QuickBooks Desktop Professional and Premier dominated the marketplace for small enterprise accounting for many years, nevertheless it’s time to maneuver on by changing your QuickBooks Desktop file to QuickBooks On-line. This information offers step-by-step directions for the conversion together with some useful ideas.
For those who’re uncertain you’re able to make the leap, you possibly can be taught extra in our QuickBooks On-line evaluate.
Why convert now? QuickBooks Desktop Professional and Premier will likely be discontinued for brand spanking new clients on Aug. 1, 2024. They are going to proceed to be supported for current clients, however we consider that help will seemingly finish in two or three years. Intuit has not introduced any plans to discontinue QuickBooks Enterprise.
Step 1: Select your plan and subscribe to QuickBooks On-line
We selected QuickBooks On-line as the general winner in our information to the Finest Accounting Software program. Earlier than changing your QuickBooks Desktop file, put some thought into which QuickBooks On-line subscription will likely be finest for your small business. Here’s a abstract of the 4 plans to select from:
| Easy Begin | Necessities | Plus | Superior | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value per 30 days | $30 | $60 | $90 | $200 |
| Customers included | 1 | 3 | 5 | 25 |
| Bill C=clients | Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure |
| Handle unpaid payments | No | Sure | Sure | Sure |
| Observe time | No | Sure | Sure | Sure |
| Observe stock | No | No | Sure | Sure |
| Fastened asset accounting | No | No | No | Sure |
Make sure to select a subscription that gives adequate customers as a result of there is no such thing as a means so as to add further seats past what’s included within the plan. QuickBooks On-line Plus is the most well-liked model, with 5 customers and the power to trace each time and stock. You’ll be able to be taught all of the variations and the way to decide on the best choice for your small business by studying our QuickBooks On-line evaluate.
Tip: You must select a QuickBooks On-line subscription of Easy Begin or greater to transform QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks On-line.
When you resolve on the QuickBooks On-line plan to your firm, go to QuickBooks On-line to subscribe. You’ll be able to obtain 50% off the above pricing for the primary 12 months of your subscription.
Step 2: Put together your QuickBooks Desktop file
You’ll put together your QuickBooks Desktop firm file by checking a number of essential objects to make sure the conversion will work after which updating your organization file data as a lot as attainable.
Obtain the newest launch and updates
Earlier than beginning the conversion course of, guarantee your QuickBooks Desktop program is updated. Open your QuickBooks Desktop program, then click on on Replace QuickBooks Desktop underneath the Assist menu:
QuickBooks will open a brand new window titled Replace QuickBooks Desktop. Click on on the blue button, Replace Now. You may be prompted to log in to your QuickBooks account earlier than the updates are downloaded. Observe the prompts to obtain and set up all the accessible updates.
Test the goal rely of your QuickBooks Desktop firm
To make use of the automated conversion wizard, the Whole Targets rely in your desktop firm file have to be lower than 750,000. Test your goal rely by urgent Ctrl+1 from inside your QuickBooks Desktop program. A brand new Product Info window will seem. Your organization’s goal rely will likely be proven within the File Info part, as highlighted under:
If your organization has over 750,000 targets, we suggest beginning your organization contemporary in a brand new QuickBooks On-line firm. It can save you time by transferring distributors and clients and your chart of accounts by exporting these lists from QuickBooks Desktop and importing them into your new QuickBooks On-line firm.
Replace your transactions in QuickBooks Desktop
We suggest making your organization file as present as attainable instantly earlier than the conversion. We suggest doing the next:
- Guarantee all financial institution reconciliations are updated.
- Categorize transactions from all financial institution feeds.
- Make any desired modifications to your chart of accounts.
- Pay any unpaid payments.
- Overview excellent buyer invoices and write off any that won’t be collected.
- Overview your undeposited funds account to verify solely checks and money which might be ready to be deposited are sitting within the account.
- Make and document any excellent payroll deposits or gross sales tax funds.
