Converting QuickBooks Desktop to Online (Full Guide)

There are many reasons you might be considering converting QuickBooks desktop to online. Maybe you want to have cloud-based access from anywhere. Perhaps you’d like to have all the latest features and upgrades when they happen. Or maybe there’s another reason.

Whatever your reasons for wanting to make the switch, here’s what you need to know about migrating QuickBooks desktop to online.

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Can I convert QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online?

Yes. QuickBooks has made it easy for anyone to switch from QuickBooks desktop to online. Check the video below to find out more.

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What happens when you switch from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online?

There are several steps involved in converting QuickBooks desktop to online, but most of them are fairly simple.

When you make the switch, you will be able to upload the data file from your desktop system to the online version, which means all your company information, invoices, vendors, and more will be transferred to your new online package.

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How do I move QuickBooks from desktop to online?

If you want to start migrating QuickBooks desktop to online, the first thing you will need to do is create a QuickBooks online account. Currently, there is a 50% off for the first three months offer, or you can sign up for the 30-day free trial while you get set up.

Before you start converting QuickBooks desktop to online, you should first go to File and then Backups to make a backup. Whenever you are making any changes to any software, you should always backup, just in case something goes wrong!

Once your QuickBooks desktop is backed up, you can go to Company in the top menu and then choose Export Company File to QuickBooks Online. If you don’t see this option, you will first need to update your QuickBooks desktop version and then make another backup just in case something goes wrong.

When you see the window that asks you if you want to “Move Now,” click the button and sign into your QuickBooks Online account from your desktop package. Choose the options you want, like importing your inventory, and follow the steps to complete the conversion.

At this point, before you do any work in either system, you should log in to your online account and check that everything is there and that you have all the options and features you need. You should also know that:

• QuickBooks desktop works a little differently and has a few more features and functions than the online version
• Some things, like bank reconciliations, credit card reconciliations, recurring credit card charges, audit trails and a few others, will not transfer automatically between the two systems
• You cannot work in both systems and have the data from each automatically available in the other – so you have to choose one or the other

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How long does it take to convert from QuickBooks Desktop to online?

Making the switch and converting QuickBooks desktop to online is a fairly quick process, and once you’ve completed your backup and started the process, you should be ready to use your new QuickBooks online system within an hour or two.

It might take you a little more time to assess what information has been transferred and what has not and to decide whether QuickBooks online will work for you. If you want to assess before you commit, we recommend trying the conversion with a free trial account, so you don’t have to pay if you decide not to do the switch.

QuickBooks also has fantastic support resources, so if you do get stuck, reach out to their team for help.

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Get Real-Time Data from QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks desktop does have a few features that you don’t find in the online version, but they’re very specific, and most accountants and bookkeepers don’t need them (although they might want them!)

However, for most companies, the benefits of migrating from QuickBooks desktop to online far outweigh any drawbacks, and since everything is in the cloud on a hosted server, you’ll never have to worry about a hard drive crashing again!

Another big benefit of switching to QuickBooks online is that you can use LiveFlow’s tools, including the Google Sheets Add-On, to create a live, real-time link between your QuickBooks company data and custom Google Sheets reports. That means that you can also share detailed, specific information with anyone who needs it without needing to give them access to your accounting system.

LiveFlow helps accountants, bookkeepers and finance professionals to create automated integrations that help them to save time, provide up-to-date information whenever it’s needed, and much more. If you’d like to know more about how LiveFlow works, contact our team. We’re happy to answer any questions or to give you a live demo, so you can see it all firsthand.