Upcoming changes: Accountant discounts and QuickBooks Online pricing

On June 1, 2021, we sent the following email to ProAdvisors® regarding the upcoming price changes and the introduction of the ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing program.

A message from Ariege Misherghi and Ted Callahan, on behalf of the QuickBooks® Accountant team:

You are our valued partner, and we are reaching out to provide advance notice of upcoming pricing and promotional changes.

What is changing

QuickBooks Online Essentials, Plus, and Advanced prices will increase:

• On July 15, 2021 for all new subscriptions.
• On or after Aug. 1, 2021 for existing client-billed subscriptions.
• On or after Sept. 1, 2021 for existing firm-billed subscriptions (current wholesale discount).

The wholesale discount will be discontinued. We are launching a new discount program.

• The QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Online Payroll, and QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) wholesale discount is being discontinued for new subscriptions, upgrades, and downgrades on July 15, 2021.
• We are launching a new discount program called ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing. Discounts from our new program will apply for new customers, upgrades, and downgrades added through QuickBooks Online Accountant beginning July 15, 2021.

Wholesale discounts for active subscriptions added prior to July 15, 2021 are not changing.¹

What will these changes enable?

For the past eight years, the wholesale discount program has provided unmatched QuickBooks Online discounts as a way to thank you for recommending QuickBooks to your clients. The new ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing program will continue to offer you industry-leading benefits, including our only ongoing discount for QuickBooks.

We understand that this is the kind of news that’s never easy to hear. The bottom line is that retiring the wholesale discount program is necessary in order to deliver the product and support you and your clients need today, and in the future. We’ve recently released innovations, such as performance center with industry benchmarking, month-end review, payroll insights, advisory training, and more. And, to help you better manage your firm’s own financials, we upgraded Your Books, giving you access to QuickBooks Online Advanced and QuickBooks Online Payroll Elite with QuickBooks Time, for free.

We’ve also heard how important it is for you to have quality support when you need it. We are actively increasing the number of experts on our accountant support team, improving our caller recognition, and expanding expert knowledge across payments and payroll to help you get quick and reliable answers. These changes will enable additional improvements to how we support you.

QuickBooks Online pricing updates

Prices for QuickBooks Online Essentials, Plus, and Advanced are changing as follows:

There are no changes to QuickBooks Online Self-Employed or Simple Start pricing.

The prices above will be effective on or after:

• July 15, 2021 for all new subscriptions, upgrades, or downgrades, including those added through QuickBooks Online Accountant.
• Aug. 1, 2021 for existing customers who pay directly for their subscription. We will notify affected customers beginning on July 1, 2021.
• Sept. 1, 2021 for subscriptions enrolled before July 15, 2021 through the wholesale discount program.

ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing

We designed the new ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing program to provide best-in-class discounts, while simplifying pricing across our products. Our new program will cover QuickBooks Online (now including Simple Start), QuickBooks Online Payroll, and QuickBooks Time. This is just the beginning, and we will continue improving the program based on your feedback.

ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing will apply to subscriptions you add, upgrade, or downgrade through QuickBooks Online Accountant on or after July 15, 2021.

We will continue to honor the 50% off wholesale discount for subscriptions enrolled before the launch of the ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing.

See the ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing program discount terms and conditions for more information. For detailed pricing charts and more info, please refer to our frequently asked questions.

Share your feedback

Please take a moment to tell us what you think of ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing and what you would like to see added to it. We’re considering enhancements such as revenue share, and your feedback will guide how we expand the program in the future.

We thank you for your partnership and for your unrelenting dedication to your clients. We hope to see you at one of our Q&A events.

Ariege Misherghi

Vice President, QuickBooks Experts Leader

Ted Callahan

Director, QuickBooks Accountant Leader

Reminder: You and your clients may upgrade, manage or cancel subscription at any time by visiting Account and settings and selecting Subscriptions and billing. You can also refer to your monthly billing statement for by-client pricing and promotional details.

Disclaimers

1If you upgrade or downgrade a subscription, the then-current promotional discount will apply. If you upgrade or downgrade an active subscription receiving a wholesale discount (bill my firm) on or after July 15, 2021, the ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing program will apply. The wholesale discount program promotional discounts will no longer be available for subscriptions added, upgraded, or downgraded after July 15, 2021. Due to system migration timing, new discounts and pricing could be delayed for some users.

For more information

We held two live Q&A events with QuickBooks leaders to address top questions about these changes, our products, and our vision for supporting accounting professionals. You can watch the recording of our June 10 event below.

