I also have a question about running off the portable drive or backing up and then restoring.  I'm traveling in the next 3 weeks and need to process payroll with direct deposit while gone each week.  I have QB on a larger HP laptop that I DO NOT want to tote around.  My thought was to back up my file to the portable SSD and work through it using a newer Lenovo ThinkPad, but not load QB to Lenovo, and when I return restore back up to the HP. 

My questions are:  can I work through the portable? and is it possible to use wifi (payroll processing and direct deposit, paystubs) through a portable?

It's nerve racking because I'm afraid of losing data but I have to do payroll while I'm gone.  I really don't want to put QB on the ThinkPad if not necessary.