Pro Advisor -- Do I need to be one for both QBO and QBD?

I can help you manage the accountant's copy, SusanRVAFA.

Let's make sure that the Accountant's Copy and QuickBooks Desktop versions are compatible. Your client and you as an accountant using the Accountant's Copy should use the same version or year of QuickBooks Desktop. Let's say your client has the QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2020, on your end you should have QuickBooks Desktop Premier Accountant Edition 2019 or 2020. 

You don't need to be a ProAdvisor to access you client's Accountant's Copy for you to work on. Your client can exchange the Accountant's Copy file on a USB, attach it on email, or share it through cloud service like Box. You can send back the updated version in the same way. Check out how to create an Accountant's Copy for specific details. 

An active ProAdvisor, on the other hand, can do the Accountant's Copy file Transfer. Look into this reference on how the accountant's file transfer works to learn more.

These articles will help you manage and use the Accountant's copy and other important guides: Use the Accountant's Copy.

You can also leave a reply on what version of QuickBooks Desktop you're currently using so I can help you through it. Keep me posted on how this works. You take care and have a great day!

Thank you for your reply -- that information I have seen in the Help already -- We are both on QBD 2020, mine being Accountant versrion.  The problem is that I am a QBO pro advisor and I thought that would let me use the "send copy" feature to retrieve client information, but it is not recognizing me.  Do I have to be a QBD pro advisor?  That is the question for which I'm trying to find an answer.

Thanks!

@SusanRVAFA 

You may have a one time license of QBD Accountant version and don't need to become a QBD ProAdvisor to use it. Ask your client to send the QBA file manually. Go to menu File > Send Company File > Accountant's Copy > Save File. Pick one the available options for your needs.