Communicating with your clients

Intuit® provides you with advance notice of upcoming price increases so you can be in-the-know before your clients. In this instance, we are informing you of price changes on June 1, and will be informing small business customers who pay for their own subscriptions on July 1.

As a principle, we do not communicate pricing and discount information with your firm-billed (current wholesale discount) clients, understanding that accounting professionals have different practices for billing clients for their software.

To help you educate your clients about the QuickBooks Online price increase, we have put together helping talking points and an email template available in this article.

Detailed charts

QuickBooks Online pricing updates

Prices for QuickBooks Online Essentials, Plus, and Advanced are also changing as follows:

There are no changes to QuickBooks Online Simple Start or Self-Employed pricing.

The prices above will be effective on or after:

• July 15, 2021 for all new subscriptions, upgrades, or downgrades, including those added through QuickBooks Online Accountant.
• Aug. 1, 2021 for existing customers who pay directly for their subscription. We will notify affected customers beginning on July 1, 2021.
• Sept. 1, 2021 for subscriptions enrolled before July 15, 2021 through the wholesale discount program.

QuickBooks Online price changes for legacy wholesale discount subscriptions

Retail prices for subscriptions added before July 15, 2021, with the wholesale discount will increase on or after Sept. 1, 2021:

Based on feedback from ProAdvisors, we have also added these charts to demonstrate what will happen in a few common scenarios for existing subscriptions with the wholesale discount or promotional bundles:

ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing

Effective for new clients you add, upgrade, or downgrade through QuickBooks Online Accountant on or after July 15, 2021:

ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing for QuickBooks Time subscriptions is available through the QuickBooks Time PRO account and will be effective in August 2021.

Multi-company offer details

The QuickBooks Online Plus price will increase for the parent company of existing bundles beginning Sept. 1, 2021. New promotional offer will become effective on July 15, 2021.

Frequently asked questions

ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing

Why are you making these discount changes now?

Retiring the wholesale discount program is necessary in order to deliver the product and support you and your clients need today and in the future. We’ve recently released innovations, like performance center with industry benchmarking, month-end review, payroll insights, advisory training, and more. To help you better manage your firm’s own financials, we upgraded Your Books, giving you access to QuickBooks Online Advanced and QuickBooks Online Payroll Elite with QuickBooks Time, for free.

We’ve also heard how important it is for you to have quality support when you need it. We are actively increasing the number of experts on our accountant support team, improving our caller recognition, and expanding expert knowledge across payments and payroll to help you get quick and reliable answers. These changes will enable additional improvements to how we support you.

What are the advantages of the new ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing program?

With the ProAdvisor discount, you receive our best long-term savings option for clients new to QuickBooks, including our only ongoing discount. To maintain flexibility, the ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing program has two options for monthly billing.

• For the clients you pay for, enjoy savings month after month with the ongoing discount. You are billed monthly for all subscriptions and can decide how you pass on the cost to your clients. You also have access to monthly itemized bills displaying all of your firm-billed clients for easy tracking.
• For clients who prefer to pay for their subscriptions, you can pass through a direct discount for the first 12 months of their subscription, after which they will pay the full then-current list price.

When does the new ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing program go into effect?

ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing launches on July 15, 2021 for new QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Online Payroll and QuickBooks Time subscriptions. ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing discounts also apply to any subscriptions added, upgraded, or downgraded after this date.

Who is eligible for the ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing program?

The ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing program is available for any accounting professional who signs up for QuickBooks Online Accountant and initiates new client subscriptions in the Add client tab.

Can I offer ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing to clients with an existing QuickBooks Online subscription?

The ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing program is available for new QuickBooks Online, QuickBook Online Payroll and QuickBooks Time subscriptions only. If a QuickBooks Online Accountant account assumes the billing for an existing subscription, they are charged the then-current list price without additional discounts.

There are some exceptions which you can learn more about here.

What is happening to the 50% discount for my clients currently on wholesale discount?

All customers on wholesale discount prior to July 15, 2021 will retain the 50% lifetime discount. However, if the subscription is upgraded or downgraded, the ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing program discounts will apply.

In what regions will the ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing program be available?

This new program will be available to US customers. Offer and pricing programs vary by country. Please refer to the specific country pages for the region you are interested in for more information.

What is the difference between the ProAdvisor discount and the Direct discount?

Both discounts are available exclusively via accounting professionals through the “Add client” section of QuickBooks Online Accountant. When starting a new QuickBooks Online subscription for a client, you can select either “ProAdvisor discount” or “Direct discount.”

