I've just switched from Desktop to Online; I'm so use to backing up the file at the end of each day, do I need to save my work each day with QB online?

Hey there, @skatie474. Thanks for checking out the Community.

I'm here to provide some insight on how QuickBooks Online works in terms of data storage. Lucky for you, QuickBooks Online doesn't require any sort of backups or requires that you save a file. Everything in QuickBooks Online is stored redundantly in the cloud on multiple servers, so you have no worries when it comes to data loss.

For more information, I recommend checking out: Do I need to back up my data with QuickBooks Online?

Since you're still fairly new to QBO, I also recommend checking out our Tutorials page. It's jam-packed full of videos to help you become a pro.

Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions. I'm here to be your number one resource for QuickBooks Online.

@skatie474 

QBO does not have a back up at all from the user perspective. And when you close your account Intuit will only save the company data as a read only file for one year, then it is deleted - which does not help if an audit occurs in year 2 or 3.

Intuit backs the servers up, but can not restore your specific file from that back up

Note that in the app store there is now some "backup" apps you can subscribe to, one subscription per company file.  What these do is take a "snapshot" of your QBO data so you can restore it if needed.  But in terms of a standalone back up file that you can access, or save against a future audit,  no there is none.

QBDT with hosting is a better deal than QBO IMO, but then only if you really need QB access from odd places.

a non partisan comparison of QBO vs QB desktop 
http://onsale-apparel.com/Rustler/qbo-or-qbdt 
(cost comparisons are at the end of the article)