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Move your QuickBooks Desktop file to QuickBooks Online

by Intuit•468• Updated 1 month ago

Learn how to import your QuickBooks Desktop company file into QuickBooks Online.

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Move your data

These steps are for QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Premier, and Enterprise. If you use QuickBooks Desktop for Mac, check out Move from QuickBooks Desktop for Mac to QuickBooks Online. For Accountants, we have an exclusive Batch Migration tool for you to use.


Step 1: Subscribe to QuickBooks Online

Note: You have 90 days from the time you create your QuickBooks Online account to move your data. If you’re not sure how old your company is, sign in to QuickBooks Online. Then, refresh this page for personalized info.

Check out the pre-move checklist for more info.

Explore the benefits of moving to QuickBooks Online including automatic updates for the latest version of QuickBooks, tracking and sending invoices on the go and mobile alerts. Learn more about QuickBooks Online.

To watch more how-to videos, visit our video section.

Step 2: Get your desktop file ready

  1. Make sure QuickBooks is up-to-date.
  2. Mark any customers, vendors or accounts you don't use as inactive. This'll clean up the data you moved to QuickBooks Online.
  3. Delete or void, unbilled charges and unbilled time associated with inactive accounts, customers, vendors or employees. To delete unbilled charges, Go to Vendors then select Bills.
  4. Make sure your company file isn’t too big to export.
    1. Each transaction in your file has links or targets to every other entry related to it. For example, an invoice has a target for the customer and each item, account, estimate, sales tax, and payment it touches.
    2. Total targets need to be less than 1,500,000 for data to move to QuickBooks Online. Press Ctrl+1 or F2 on your keyboard to check. If you’re over 1,500,000 targets, you can try to condense your data. You can also enter your customer opening balances in a new QuickBooks Online file.
    3. Learn what does and doesn’t move to QuickBooks Online.
  5. Print a copy of your sales tax liability report. You'll need it to enter adjustments after your move.
    1. Go to Reports, then select Vendors & Payables. 
    2. Select Sales Tax Liability.
    3. From the Dates ▼ dropdown, select All.
    4. From the Print ▼ dropdown, select Save as PDF.
    5. Choose the folder you want to save it in, name the file, and then select Save.
  6. If you use online banking or import bank transactions;
    1. Make sure to categorize and reconcile bank and credit card statements/transaction. Go to Banking select Bank Feeds then Bank Feeds Center.
  7. If you use QuickBooks Desktop Payroll:
    1.  Terminate or deactivate any employees you haven't paid in the current year.
    2. Make sure Employee profile info (first, last name, SSN, date of birth, hire date and address) are available and updated for all employees.
    3. Wait 2–3 days after you've run payroll to move your data. This helps make all your paycheck info transfer over to QuickBooks Online. Then, move your data before your next payroll.
      NOTE: Make sure to move your data at least a few days before your next payroll run. This'll give you time to finish the setup for Online Payroll.
  8. If you use QuickBooks Desktop Payments:
    1. To move your QuickBooks Payments subscription to Online, your QuickBooks Online account admin email needs admin-level permissions on your QuickBooks Desktop Intuit account
  9. If you use QuickBooks Time, contact us for help setting up your account in QuickBooks Online.

You have two options to move your data.

