Migration Corner: Moving from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online

Your clients who use QuickBooks Desktop 2020 have some great new reasons to consider making the switch to QuickBooks Online. One key reason is to get ahead of the upcoming discontinuation of support for Desktop 2020. If your clients who use QuickBooks Desktop 2020 do not select a new Desktop subscription before May 31, 2023, they will lose access to their existing Desktop services. Also, they won’t be able to sign up for new services and add-ons, including payroll, online backup, and online banking. QuickBooks Desktop 2020 won’t receive updates after this date, including critical security patches that help protect your clients’ data. So if you haven’t yet, it’s an opportune time to start the migration conversation with your clients who use Desktop.

To help you speak to your clients about QuickBooks Online and build a business case for migration, you can now access a series of pre-written email templates in QuickBooks Online Accountant. These pre-written emails cover a variety of topics, like features and benefits, security, and migration tools, so you can select the most relevant content for each client as they move from considering migration to making the move to Online. Learn more

For more migration resources, guides, and tips, we’ve created a QuickBooks Online Migration Toolkit that provides all the information you need for a smooth transition.

The QuickBooks Online App is now available for Windows and Mac,* both for your clients who currently use QuickBooks Online and those who are migrating from QuickBooks Desktop.*

With this app, your clients can work how they’re used to, with a view similar to QuickBooks Desktop. They can get more done faster, with a familiar menu and keyboard shortcuts. They can also keep information for multiple companies open at the same time, and work efficiently by flipping between tabs and windows—just like they would on Desktop. Plus, they can stay signed in and connected, to get to work faster. Learn more about the QuickBooks Online app below.

Moving your clients to QuickBooks Online Payroll has become more seamless, through a number of updates to improve the process.

Your clients can now choose to run payroll on the go while continuing to use QuickBooks Desktop for accounting. That’s because they can migrate their QuickBooks Desktop Payroll data to QuickBooks Online Payroll without having to start over with a new file. You can move your client’s existing payroll data to Online Payroll with just a few clicks. First, your client would buy a QuickBooks Online Payroll subscription and create a payroll-only company file. Then, they can use the migration tool inside Desktop to move their payroll data to their new payroll-only company file. They'll get all the benefits of a cloud-based payroll solution—with no manual setup required. Learn more

For your clients who use settings for Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) in QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, migration to Online Payroll now includes those settings. That means they can move their PFML setup online, to carry over their PFML year-to-date data, account ID (where applicable), and PFML rates and effective date for standard-rate states (NY, NJ, CT, DC). With this update, your clients can run payroll quickly after migrating their PFML data and settings, with no need to make corrections or set it up manually. Not only will migrating the data save time when running payroll, it will also help prepare you for payroll tax time.

In addition to these updates, your clients can now upload employee documents in QuickBooks Online Payroll to help save time, eliminate manual processes, and stay compliant. With this new feature, your clients can organize their HR-related forms, like W4s, I9s, health and pension records, and offer letters so they’re all sent, stored, and signed from one convenient place.

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Important product information

*Features

*QuickBooks Online app:   

The QuickBooks Online app for Windows and Mac (“app”) requires a Windows PC or Mac computer with a supported browser (see System Requirements for a list of supported browsers) and an Internet connection (high-speed recommended). The app is available for QuickBooks Desktop migrators with an active QuickBooks Online Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, or Advanced subscription. Multiple company tabs allow for simultaneous sign in across multiple company files. Access to each company file sold separately. Terms and conditions, features, support, and services options subject to change without notice.*

Payroll built into QuickBooks Online: QuickBooks Online integrates with QuickBooks Online Payroll and each service requires an active account. Additional terms, conditions and fees may apply.