Hi Ashleigh1, its no wonder people like Fiat Lux are trying to offer up support and considering alternatives given that Intuit are sending massively mixed messages on the matter. We seem in desperate need of an official email from Intuit explaining with absolute certainty what is happening from 1st February 2023. The fact that Intuit seem to think it is acceptable that they force everyone to export their data out at that date is ridiculous and shows how little they care about their customers. You have given us a pathetic 15 month window to deal with this which is not enough. I have a client who I got on to Desktop 18 months ago and they love it. They have a June year end so will want to migrate to a new product for 1st July 2022 as it is never sensible to migrate mid-year. After getting over the stress of January tax returns that gives us just 4 months to research suitable alternative products, demo them, plan and manage a migration and allow time to shadow data entry in the new product. This is the sort of sensible process that businesses should follow; Intuit seem to have no clue what is involved here.

To Ashleigh & Alex – both Intuit Employees

Will you PLEASE be clear about what is going to happen with my 2016 Quickbooks Desktop.

Alex says I can carrying on using it, Ashleigh says I cannot. Which one is right?

Will you PLEASE sort out the correct answer – I am not the only QB user who needs information, and so far what has been published by Intuit on this forum has been conflicting and unclear.

You have only given us 15 months to deal with this problem, and the only acceptable time to change accounting software is at a financial year end.  There will only be one chance to change to a new system in this 15 month period.

Dear Ashleigh1

Thank you for your reply.

Please understand my problems at this stage. I have received no response at all from QB to my questions or concerns. I have reached out directly to Intuit for some kind of explanation of the policy. I am also trying, at the same time, to find a working solution for my business and to support my clients whilst I continue to try to provide a livelihood.

I have had to turn to QB community for some support and am still totally confused. Fiat Lux tried to help but you say that he / she (sorry not sure gender - no insult intented Fiat Lux) is incorrect. Thank you for taking the time to straighten things out.

Perhaps you can help to guide me. Please note that none of my questions refer to support. I understand there will be no support going forward.

The following is my list of questions, in order.

1. Will all versions of Quickbooks desktop (QBD) (2006 - 2021) stop working at 31 January 2023?

2. If so, how will that happen? I have QBD versions from 2006 - 2021 installed on my computer. All versions work currently with no problem. I know that this is the case as I have clients who all work of their preferred version and send me the data file each year. I update the file for year end journals on the relevant version of QBD, correct any errors and return the file to them with the accounts. Does Intuit have a facility that means it can stop the software working on my computer?

3. If the answer to question 2 is "yes, we can stop the software working", would that apply to all versions of QBD from 2006 - 2021 or only some of them? If only some of them then which versions?

4. If the answer to questions 2 is "no, we cannot stop the software working" then is there anything legally stopping us from continuing to use QBD?

5. If the answer to question 4 is "yes, you cannot continue to use QBD versions legally" then does that apply to all versions, including the ones we purchased outright, or does it only apply to some versions?

6. If we can continue to use QBD legally, will we be able to file VAT returns under MTD or will we need to use bridging software?

Thank you so much in advance for taking the time to reply.

Rgds

Yosef

Thanks for joining this post. I'm here to assist you with your QuickBooks Desktop service discontinuation inquiries, Yosef Cowan. 

The QuickBooks Desktop 2006-2019 versions are one of our unsupported versions of QuickBooks Desktop. This means that you will no longer receive updates and some other services will be discontinued, too. You can still use the program after the discontinuation date. However, updates and online services such as the Bank Feeds and payroll can no longer be used. 

Then, QuickBooks will only prompt you to subscribe to the latest version to get updates online and stay compliant with the government. Since those versions will be considered discontinued ones, all online features will be disabled and will need a bridging tool for filing VAT returns. To learn more about this one, see the  QuickBooks Desktop service discontinuation policy and upgrade information. This will explain more what happens to the discontinued versions of QuickBooks Desktop.

Also, if you're planning to move to a cloud version of QuickBooks, the details are in the QuickBooks Desktop discontinuation support hub article. If you use any of the add-on services, check out the QuickBooks Desktop service discontinuation policy and upgrade information article about QuickBooks Desktop service discontinuation.

Feel free to visit our Account management page for more insights about managing your Intuit Account.

I'll address any other concerns you might have regarding the supportability for QuickBooks Desktop versions. If you'd like to take care of your transactions and lists, lay down the details below and I'll help you out. You have a good one. 

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@RCV wrote:

The QuickBooks Desktop 2006-2019 versions are one of our unsupported versions of QuickBooks Desktop. This means that you will no longer receive updates and some other services will be discontinued, too. You can still use the program after the discontinuation date. However, updates and online services such as the Bank Feeds and payroll can no longer be used. 

