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Moving your data to QuickBooks Online

by Intuit•11• Updated 2 weeks ago

You can transfer data from your previous accounting program to QuickBooks Online to make getting started easier. This guide provides information on Intuit's internal migration tool and our data conversion partner, Dataswitcher, specifically for Xero and Excel/CSV files.

Pre-migration requirements and limitations

Before starting your migration, ensure you meet the following requirements and are aware of current data limitations.

Prerequisite tasks for legacy files

To ensure your legacy file is as clean as possible before conversion, complete these tasks:

Finalise or close all open Quotes.
Finalise or close all Purchase orders.
Delete or finalise any Unbilled activity.
Delete unused accounts in your Chart of Accounts, even if they are currently set to inactive.
Run a payroll report for current compliance dates (month-to-date) if converting mid-reporting period.
Print full employee info details, current leave balances, and year-to-date balances for gross wages, PAYG W, and superannuation.

Data limitations

The following data types cannot be converted at this time:

Budgets and memorised transactions.
Invoice and other templates.
Sales orders and projects.
Payroll records and attachments.
Non-posting entries such as estimates.

Choose a migration tool

We've also compared a few of our data migration tools (Dataswitcher, MMC, and Accsource) here if you'd like to get more information.

	Dataswitcher	Intuit’s migration tool
File Size	Unlimited	Up to 700,000 lines. Files greater than 700,000 can be migrated as lists only...no transactional data.
Speed	90% of conversions are processed in under 12.5 minutes. 100% completed in 24 hours.	Typically completed within 45 minutes.
Security	Data is held in secure AWS servers during migration and destroyed once your conversion is approved.	Intuit’s data security policy can be found here.
User Experience	Guided “migration wizard” to help you through the experience. Real-time insights into the progress of your migration.	Real-time updates are not available. Email notification upon completion.
Customisation	Tiered options allow choice in which data and years to convert into your new Online file. Some additional fees may be required.	Customisation is limited to inventory (yes/no).
Validation	Dataswitcher performs initial checks of your file to identify inconsistencies prior to start (that is to say, are debits and credits equal). Pre- and Post-Migration checks aid in confidently checking the quality of your data. The following detailed reports are also provided: -Profit & Loss reports for all years -Balance Sheet reports for all years -AR and AP reports per conversion date -Retained Earnings report	Migration Summary report is provided via email to the primary admin on the Online file upon completion. It outlines unmatched accounts and discrepancies with the list items. Detail reports are not available.
Taxes	GST is migrated as line-level items. This serves as an additional check for your first GST report. Enable taxes post-migration and start working in QuickBooks Online until your first tax report is due.	Sales tax is fully imported. Prior tax filings are also imported.
AR/AP	Dataswitcher automatically corrects common AR and AP issues.	No corrections are provided.
Reconciliation	Manual bank reconciliation post- migration is required.	Automatic reconciliation at the Register level is provided. Prior reconciliation reports are not imported.
Accruals basis records	Dataswitcher currently supports the conversion of all accrual-basis records. Cash basis conversions may be added at a later date.	Accruals and cash-basis conversions are both supported.
Payroll	Payroll information is not converted.	Only Employee lists are converted.

You can choose between Intuit’s internal tool or Dataswitcher based on your file type and needs. Note that you cannot migrate data into a QuickBooks Online company file that already contains data; you must use a new, empty account.

Dataswitcher package options

If using Dataswitcher, you can select between Standard and Pro packages:

Standard: Includes opening balances, customers, suppliers, chart of accounts, and 2 years of journal entries.
Pro: Includes all Standard features plus invoices, credits, transactional history, and matched payments.

Start the migration process

Follow these steps to begin moving your data.

Archive necessary reports on an accrual basis for all dates, including Trial Balance, Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss, and Ageing reports.
Connect to the Dataswitcher wizard to select your required service.
Follow the on-screen instructions and visit the provided help articles.
Once the upload is finished, you will receive an email to track your conversion progress.

Moving data from other software?

See the following detailed guides if you're migrating to QuickBooks Online from Xero.

Move your Xero data

Frequently asked questions about Dataswitcher

Is Dataswitcher endorsed by Intuit QuickBooks?

Yes. Although Dataswitcher isn't part of Intuit, we work in partnership with Dataswitcher to ensure we’re able to transfer data swiftly and accurately. Intuit recommends using Dataswitcher if you’re transferring to QuickBooks Online from Xero.

How long will it take to import my data?

We aim to complete your conversion within 72 hours of receiving your data file, although it's often much faster than that.

How will my business data be used?

When you send us your business data, we only convert it to QuickBooks Online format. We don’t review it in detail, share it with anyone outside our business, or use it for anything else. Once you let us know you’re happy with your QuickBooks Online account, your data will be permanently deleted from Dataswitcher servers.

How will my business data be protected?

Your business data is protected in the following ways:

As long as you use the online form to upload, we will protect your data using industry-standard SSL encryption.
Your data is governed by Intuit’s Data Stewardship Principles.

How does the process work?

Connect to the Dataswitcher wizard (use the wizard to select the correct service).
Follow the instructions on the screen including visiting our comprehensive help article.
Once you complete the conversion, you will receive an email to track the conversion.

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