With the ProAdvisor discount, you pay directly for the subscription and enjoy an ongoing discount. With the Direct discount, your client pays for the subscription and receives the discount for 12 months. At the end of the 12 months, the client is charged the then-current monthly list price.

What is the ongoing discount?

We understand the importance of a reliable monthly bill for you and your clients, which is why we are offering the ongoing monthly discount to accounting professionals via the ProAdvisor discount. When you select this option, Intuit will bill your firm each month for all eligible client subscriptions and you can enjoy the ongoing savings month after month.

Will there be any changes to the multi-company discount?

With the launch of ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing, the new multi-company discount will be: Buy one copy of QuickBooks Online Plus at the ProAdvisor discount price, and add up to 10 companies for $20 each per month for two years.

There will be no changes to the discounts or child-account prices on multi-company bundles purchased before July 15, 2021. Parent accounts on an existing multi-company offer will be subject to the QuickBooks Online Plus retail price change, and will increase from $35 to $40 (maintaining 50% wholesale discount applied to the new QuickBooks Online Plus Price of $80) on or after September 1, 2021. At the end of the 5-year term, child accounts will increase from $5 each to 50% off the then-current price of QuickBooks Online Plus as the legacy wholesale discount will apply.

How does this affect subscriptions I purchased on a bundle such as 5 for $5 each?

At the end of the two year promotional period, subscriptions will be billed at the then-current list price with the 50% wholesale discount since these subscriptions were purchased before July 15, 2021.

QuickBooks Online price increase

Why are you increasing prices now?

QuickBooks takes small business success seriously, especially during times of shifting and changing markets. Periodic price increases are necessary in order to deliver the product and support you and your clients need today and in the future. Some of our recent QuickBooks Online innovations include:

• Bill Pay*: an embedded bill pay capability that gives you more flexibility to pay bills online from QuickBooks.
• Tagging: create custom tags and reports to understand where you’re spending money and how you can be more profitable.
• QuickBooks Cash**: a small business bank account with no monthly fees, industry-leading APY (annual percentage yield), and Instant Deposit** at no extra cost, if eligible.

To learn more, visit our blog to see what’s new.

What prices are changing?

Please refer to the charts above for details.

When does the price increase go into effect for new customers added through accountants?

The QuickBooks Online price increase takes effect on or after July 15, 2021 for all new customers, including those added through QuickBooks Online Accountant.

When does the price increase go into effect for existing customers who pay for their own subscriptions?

The QuickBooks Online price increase goes into effect for clients that pay for their own subscription on Aug. 1, 2021.

When does the price increase go into effect for subscriptions enrolled before July 15, 2021 through the wholesale discount program?

The QuickBooks Online price increase goes into effect for these clients on or after Sept. 1, 2021.

Will prices increase for new customers I just added to my wholesale discount?

Price of subscriptions purchased within six months of the Sept. 1, 2021 price increase date will remain unchanged until the 7th billing month.

Disclaimers

Bill Pay. Bill Pay services powered by Melio with funds held by Evolve Bank & Trust or Silicon Valley Bank (members of the FDIC and the Federal Reserve). Requires a Melio account and acceptance of their Terms of Service and Privacy Statement. Subject to additional terms, conditions, and fees.

Instant deposit. Instant deposit is an additional service offered by QuickBooks Payments subject to eligibility criteria. Standard payment processing fees apply to each transaction. Deposits are sent to the bank account linked to your QuickBooks Debit Card or, at your election, another eligible debit card in up to 30 minutes from the initiation of the deposit. Deposit times may vary for third party delays.

**Product Information

QuickBooks Cash Account opening is subject to identity verification and approval by Green Dot Bank.

QuickBooks and Intuit are a technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by our partner, Green Dot Bank.

QuickBooks Payments and QuickBooks Cash accounts: Users must apply for both QuickBooks Payments and QuickBooks Cash accounts when bundled. QuickBooks Payments’ Merchant Agreement and QuickBooks Cash account’s Deposit Account Agreement apply.

QuickBooks Cash account: Banking services provided by and the QuickBooks Visa® Debit Card is issued by Green Dot Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Green Dot Bank operates under the following registered trade names: GoBank, GO2bank and Bonneville Bank. Registered trade names are used by, and refer to, a single FDIC-insured bank, Green Dot Bank. Deposits under any of these trade names are deposits with Green Dot Bank and are aggregated for deposit insurance coverage up to the allowable limits. Green Dot is a registered trademark of Green Dot Corporation. ©2021 Green Dot Corporation. All rights reserved. QuickBooks products and services, including Instant Deposit, QuickBooks Payments, Cash flow planning / forecasting are not provided by Green Dot Bank.