Important! If your QuickBooks Desktop version is 2021 or older or you don’t have access to QuickBooks Desktop, you'll have to use the web-based migration tool.
  1. Sign in as an admin in QuickBooks Desktop.
  2. Export your QuickBooks Desktop company
    1. In QuickBooks Desktop Pro and Premier, go to Company, then select Export Your Company File to QuickBooks Online.
    2. In QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, press CTR + 1 to open the Product information window. Then press CTRL + B + Q then select OK.
  3. Select Get started.
  4. You’lll see the “Let’s bring your data to QuickBooks Online” screen. Select how you want to move your data:
    1. Bring all of your company data.
    2. Bring only lists and balances. (This is helpful if you have a large file and don’t want to bring over every individual transaction.)
  5. If you have inventory, you can:
    1. Select Yes, track inventory using FIFO then select a starting date.
    2. Select No, don’t move inventory. You can move your inventory manually later.
  6. If you use multi-currency in QuickBooks Desktop, you’ll have to select a home currency.
  7. You will be asked if you have a QuickBooks Online account.
    1. If you do, select Yes, sign me in then select Continue.
      Note: This is the account you created when you purchased QuickBooks Online in Step 1.
    2. If you haven't signed up for QuickBooks Online, you can select No, I need to create one. This'll create a QuickBooks Online Advanced trial company. We recommend you go to QuickBooks.Intuit.com/accounting to buy the right QuickBooks Online offering for your company before you move your data.
  8. Sign in with your user ID and password you set up for your QuickBooks Online subscription.  
  9. You’ll see your QuickBooks Online company names and subscriptions listed. Select the company you want to move your data to.
  10. Select Continue, then select Export. You'll see a progression bar as your data is moved over to QuickBooks Online.
    Note: If you already have data in a QuickBooks Online account, QuickBooks will ask if you want to replace the existing data.
    • Select Agree, then Replace.
    • Select Yes, go ahead and replace the data, then select Replace.

Use this option if:

  • You have QuickBooks Desktop 2021 or older
  • You don’t have access to QuickBooks Desktop

Step 1: Open the online tool

  1. Select the link for your QuickBooks version:
    1. QuickBooks Pro/Premier
    2. QuickBooks Enterprise
    3. QuickBooks for Mac
      1. Convert your QuickBooks for Mac file to QuickBooks for Windows before you use the tool.
  2. Select Get Started, then sign in with your Intuit Account.
  3. Upload your company file.
    1. Select File then browse to the QuickBooks Desktop file you want to move.
      Note: You can only upload one file at a time.
      A picture of a company logo on a computer screen.
    2. Select Open to upload the file.
      • You can drag and drop your QuickBooks Desktop file to upload it.
        A desktop computer with a missing link.
    3. Once your file is uploaded, we’ll auto-update it to the latest version of QuickBooks Desktop.
      A computer keyboard with a picture of a person on it.
    4. Next, you'll see an option to move to QuickBooks Online.
    5. Follow the on-screen instructions to guide you through the move to QuickBooks Online.
      A book with a picture of a computer screen.

Schedule a 1 hour call with one of our experts. We'll answer questions about your data move, show you around QuickBooks Online, and help you tackle everyday tasks.*

Check out the Move from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online Resource Center where you can schedule your call. We'll answer questions about your data move, show you around QuickBooks Online, and help you tackle everyday tasks.*

Next you can follow this list of what to setup in you new QuickBooks Online company.

  1. Connect your bank or credit card account.
  2. Create and send invoices to your customer.
    Note: If you track sales tax, set up location-based sales tax in QuickBooks first.
  3. Track your bills and learn how to pay them in QuickBooks.
  4. If you use payroll, follow this guide to set up and run your payroll in QuickBooks Online.
    Note: To view this, you'll need to sign in to QuickBooks Online.
  5. Get started with QuickBooks Online.

Let Us Teach You QuickBooks Online

Free Personalized Setup from QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Premier, Mac, or Plus (“Desktop”) to QuickBooks Online Simple Start, Essentials, Plus or Advanced (“QuickBooks Online”), or QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, Payments, or Time to QuickBooks Online Payroll, Payments, or Time is available to small business users and is subject to capacity. The Personalized Setup offer is eligible to Desktop customers that are migrating their data, as well as those customers who elect not to migrate their data, who are starting new QuickBooks Online accounts, and setting up QuickBooks Online. Personalized Setup is limited to a 1-hour session with a customer success product expert. Intuit reserves the right to limit the number of sessions and the length and scope of each session. Offers available for a limited time. Terms and conditions, features, support, pricing, and service options subject to change without notice.

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