Backing up the company data

Your best option is converting your data to QB Desktop file before cancelling your QBO account and use the trial version to access your historical data for good.

Intuit doesn't offer a 30-day trial of Desktop (or so I was just told by a sales rep in chat) only Online. I have exported to an Excel file the company data in a zip file. Hopefully, I will never have to open the file (or deal with QuickBooks) again. What was once an easy-to-use software in desktop versions since 1996 was transformed into a confusing, non-intuitive Online mess.

Thanks for following up on this thread, Jim Wisuri.

I want to make sure you're able to save a backup copy of your QuickBooks Online data.

If you're still interested in the Desktop trial mentioned above by 4Gal, there are 30-day trial options available and you can access them by visiting this link: Download a trial of QuickBooks Desktop.

It sounds like you've already exported QBO data to Excel, which would be my next suggestion. If you'd like to explore any other alternatives for creating a backup of your data, you may consider checking out available third party apps that integrate directly with your QuickBooks Online account. You can check them out here: QuickBooks Online Apps

Please don't hesitate to reach back out if you have any other questions. I'll be here to help in any way that I can.

@Jim Wisuri 

Once again. You can use the trial version of QB Desktop to access your historical data for good.

The sales guy on the QuickBooks chat today said there is no free trial of Desktop. There's a free 30-day trial of Online, he said. Perhaps he was BSing me. At this point, I really am glad to not have to deal with QuickBooks ever again. It was a really good desktop product, which we were glad to use for almost two decades. But the Online version, to me, has been a complete nightmare.

Thanks for the link. I will check it out, though I'm hesitant given the guidance of the sales rep on QuickBooks chat earlier today. If the link works, I will follow up within this thread.

Hey Jim Wisuri!

We look forward to hearing from you! Wishing you success.  See you later! 

I just spent more than 45 minutes on calls this afternoon shuttling between QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop representatives. The takeaways:

The link provided yesterday via the Community worked for the QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions trial. But in the "3 ways to get started screen" none of the options were compatible with importing the Excel files created through QuickBooks Online.

Turns out that QuickBooks Online Advanced would have permitted me for $200 per month to make a backup of the data files. Unfortunately, my company has been on the $27.50 per month Online plan, which only enables creation of the Excel files. 

Bottom line: I simply will hope that the IRS doesn't come calling and start asking us to produce files. The small size of our corporate bottom line -- and our years of faithful tax compliance -- makes it highly unlikely that the revenuers will be knocking on our door. It would've been nice to create a final, historical document, but c'est la vie.

The older desktop versions (QuickBooks Pro, etc.) were great for small consulting firms such as the one we operated for almost 30 years. The newer versions, meh.

I appreciate the offers of help through the Community, but I am making no further efforts to work on this. Retirement is not supposed to be stressful.

Cheers!

@Jim Wisuri 

You need to convert data from QB Online to QB Desktop

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/import-export-data-files/export-conve...

If you need assistance, you can contact @Fiat Lux - ASIA.