FDIC insured up to $250,000: QuickBooks Cash Account funds are FDIC-insured up to the allowable limits through Green Dot Bank, Member FDIC upon verification of Cardholder’s identity. Coverage limit is subject to aggregation of all of Cardholder’s funds held on deposit at Green Dot Bank.

**Features

Instant Deposit at no extra cost: Includes use of Instant Deposit without the additional cost. Instant Deposit is an additional service offered by QuickBooks Payments subject to eligibility criteria. Standard rates apply for ACH, swiped, invoiced, and keyed card transactions. Deposits are sent to the bank account linked to your QuickBooks Debit Card in up to 30 minutes. Deposit times may vary for third party delays.

Annual percentage yield: The annual percentage yield (“APY”) is accurate as of March 1, 2021 and may change at our discretion at any time. The APY is applied to deposit balances within your primary QuickBooks Cash account and each individual Envelope. We use the average daily balance method to calculate interest on your account. See Deposit Account Agreement for terms and conditions.

National average interest rate: The average interest rate is based on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s national rate published the week of September 28, 2020. Learn more.

No monthly fees: Other fees and limits apply. See Deposit Account Agreement for details.

This account is often overlooked, and it is essential to be sure that the account only holds those work in process (WIP) expenditures. If there are transactions from closed matters, you will need to check with the attorney of record and determine if the expense needs to become a firm expense.

Keeping a good eye on the over 90-day AR aging report

Reviewing the outstanding and overdue accounts receivable is just as critical. Many law firms do a less than stellar job of maintaining the accounts receivable records. I recommend the accounts receivable clerk or bookkeeper follow up with each attorney of record on any open invoice 90 days past due. Should the open invoice be written down or should you move those clients to collections?

Maintaining the unapplied cash payment income account

Some of my immigration and family law clients do a tremendous volume of invoicing. When you combine this with multiple staff members entering transactions, you may find errors in dates where payments are recorded before the actual invoice date. A gentle reminder to keep a watchful eye on this account will help keep the records in the proper order. Just run a profit and loss by cash basis to reveal the transactions that need to be corrected.

Reminder to the attorney to turn in their receipts

For compliance, we like to have receipts for all transactions. With QuickBooks, this can be a simple task. Just scan and upload. But, if we find a missing receipt, we can notify the attorney. If they have access to QuickBooks, gently remind them that the receipt is missing. Once it is uploaded, we can mark that task as complete.

Remember, these tasks do not have to be QuickBooks-only tasks. Think outside the box! Maybe you need to order a birthday cake for a staff member. Perhaps you need to get a gift for a client that gave you a referral. Assign that task as a reminder, and you can keep your law firm running smoothly.

Creative uses for Tasks in QuickBooks Online Advanced

Real estate and property management:

• Lease Renewal Dates: Set up reminders for important lease renewal dates.
• Safety Checks: Create a task to make sure all Fire suppression systems have been checked each year.

Construction industry:

• Review COI: Set up a reminder during a large project to review all certificates of insurance are valid for any subcontractors on a job.
• 1099 Review: Set up a task to review contractors w-9 information is up to date and accurate.

More task ideas for any business:

• Workers compensation: Another powerful use of the tasks feature is to set reminders for important dates, such as your workers compensation renewal date. This simple task will provide your team enough time to start shopping your policy for the best rates on the market as well as prepare for their next workers compensation audit.
• Business license: Create a task that reminds you when you need to update your business license.
• Corporate filings: Avoid late filing fees by setting up a reminder to update your statement of information and your annual minutes for your corporation. If you provide these services, you can setup tasks to help you remember when to discuss with your clients.
• Special deadlines: Create a task to help remind you of special deadlines, such as the PPP cover period.

Who can see and use tasks:

The new task feature can be used by anyone who is a registered user of that QuickBooks Online Advanced company file, except report-only users. Administrators have the greatest functionality to create a task as well as see the tasks created by others. For all other employees, only the tasks assigned to them or created by them will be displayed and grouped by:

• Past due
• Today
• Upcoming

Once a task has been marked as completed, it will be moved to a separate list to better view what is still outstanding.

Hopefully, we have managed to get you thinking about all the different ways you could harness the power hidden within Tasks. After playing with this new feature, we are excited to see the different ways that Intuit will embed this feature throughout all their features. Now it is your turn, what creative tasks would you be interested to see added as templates? Share your ideas in the comments below!