Intuit recently announced that they are sunsetting QuickBooks Desktop 2020, causing many Custom Integrators who use QuickBooks, to wonder exactly what this means for their businesses.
If you currently use QuickBooks 2020 Pro, Premier, or Enterprise Solutions v20, you will lose add-on services (like live tech support or other integrated Intuit services) and will not receive security updates starting June 1, 2023.
Here’s your options:
- Upgrade to a new version of QuickBooks Desktop
- Move to the cloud-based QuickBooks Online
Remember, if you want to keep your bookkeeping/accounting current, secure, and updated on the cloud, you need to make the switch no later than May 31, 2023.
Each of these services have different options, features and benefits. Let’s break them down.
Which version of QuickBooks is right for you? It varies with each business, but we’ve found that the VITAL method still works best with QB Desktop due to a few remaining issues with QB Online.
There are workarounds, but they can be troublesome. Here are the QB Online pros and cons to consider before you make a decision.
Pros:
- You can log in anywhere through a mobile app or web browser (though remote access can make Desktop accessible anywhere through apps as well).
Cons:
- Creating and sorting the Project Pipeline Report in QB Online is cumbersome. You will have to start with a report in QB Online, then export to Excel and manipulate the report.
- Progress invoicing is by percentage or dollar amount of items only. You can’t progress invoice by the quantity of items, making it potentially more time-consuming to figure out what those amounts are. (This is most challenging with larger estimates and projects.)
There may be other differences as well that will not be readily noticed until the change is made.
Want to dig deeper?
- For reference on the process, here is an article from Intuit. Pay special attention to the links about getting your file ready.
- This article that explains what will move to QB Online and what will not.
If you want the benefits of cloud-based services without the limitations of QB Online, consider a hybrid option using QB Desktop and a cloud hosting service. VITAL members can get up to $150 off QuickBooks Cloud Hosting through our VIP Blackbook. CloudTop Office provides cloud-based QuickBooks hosting that allows your team to access QuickBooks from any internet-connected device in real time.
Not sure which option is best for you? Connect with one of our QuickBooks Process Managers.
Stay VITAL,
Matt & the team
