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Everything you need to know about banking in QuickBooks Online - Discover more
Flyingfemme
Level 2

Desktop UK discontinuation

I have just found out, today from a friend, that QB is "discontinuing" desktop. SInce I have over a decade's worth of data for two companies, this is catastrophic to say the least.

Online is not an option. I need to be able to work offline - not everyone is online all the time. I also don't want to do my accounts via an app; I am very happy with my PC, big screen and all the reports I can generate with Desktop.

As I understand it the options to migrate to online (even if I wanted to) are no use for currencies - we operate in 3 major currencies for all transaction types - and inventory handling is iffy.

Being near to retirement I am concerned that I would not be able to access the legally required data after closing the company either.

My Desktop is running 2016 Pro. Will this actually vanish in 10 days time? Or will it keep working without "support"? Such support as has been available was never worth depending on anyway.

Why have I not been informed that this was happening? It's not like Intuit don't have my email address..........I can see how much thir customers mean to them, it's obvious from the treatment being handed out. I am furious and will not give them another penny if I have any choices at all.

11 REPLIES 11
Fiat Lux - ASIA
Level 15

Desktop UK discontinuation

They claim you can't run QB Desktop programs with the one-time license after June, but frankly I'm not convinced yet. You can purchase a 3rd party service to convert data from QB Desktop to QB Online or other programs after June if necessary. Make sure to secure the backup file and portable file on June 30.

 

GeorgiaC
QuickBooks Team

Desktop UK discontinuation

Hello Flyingfemme, thanks for posting on the Community. 

 

We began releasing information on the discontinuation of QuickBooks Desktop for UK users in October 2021. In this, we announced that we wouldn't be launching a 2022 edition of QuickBooks Desktop. Further regular reminders & updates were sent by email to subscribed customers through out 2022 and into 2023. If you didn't receive these, please check that the email on your Intuit Account is updated.

 

From 30th June 2023, access and support for QuickBooks Desktop will end. This change doesn't impact those who have an outright licence for QuickBooks 2015 or earlier versions. We're advising customers to migrate in advance of this, and we've partnered with Movemybooks to offer two free years of data transfer (the current and previous financial year). 

 

We're sorry to hear QuickBooks Online isn't a good fit for your needs and we do appreciate that some businesses are suited to a desktop solution. If you do decide to migrate to QBO, all of your foreign currency transactions will be converted into your home currency. You can then use the multi-currency feature in QBO to record transactions in different currencies going forward. For transactions that aren't paid, you'll have to delete and create them again after moving to QuickBooks Online. There's also step by step guidance on how to move your stock from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online

 

You can continue accessing your data after the discontinuation using our Data Export Tool. This tool is a solution created to display your old accounting data for compliance purposes and can be accessed for up to seven years. It's important to note this isn't a direct replacement of QuickBooks Desktop, and it can't be used to run your business. If you have any further Q's. please get back to us below & we'll be happy to help. 

Flyingfemme
Level 2

Desktop UK discontinuation

My email address is fine - I used it to sign in here and I get messages from the forum. I do not subscribe to anything and never have. Your "offer" of 2 years data is not sufficient to meet the legal requirements of running a business in the UK and I have no intention of spending the rest of the year re-inputting currency stuff and figuring out how to manage my inventory - even if I was willing to use a cloud to store sensitive data. Which I'm not.
You should be aware that there are legal ramifications of storing financial data in another country - especially cross-atlantic. As an Isle of Man business we are very aware of this.

A "cloud" is simply somebody else's computer. As an old mainframe programmer I do not allow such lax control of my data.

Zephyr Serranogarcia
Level 2

Desktop UK discontinuation

You can still use Quickbooks Desktop after 30 June - here's how.

 

1. Disable Quickbooks Automatic Updates. Go to Task Manager and disable everything to do with Quickbooks - you don't need them if they are not supporting!

 

2. Restart your computer but do not open Quickbooks Desktop ... yet or any other applications.

 

3. Change the date on your system.. Click on the clock / date at the bottom right of your screen and go to Date and time settings. Untick "Set the time automatically" and change the date and time to 30 June 2023.

 

4. Open Quickbooks desktop and open a company file. It should open no problem.

 

5. Change the date on your system back.. Click on the clock / date at the bottom right of your screen and go to Date and time settings. Untick "Set the time automatically" so the time reverts to the actual time so you can use other applications.

 

You should be able to use Quickbooks desktop as normal. Bear in mind that Quickbooks will still think the date and time is how you set them earlier - but you can still enter transactions for any date - even into July and forwards.

 

Let me know how you get on!

 

Zephyr

Flyingfemme
Level 2

Desktop UK discontinuation

Thanks for taking the trouble, Z (cool name, by the way). My install predates the subscription model for QB Desktop and seems to still be working just fine. I haven't updated in living memory because I didn't need to...........Moving to a new machine will be a challenge, when that happens. I am still using Quicken 2004 for personal stuff, and referring to pre-2012 data for the business, and that works fine as well.
Some of us use our data constantly, for many, many years and need to always have it accessible. I sometimes go back to the 90s to check things..................and I frequently do accounting "stuff" when not connected to the internet.

Zephyr Serranogarcia
Level 2

Desktop UK discontinuation

No problem @Flyingfemme !

 

If your install predates the hacking that Intuit did (by which I mean an "update" which planted in the programme code a kill date of 30 June) then it will also work.

 

I have a pre-hacked version of Quickbooks on another computer which works just fine. Need to disable updates of course.

 

Z

JD1724
Level 1

Desktop UK discontinuation

I agree the whole thing is a farce. Spent 3 hrs on the phone yesterday and 3 today trying to move file from desktop to online, which I do not want, it did say they were discontinuing the desk top they did not say they would shut it down, surely this cannot be legal I paid for mine so is my property?  When I tried to get on desktop it was shut down, I am in the middle of doing end of year accounts. Which I cannot do until I go to online. Surely desktop is more secure than online that is where a huge amount of fraud takes place. Then they are encouraging us to put our banks details in as well. So not only could a hacker could get in to your qbs but can also see all your bank details. I think it is blackmail and coercion on loyal customers that would prefer to carry on with their desktop version, however they have taken that choice away. Shame on them!

Fiat Lux - ASIA
Level 15

Desktop UK discontinuation

@JD1724 

Is your company located in UK or another country?

paul72
Level 8

Desktop UK discontinuation

@JD1724 

Have you tried the workaround posted by @Zephyr Serranogarcia ?

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-uk/other-questions/re-quickbooks-desktop-pro-read-onl...

 

It might not be a permanent 'fix' but it could give you a bit of extra time to get your year end done.

tomhughes45-gmai
Level 1

Desktop UK discontinuation

Great to see that I'm not the only user unable to get informed information in relation to Desktop version.

As a PAP for past 20 years with my business records goin back to 1998 I tried in April to get an answer as to confirm that my perpetural QB2016 would continue to work on my PC and was advised needed to go online.

I did and set uip simple start at discounted rate but unfortunately during the move my books had to upgrade to essential due to my file size and setup and was charged for upgrade no discount.. I have sin downgraded to simple.

Since 1st July I have continued to post some transactions to the desktop and it works fine.

I even setup a new trail company which seems ok.

So effectively my intension is to cancel the QBO version which lacks amany of the graet decktop features and  will checkout Zephers suggestions on disabling QB functions.

 

Flyingfemme
Level 2

Desktop UK discontinuation

Mine is still working. It hadn't been updated for a few years, so there is no subscription stuff in my copy. I know somebody else still using an old copy as well.

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