@RCV 

I checked the link you mentioned earlier

https:// quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-uk/upgrade-products/quickbooks-desktop-service-discontinuation-policy-and-upgrade/01/484389

You should ask your team to revise the content immediately to avoid additional confusions regarding QBD 2019.

Dear RCV

Thank you for your attempt to clarify. Unfortunately, I could not fully follow all of your answers. I spent a long time trying to word the 6 questions in a way that would require only a "yes" or "no" answer but you have not answered any of the questions. Can you, or another employee at Intuit please just answer the questions.

I hope this is clear. If not then please see your email below with my comments in bold in an attempt to explain my lack of clarity:

The QuickBooks Desktop 2006-2019 versions are one of our unsupported versions of QuickBooks Desktop. This means that you will no longer receive updates and some other services will be discontinued, too. You can still use the program after the discontinuation date. However, updates and online services such as the Bank Feeds and payroll can no longer be used. (1) Does this mean that all versions (2006 - 2021) will continue to work? If so, why did you only refer to versions 2006 - 2019? (2) What do you mean with your reference to payroll? You cancelled payroll last year.

Then, QuickBooks will only prompt you to subscribe to the latest version to get updates online and stay compliant with the government. Since those versions will be considered discontinued ones, all online features will be disabled and will need a bridging tool for filing VAT returns. To learn more about this one, see the  QuickBooks Desktop service discontinuation policy and upgrade information. This will explain more what happens to the discontinued versions of QuickBooks Desktop. (1) So QBD will continue to work fine? Is this all versions (2006 - 2021)?  (2) Do you mean MTD VAT returns will not work? (3) Can we use bridging software to submit MTD VAT returns?

Allow me to join and share some clarifications about QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) products, @Yosef Cowan.

Yes, QBDT versions 2006-2018 will continue to work if you don't use add-ons on your products. QuickBooks versions 2019, 2020, and 2021 are the fully supported product for this year, and 2019 will be discontinued by the year 2022. That's why my peer referred 2006-2019 versions. Furthermore, as long as 2019, 2020, and 2021 are the supported versions for this year, you'll have access to QuickBooks services online such as payroll, live support, online (cloud) backup, online banking, and other services.

If you use our Payroll service in 2018 and below prior versions, you can upgrade to the latest version in QBDT to keep using the feature.

And again, QBDT will continue to work fine with the 2006-2018 version if you don't use any of the add-on services indicated in this article: QuickBooks Desktop services discontinuation policy and upgrade information. Also, not all versions will end supportability, for 2019-2021 versions will continue to work since these are the latest QBDT models. Yes, MTD VAT returns won't work when you use tax services in Intuit for 2018 and prior versions. Yes, you can use alternative bridging software to submit MTD VAT returns.

In addition, I encourage you to read the frequently asked questions in the article that I suggested above for more details and include this as well: QuickBooks Desktop service discontinuation policy and upgrade information. If you receive any security updates and want to continue some of our features and services, you can decide to install them.

Remember to comment here if you have additional questions about QBDT features and more. Anytime I can provide help. Stay safe and have a blissful day.

Hi Emma, I am so confused by all these posts but having suffered the fate of the cessation of payroll and discovering that all my clients records - all 20 plus years of them - were no longer accessable, I am not surprised by this shoddy treatment of loyal customers. QBO does not do what desktop does. It does not have a sufficient stock control function, you cannot have item receipt for part of a purchase order meaning you have to re-input the PO for the remaining order. QBO is very basic and does not perform anything like as efficiently as desktop. I have at least 2 clients who have shaky internet access meaning that they cannot rely on it for running their business. Surely Intuit must have been wondering why so many customers weren't moving to Online? 

I am appalled that we will not have access to our records after Feb 2023. Having paid for the licence I think I have a right to the data that is on the programme. What happens if HMRC ask specific questions that only access to the records can answer? I know from experience that the transfer of records to Online is not 100% as the software is totally different. A client of mine went to a lot of time and expense going to QBO from Desktop and then had to re-input months of work as online wasn't working for them. I get the reasoning for the decision to no longer support desktop but I think there is a legal and moral obligation for Intuit to gives us access to our own data after the cessation and I don't mean by the same method of payroll! That extraction was called UKDump. Well named! We and our payroll records were dumped, the reports extracted are nothing like the reports we used and most came out corrupted. If Intuit thinks this is a way of forcing us to use QBO they need to think again, I'm unlikly to stay with intuit unless they reconsider their stance about allowing us to keep the software as is as at 31.01.2023 thereyby allowing access for historic data. Ellen  

There has been no followup to my post. I have had no sense from anyone I have attempted to speak with. Can someone please formally respond to the legal issue. We subscribe to Intuit for the use of QBDT software that makes Intuit the legal owners software. The subscriber uses said software and populates it with data that the subscriber owns. When the software is no longer a subscription service the data is still in the ownership of the scubscriber this means that there is surely a legal obligation to the supplier of the software to ensure that the data will remain not just in the property of the subscriber but also available to them in the format that they currently have. This means that although they should not have use to it they should be able to access it. 

