What You Need to Know About the QBO (QuickBooks Online) Conversion

As of May 31, 2024, Intuit, the developers  of QuickBooks, stopped supporting all versions of QuickBooks Desktop from 2021 and earlier, including QuickBooks Desktop Pro, QuickBooks Desktop Premier, QuickBooks Desktop for Mac, and QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions v21.

As a result, users no longer have access to live technical support, security updates, or other intuit services integrated with QuickBooks Desktop. Intuit also announced that they will stop selling new subscriptions of QuickBooks desktop to new U.S. subscribers as of September 30, 2024. While Intuit has not officially discontinued QuickBooks Desktop, speculation remains that they will as they continue to invest heavily in QuickBooks Online.

ARI became aware of the upcoming changes to QuickBooks Desktop in the early months of 2024 and decided to proactively commit to converting most clients from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online (QBO). Given the short turnaround time, ARI strategically mapped out an attainable, yet aggressive, timeline in which to accomplish this feat. In six months, after an organization-wide effort, ARI successfully converted more than 100 clients to QBO.

Continuous growth is a strategic pillar of ARI which is why we constantly invest in our people and technology. This was most evident after all accounting staff completed the required training necessary to get up to speed with QBO. Through several QuickBooks trainings and certifications, ARI earned the distinguished status of Elite ProAdvisor. ARI’s clients can rest assured knowing their outsourced accounting team is not only qualified to help them maximize the benefits of QuickBooks, but also has proven expertise to help them reach their business goals. Be it through planning, setup, training, and/or support, ARI is primed to help clients reach their full potential.

With a renewed focus on QBO. ARI understands that navigating a new software has its challenges. However, there are several benefits of converting from QuickBooks Desktop to QBO, including but not limited to:

1. Accessibility: QBO is cloud-based, allowing users with an internet connection to access financial data anytime, anywhere. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for businesses with multiple locations or remote teams.
2. Collaboration: QBO facilitates collaboration among team members and accountants. Multiple users can access the software simultaneously, making it easier to share information and work together on financial tasks.
3. Automatic Updates: With QBO, updates and new features are automatically rolled out by Intuit. This eliminates the need for manual updates and ensures users always have the latest tools.
4. Integration: QBO integrates seamlessly with a wide range of third-party apps and services, such as payment processors, payroll providers, and CRM systems. This integration streamlines workflows and reduces the need for manual data entry.
5. Automatic Backups: Financial data is automatically backed up and stored securely in the cloud with QBO. This provides peace of mind knowing that information is safe and accessible even in the event of hardware failure or disaster.
6. Data Security: QBO stores financial data securely in the cloud, reducing the risk of data loss due to hardware failure, theft, or natural disaster. Intuit employs robust security measures to protect user data, including encryption, multi-factor authentication, and regular security audits. Since QBO is cloud-based, users do not need to invest in expensive hardware or worry about maintaining servers. This can result in cost savings on IT infrastructure and support.

Converting from QuickBooks Desktop to QBO can improve efficiency, collaboration, and accessibility.

If you have additional questions related to the QBO conversion, do not hesitate to contact us.

Summary:

With Intuit phasing out support for older QuickBooks Desktop versions and pushing new users toward QuickBooks Online (QBO), many businesses are making the switch. QBO offers cloud-based access, seamless collaboration, automatic updates, secure data backups, and easy integration with other business tools. ARI proactively converted over 100 clients to QBO in just six months, earning Elite ProAdvisor status along the way. With deep expertise, ARI helps businesses plan, set up, and optimize QBO so they can work more efficiently, securely, and collaboratively.

FAQ Questions

• Why is Intuit phasing out support for QuickBooks Desktop, and what does this mean for my business?

Intuit stopped supporting all versions of QuickBooks Desktop from 2021 and earlier as of May 31, 2024. There is no longer live technical support, security updates, or integrated services for those older Desktop versions. As of September 30. 2024, there has been no new Desktop subscriptions purchased by new U.S. users.

For your business, that means you risk running on unsupported software (security and compliance risks), and you’ll need a supported platform like QuickBooks Online (QBO) if you haven’t made the transition yet.

• What are the main benefits of moving from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online (QBO)?

When moving from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online, you are able to access your financial data anywhere with the internet, multiple users can work simultaneously, there are automatic updates and backups, and  it works well with many third-party apps.

• How did ARI prepare its staff and clients for a smooth QBO transition?

ARI became aware early in 2024 of the Desktop support changes and committed to converting most clients to QBO. We mapped out an attainable, yet aggressive timeline, and in six months converted over 100 clients to QBO. All accounting staff completed required training and certificates to become proficient in QBO. 

• What challenges should a business expect during a QBO conversion, and how can ARI help minimize them?

There are many challenges a business should expect during a QBO conversion including, a learning curve of a new software system, possible data migration issues, and adjusting workflows, getting users used to a cloud-based environment. 

ARI helped minimize these challenges with our clients by:

• Providing training and certified staff to support the transition.
• Planning and mapping out a timeline to manage the conversion process efficiently.
• Offering setup, planning support, and ongoing assistance after transition.

• How does ARI’s Elite ProAdvisor status benefit small and mid-sized businesses converting to QBO?

ARI has achieved Intuit‑recognized expertise in QBO through training / certification. ARI’s clients get access to a team that is proven qualified, which helps with smoother conversion, maximized use of QBO features, and better support. It also helps reduce risk of errors or inefficiencies during transition because of ARI’s experience and knowledge.