Tip: For those who’re pulling your hair out attempting to finish the bullet record above as a result of your QuickBooks firm is a multitude, then you need to critically think about beginning your QuickBooks On-line firm from scratch. Decide to retaining your new QuickBooks On-line firm clear and updated by inviting your accountant to entry your QuickBooks On-line account straight in order that they will help you everytime you want them.
As soon as your QuickBooks Desktop program is up to date and your organization file is as present as attainable, you’re prepared to start your conversion.
Print a steadiness sheet
Print a steadiness sheet for the present date. You’ll examine this steadiness sheet to the steadiness sheet from QuickBooks On-line to make sure your entire knowledge is transferred accurately.
Step 3: Convert your QuickBooks Desktop file to QuickBooks On-line
Start the migration of your QuickBooks Desktop Professional or Premier to On-line by clicking on Migrate this firm file to QuickBooks On-line underneath the Firm menu in your QuickBooks Desktop program. Enterprise customers ought to learn the subsequent part for easy methods to set off the conversion wizard in Enterprise.
The conversion wizard ought to now open, and you may click on the Get Began button.
QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise customers
The conversion course of for Enterprise customers is similar as for Professional and Premier customers, besides for the way you set off the conversion wizard. Enterprise customers don’t have the choice to begin the conversion underneath their Firm menu as illustrated for Professional and Premier customers.
QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise customers should comply with these steps to open the conversion wizard:
- From the house dashboard in Enterprise, concurrently press CTRL+1. This can open a Product Info window.
- Now concurrently press CTRL+B+Q.
- Shut the Product Info window and the conversion wizard will launch.
Tip: For those who haven’t already created a brand new QuickBooks On-line firm as proven in our first step, you are able to do that now by clicking on the hyperlink under the Get began button. You’ll arrange a brand new firm with a 30-day free trial. Nonetheless, for those who get the trial, you’ll be ineligible for 50% off for 12 months.
Subsequent, you’ll choose to convey over both all of the accessible data out of your QuickBooks Desktop file or solely the knowledge you choose. We propose changing all the accessible knowledge without delay.
If you choose Select what to convey over from the display above, you’ll have two choices:
- All lists and balances.
- Solely lists.
Neither of those choices will convey over the transactions out of your desktop firm, which is nice if your organization file could be very outdated or very giant. On the draw back, you’ll must go to your outdated QuickBooks Desktop program to lookup any outdated transactions if questions come up.
The ultimate step within the wizard is to pick the QuickBooks On-line firm file to switch your knowledge. Choose rigorously as the information transferred from QuickBooks Desktop will substitute all the current data within the firm file.
The wizard will record all the QuickBooks On-line corporations related to the e-mail handle listed within the higher proper nook of the screenshot mechanically. If this doesn’t match the e-mail handle you used to arrange your new QuickBooks On-line firm in step 1, then click on Check in to a different account and full the sign-in course of. As soon as you might be signed into the correct account, you need to see the corporate created in step 1 listed as one of many choices.
After choosing Proceed, you’ll want to substantiate your choice and acknowledge that you simply perceive all knowledge in that QuickBooks On-line firm file will likely be changed with the newly transferred knowledge. As soon as executed, you’ll see a affirmation that your knowledge is being transferred to the cloud.
After performing the migration from QuickBooks Desktop to On-line, you need to obtain a congratulatory electronic mail from Intuit telling you that your QuickBooks On-line firm is now accessible. In case your desktop file could be very giant, it may take a number of hours earlier than the method is full and also you obtain your electronic mail.
Step 4: End organising your QuickBooks On-line firm
After logging into your new QuickBooks On-line firm, there are some things we suggest you do to get off to an excellent begin.
Print a steadiness sheet
Earlier than making any modifications in QuickBooks On-line, print a steadiness sheet for the present date and examine it to the steadiness sheet printed from QuickBooks Desktop in step 2. Hopefully, it’s going to match completely — but when not, then you definitely’ll want to analyze any variations and proper them in QuickBooks On-line earlier than persevering with. You’ll be able to log again into your QuickBooks Desktop firm to assist determine what may be inflicting the variations.