In the case of the cessation of the payroll Intuit failed miserably, I want to ensure that I and my clients are able to access their many years - over 20 years in some cases - is available to them for as long as needed. 

Before the subscription became the only option the software was purchased and that data was kept on that. Surely Intuit can supply a one off licence in the old format that allows us to keep it as is. I really don't see why they can't do this. It won't allow VAT to be submitted and there is no payroll on it anyway so what is the issue? All we want is to be able to run reports as they are, print copies of existing invoices and satisfy HMRC with any questions they may ask over a 6/7 year period. We want to do this efficiently and quickly and not use extracted reports that are in a different format that no one can work with without wasting a lot of time (I refer to payroll!). I am seeking legal advice as my clients are more than concerned. Someone please contact me with a sensible solution. Thanks, Taylor Bookkeeping Services

Hello Ell281, thanks for commenting on this thread, so you will need to EXPORT ALL the data out of the account because after 31st Jan 2023 you WILL NOT be able to access any of your data. You need to move all your data out of Quickbooks desktop into something else so you can still access it because after 31st jan 2023 you cant. 

Hi Ashleigh1, could someone at Intuit please actually answer the very valid questions and points raised by Ell281?

This is just the sort of generic reply that implies how little Intuit actually care about what distress and difficulty they are causing in their short-sighted and high-handed decision to abandon the desktop product. I am no lawyer but there does indeed seem to be a legal obligation here which needs addressing properly. Aside from that, it is utterly disgusting behaviour by Intuit to tell Accountants and business owners that they will have to export THEIR data for future use and reference. This wont be sufficient to enable suitable audits to be carried out, HMRC enquiries to be dealt with and general business processing such as customer queries. Does no one at a senior level at Intuit understand UK tax and accounting law such that they appreciate the need to be able to report to authorities (HMRC etc) over an extended period. Excel exports are not sufficient at all. Users will have to take responsibility for obsolescence due to Windows updates etc; no one is asking Intuit to keep supporting the product or providing any assurances it is robust etc. Just leave it as it is or make it read only. Please take customer feedback seriously as many of us are very concerned about the massive impact this is going have on our practices and our clients. QuickBooks online is a long way off a suitable replacement too so importing data into that is also not a viable solution. Please get to grips with this problem Intuit and show you care about the professional who have propped up your company for so long and who you continue to ask to do so.

Ashleigh1– that is totally the opposite of what employee JovyChris-A said on 07 November and what employee RCV said on 05 November

For goodness sake – will someone there PLEASE tell us the correct answer.

This is a real issue.

Not being able to 'read only' look at last years transactions is an issue for HMRC who may want to audit at any point, also looking at previous sales dates for warranty returns etc.

We use bridging software to send our Tax reports in.

Can we subscribe to the USA version (or any other version) to continue using QB Desktop? If not, why not..

We only use QB to record sales, send PO.s, receive payments etc.

QB online is RUBBISH and has none of the functionality we expect, its just a dumbed down version for self employed plumbers etc.,

Spot on Yahal! QB online is nowhere near as capable as Desktop. Cant understand why Intuit are planning on shooting themselves in the foot here; if the financials of selling Desktop don't work then make them work or at least propose it to us. I would be willing to endorse a price rise in the Desktop product given its superiority over QBO and everything else I know of! If QuickBooks cant make a desktop product safe and compliant it gives me no confidence that they are adequately equiped to look after an online platform where the risks are greater!

@Yahal 

For your reference

https:// quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-uk/making-tax-digital/quickbooks-premier-edition/00/1026730

I think Intuit are missing a legal issue here. Yes, you own the software we are only renting it. No, you do not own the data. There is a legal obligation for Intuit to ensure that the data that is owned by the user is avaiLable as it is in situ not extracted reports. I and my clients are quite prepared to pay a one off nominal fee that will leave it all as read and extractible only. You caused enough grief with your extraction of payroll files. You aptly named it UKDataDump. It is absolutely no use when HMRC ask for proof of data, it is absolutely no use when clients ask for historical data on an employee, it is absolutely no use for reading reports. There is no way that you will get away with doing this with 22 plus years of my data let alone my clients. You really do need to escalate this to senior managers iin Intuit as a matter of urgency. The manner of your response suggests you do not understand the implications. You have read other posts, QBO is great for start up businesses not existing businesses that have developed over the years using your software. Please refer all of these posts to someone who can deal with the issue and stop giving uncaring answers to loyal customers, you aren't doing Intuit any favours. 

