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QuickBooks Desktop discontinuation support hub

SOLVED•by QuickBooks•Updated 1 month ago

Here's what you need to know about QuickBooks Desktop service discontinuation. This includes help articles and more info about your upgrade options.

Is QuickBooks Online right for me?

Thinking about moving to QuickBooks Online but not sure which product to go for? This QuickBooks product and feature comparison will help you choose the best option for you and your business.

How do I set up users in QuickBooks Online?

QuickBooks Online lets you invite people to your books so you can work together and save time. When you add a user, you can manage their roles and limit their access to specific tasks. Here are some articles on managing users:

Moving to QuickBooks Online

So you've decided to make the switch to QuickBooks Online – congrats!

Note: We’re currently working on a new service to help make your move from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online as smooth as possible. Unfortunately this means that we aren’t able to help you transfer your data from Desktop to Online until we launch the new migration service. For more info, read this.

In the meantime, you can use the open balance method to manually transfer your Desktop data over to QuickBooks Online.

If you decide to move all of your data over from QuickBooks Desktop, here are some helpful articles:

Troubleshooting errors and help

Something not quite right? If you see an error during or after conversion, these articles will help you get back on track:

Download your data to move out of QuickBooks Desktop

  1. Make sure you back up and save a copy of your desktop data file.
  2. Export your lists and generate a detailed chart of accounts report plus open transaction reports to help you set up.
    1. Download the relevant sales and purchase invoices, then complete the following:
      1. Go to preferences and remove the period end, spelling checks and notification of changes made before you start. This will let you to print without having to confirm multiple times.
      2. Select the invoices from your chosen year (for example, 1 April 2021).
      3. You can download the entire year if you wish. If you have a high number of invoices (lets say, more than 25 per month), we recommend downloading them by month. You can print the invoices and put them in a PDF format and into folder later.
    2. Make sure you have copies of all your bank statements.
  3. Enter your opening balances into your new providers chart of accounts and import your customer and supplier lists.
  4. Finally, re-create or import your open transactions and adjust your open balances accordingly.

After moving to QuickBooks Online

We recommend that you do post-conversion checks to make sure that everything in your QuickBooks is working correctly. It's best to take care of these jobs as soon as possible, and certainly before you make other changes to the data or begin entering new transactions.

That's it! Now it's time to get started with QuickBooks Online. These handy guides and video tutorials will help you get the most out of QuickBooks.

For accountants

Unfortunately no, but there is support available to help you make the switch. Please reach out to your accountant manager or you can contact us on 0808 168 9533.

Contact us on 0808 168 9533, and we can connect you with an account manager who will be happy to discuss your firm's requirements.

For small business owners

This help article details all the steps to help you move from Desktop to QuickBooks Online as smoothly as possible. We recommend making a fresh start by importing all your customer and supplier lists by using the open balance method.

If you wish to move all of your existing data over, there are a few things that you need to be aware of. For example, if your company data file is too big you won't be able to automatically migrate it to QuickBooks Online or if you're moving to the QuickBooks Online version for Ireland.

Unfortunately, no. There is currently no way of migrating data from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks IE, and it's not recommended to move to QuickBooks Online UK. The best way to move over is using the open balance method and importing lists and open transactions.

Unfortunately this isn't possible as UK company data files are not compatible with the QuickBooks version for US or Canada.

Helping you stay compliant is our top priority. Given the recent changes to accounting and tax regulations, and with more on the horizon, we need to make sure you’re on a product that can be supported with regular updates. 

With QuickBooks Desktop, customers can miss these updates and use software that is out of date and non-compliant. That’s why we’ve decided to discontinue the product.

UK QuickBooks for Desktop 2021 is the last version that will be supported for customers in the UK and Ireland, and will be supported until January 31, 2023.

Customers in the UK and Ireland with QuickBooks Desktop 2021 subscriptions will be fully supported until 31 January, 2023. Support and access to QuickBooks Desktop will stop after this date for all subscribed users.

Customers in the UK and Ireland using outright licences for QuickBooks Desktop 2021 will be supported until 31 January, 2023. Access to support, including installation and activation services for QuickBooks Desktop will stop after this date.

Only if you have an outright licence for QuickBooks 2015 or earlier versions. QuickBooks 2016 onwards was only available on a subscription basis.

Only if you have an outright licence for QuickBooks 2015 or earlier versions. QuickBooks 2016 onwards was only available on a subscription basis.

While some businesses prefer to leave their data behind and start fresh at a year end, others dread the thought of leaving any historical data. By starting fresh in QuickBooks Online, you can avoid common complications that come with moving old company data files. While we try to make the move to QBO as smooth as possible, here are some possible problems that can happen during the migration process:

  • Your company data file is too large to migrate
  • Custom VAT codes, if not set up correctly in the first place, can make it difficult to migrate data without changing the original codes
  • Difficulty adjusting journal entries or previously filed VAT submissions

But don't worry, we're here to help if you wish to bring your data over to QuickBooks Online.

We’re currently working on a new service to help make your move from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online as smooth as possible. Unfortunately this means that we aren’t able to support you until we launch the new service. However, you can still manually move your data across using the open balance method.

For more info, read this.

You can resubscribe to QuickBooks Desktop if you reactivate your subscription within 27 days of cancelling. After 27 days, your subscription is deemed cancelled and you will not be able to buy a new subscription.

No. We have stopped selling all versions of QuickBooks Desktop in the UK.

Unfortunately, no. Only existing customers are able to upgrade/downgrade their subscriptions.

You can use both products at the same time. If you choose to cancel your Desktop subscription, you can always resubscribe again as long as it's within 27 days of cancelling your subscription.

The decision to discontinue QuickBooks Desktop is localised to the UK only and is due to market conditions, including Making Tax Digital and regular updates to tax requirements. Plus the increasing demand for cloud-based applications which is causing the decline of demand for desktop software.

Yes. Billing will stop on 31 January, 2023. Access to QuickBooks Desktop and support will also stop on or shortly after this date.

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