built-in AI features such as AI-powered accounts payable automation, and the ability to use Microsoft Copilot to work more efficiently.
This allows users to find what they need faster, including:
- Asking questions or making request within Gravity, such as “Show me all open payables over $10,000 this month.”
- Quickly finding vendors, accounts or transactions
- Asking Copilot to summarize financial documents, explain trends and help understand data
These features are continually being updated and added, allowing users to benefit from Microsoft’s advances in AI and innovation.
What data security features are in IES versus Gravity Software?
IES has strengthened its security protocols to protect user data, including using encryption for data at rest and during transmission, aligning with industry best practices and recently introducing multi-factor authentication.
Administrators can define user roles and permissions, ensuring that employees access only the data they need to do their jobs.
The system also maintains detailed audit trails for compliance reporting.
However, it’s worth noting that IES is a cloud based solution.
Gravity Software benefits from Microsoft's extensive security infrastructure, including:
- Microsoft Azure Security, a multi-layered protocol that includes physical data center protections, network security, and advanced threat detection systems
- Transparent data encryption for data at rest
- Advanced threat protection that uses machine learning to detect and respond to potential threats in real-time, minimizing the risk of data breaches
- Compliance with global standards, including ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR
- The ability to define roles and permissions and maintain audit trails
By being cloud-native, Gravity Software eliminates the need for additional hosting services, reducing potential vulnerabilities and simplifying IT management.
Choosing the right multi-entity accounting software
How does IES compare to Gravity Software? The answer depends on where your business is today and how you plan to grow.
Intuit Enterprise Suite may be a practical solution for companies transitioning from QuickBooks who need more robust features. However, many businesses find that IES can become complex and costly as they scale, especially if they are managing multiple entities.
For companies outgrowing QuickBooks but seeking a solution that simplifies operations without the complexity and high price tag of a large ERP system, Gravity Software is the ideal choice. Gravity is purpose-built for multi-entity accounting, designed to streamline processes and improve efficiency without the unnecessary overhead.
Whether you're managing a family office, a physician group with multiple locations, or a growing retail chain, Gravity Software was designed to meet the needs of businesses like yours that have outgrown QuickBooks but don’t require the complexity or cost of IES or traditional ERP systems.
Don’t settle for software that was retrofitted for multi-entity use. Choose one that was built for it from the ground up, offering streamlined workflows, real-time reporting, and scalable solutions.
For a more comprehensive comparison, visit our detailed Gravity Software vs. Intuit Enterprise Suite comparison page.
Schedule a demo today to see how Gravity Software can eliminate duplicate data entry, streamline intercompany transactions, and provide real-time visibility across all your entities—so you can close the books faster, make smarter decisions, and focus on what’s next.
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