Join financial institution and bank card accounts
Whereas your financial institution and bank card exercise ought to have transferred over within the conversion from QuickBooks Desktop, the connections to your financial institution didn’t. You’ll must reestablish any of those connections you want for transactions to stream by means of out of your checking account. This isn’t obligatory, however we suggest it to avoid wasting time and remove knowledge entry errors.
To get began connecting your financial institution accounts, you’ll must:
- Hover over Transactions in your left menu bar.
- Click on Financial institution transactions.
- Click on the drop-down arrow subsequent to Hyperlink account.
- Choose Handle connections.
Add an accountant person
One of many largest benefits of QuickBooks On-line over Desktop is that your accountant can have real-time entry to your books anytime they want it with out interrupting your work. All it is advisable add an accountant person is their electronic mail handle. They’ll obtain an automatic electronic mail and, after a number of clicks, they’ll be capable of entry your books straight from their QuickBooks On-line Accountant program.
So as to add an accountant person, click on on the cog wheel within the upper-right nook of your QuickBooks On-line dashboard, then choose Handle customers within the Your Firm column:
Subsequent, click on the Accountants tab within the upper-left of the Handle customers display, after which click on the inexperienced Invite button.
What to do when there are issues changing from QuickBooks Desktop to On-line
Though the conversion wizard works tremendous for many customers, it’d generally fail both as a result of your desktop file is simply too giant or corrupt or due to unexplained causes. If this occurs, we advise the next steps to arrange your new QuickBooks On-line firm with out having to utterly begin from scratch:
- Subscribe to a brand new QuickBooks On-line firm if not already executed.
- Export the next lists out of your QuickBooks Desktop firm:
- Gadgets
- Chart of Accounts
- Prospects
- Distributors
- Import the lists into your QuickBooks On-line firm.
- Enter starting balances out of your QuickBooks desktop steadiness sheet (and earnings assertion for those who’re in the course of an accounting interval).
Ceaselessly requested questions
Can I convert my QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks On-line?
Sure. QuickBooks Desktop customers with 2021 or later editions of Professional, Premier or Enterprise can convert to QuickBooks On-line by choosing Migrate this Firm File to QuickBooks On-line underneath the Firm menu of their QuickBooks Desktop program.
How lengthy does it take to transform from QuickBooks desktop to on-line?
The conversion itself solely takes a couple of minutes, however you’ll wish to spend a while choosing the right QuickBooks On-line model for your small business and guaranteeing your QuickBooks Desktop firm file is as updated as attainable.
Ought to I change from QuickBooks Desktop to On-line?
We suggest QuickBooks Desktop Professional and Premier customers change to QuickBooks On-line, as these packages will not be provided to new clients beginning Aug. 1, 2024. Whereas no announcement has been made by Intuit, we anticipate it’s going to cease supporting Professional and Premier for current clients in 2027 or earlier. QuickBooks Enterprise customers can stick with the desktop program for the foreseeable future.
Can I take advantage of QuickBooks On-line if I’ve the desktop model?
No, QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks On-line are two separate platforms that don’t combine. You’ll be able to convert from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks On-line however, after the conversion, you’ll must strictly use QuickBooks On-line.
What we consider QuickBooks On-line
QuickBooks On-line has been drastically enhancing with new options and capabilities yearly to the purpose that it’s now higher than QuickBooks Desktop Professional and Premier for many small companies. We encourage small companies to take the leap and convert from Professional and Premier to QuickBooks On-line.
QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise nonetheless has some distinctive options, and there aren’t any plans to part it out, so Enterprise customers would possibly stick to the desktop product except they need the comfort of cloud-based software program like QuickBooks On-line. You’ll be able to be taught extra in our QuickBooks Enterprise evaluate.