Hello,

I spent over an hour with Inuit Desktop support yesterday, they told me after much consultation we CANNOT use the US version of Quickbooks, and CANNOT import our company file, even with a 3rd party piece of software because the Tax system is different.

There is no other option but to move to Sage or some other piece of software and QB Online is seriously rubbish for a multi million pound company for the reasons already described before.

The fact that we cannot retrieve reports if we are audited by HMRC leaves us open to prosecution.

If we ARE audited I will be taking Intuit to court for not giving access to the transaction data. We are legally obliged to be able to pull data out for 5 years, if Intuit do not let us do this we are open to prosecution.

Exporting transaction lists and customer lists is not in a form acceptable by HMRC, they need a proper report.  

---

@Yahal wrote:

I spent over an hour with Inuit Desktop support yesterday, they told me after much consultation we CANNOT use the US version of Quickbooks, and CANNOT import our company file, even with a 3rd party piece of software because the Tax system is different.

 

@Yahal 

We can technically convert data files between country versions. e.g. US to UK, UK to US

This option is not suitable if you have to comply with MTD regulations. If you are not interested in migrating data to QB Online, you can explore other cloud-based accounting apps. You may need to purchase a 3rd party conversion service if you also need to migrate some data types (e.g multi currency, attachments, purchase orders, estimates). We have also helped some UK clients to condense their files and lower their Total Targets in the last 3 months to be ready to migrate to QB Online any time of this year.

Hello,

I told them specifically we do not want to comply with  MTD regulations as we use bridging software.

They told me it is still impossible to use the US version, even for basic record keeping.

Hi Yahal

The conversion will not work properly as the Desktop and Online functions are different. Online does not have a full stock function, you cannot process part/multiple deliveries on a single purchase order neither will it part/multiple bills against a single purchase order. This function has been on desktop for over 20 years online is a step back in technology it is only good for new startups not million pound turnover well established companies. 

Also as Desktop ceased payroll two years ago that data has already been made unavailable so will not transfer. 

Sage is also heading for the cloud, the stock is an add on but pointless taking that route if it will only be around for a year or two.

Surf accounting are cloud based and heading towards have QBDT functions I'm in cotact with them but this does not solve the issue of keeping current data. It will only be fully available if the sotware you are transferring to has the same functionality. Changing to another software is not the issue here it is access to existing data that is the issue.

@Yahal 

Keep in mind, our team is not part of Intuit Support. If Support tells you they can't help, you can contact us in private for assistance.

Can I just add myself to the list of QBDT users who are absolutely horrified that all the data entered for previous tax years will no longer be accessible after 31/01/23.  Surely Intuit will have to look at this problem again?  All they need do for us is to make the data READ ONLY.  Is this not too difficult to ask?  I have a couple of clients who have ceased trading but who may need knowledge of some prior transactions.  There is no way they would want their accounts transferred to the cloud with a monthly subscription just in case....  Where does this legally  leave people like me who run a bookkeeping service?  Personally I do not wish to be taken to court by a disgruntled client, or ex-client, just because of Intuit's policy.

I agree Sheila, I have been a QuickBooks Advisor since 2005, since Online was launched this has meant nothing. I trained many clients as well as having long term bookkeeping clients. The ones remaining are disgusted with the tactic being used to "pursuade" them to move to online when the software simply does not function for them. It is designed for new startups and individuals, it is totally useless for established and medium sized companies who have grown with Desktop. 

• Hi All, In case Intuit don't change their stance and for those of you who are preparing for this disaster and are attempting to print 6 years of sales invoices in case HMRC come calling I have a quick tip. Go to preferences and take out the period end, spelling checks and notification of changes made before your start. This will enable you to put the tick in the print later box without having to confirm several times I learnt by trial! You can then go to say invoices from your chosen year 01.04.2016 in my case and start ticking. I did the entire year but for a client who has 25 or so invoices daily it will have to be by month. I then went to print the invoices and put them all to pdf. into a designate folder. Don't forget to change the preferences back for the remainder of your Desktop usage! I think everything else will be safe as reports in whatever format you are used to seeing. it's how you would be looking for it. You can pay an annual subscrition - cheap enough - to Adobe that allows you to convert pdf reports to Excel and Word in case you need to do any analysing.  Hope this helps!