Migration from QBD to QBO questions - need to rebuild with clean set up

Let's review some information to ensure a smooth migration of your files to QuickBooks Online (QBO), DS127.

To move your files from QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) without including the inactive items, you will need to make some modifications by manually removing them from your Excel by exporting your Customers, vendors, and products list. This will ensure that only the active items are included in the file that you transfer. Once you have made the necessary modifications to your Excel file, you can now import them to QBO. 

In addition, ensure that the file format you use to import is the correct file, or else an error will occur. 

You can also check out these resources since these include some steps and information that will help you with migrating, and knowing what files will be transferred: 

• Move your QuickBooks Desktop file to QuickBooks Online
• Learn how features and data move from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online

After migrating, you can utilize these articles to get to learn your way around QuickBooks: 

• Step-by-step videos
• Getting Started in QuickBooks Online 

I'll be around to help so please leave a comment if you need further assistance. 

I thought more about this and decided that the above approach - clean up in QBD then export to QBO - is WRONG. I called Intuit (QBOA here) and verified.

The issue with what I said in the previous post is, getting all the data into QBO once you do the set up. When you'd go to export the data from QBD into QBO what you set up in QBO will be overwritten - the cleaned customer list, vendors, and products/services.

I need to 1)compress the file on QBD first (I only do from 1/1/2023 forward) and export THAT file. Because of the compression, a lot of old unused customers and vendors won't make it in (I'm hoping). We'll see if the inactive COA accounts come in. In any case, my client will need to clean out customers, vendors and products so I will just have her wait until the data are in QBO. I just wish the Help would somewhere say it. 

I hope this helps someone else!

@DS127 

You are on the right track. Run the Condense Data utility to remove data prior to 1/1/2023. If you still find unused item list (i.e Accounts, Customers & Jobs, Vendors, Items, Classes, Other Names), your client may consider purchasing a 3rd party condense service to remove it.

Hi 4Gal, Do you (or anyone else out there) have any to suggest? Thanks.

Hi there, DS127. The suggestion that 4Gal provided is correct. 

To successfully import your files from QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) to QuickBooks Online (QBO), you can consider condensing your data first before exporting your files. This way, it'll help you remove your unused and inactive entries in your data before converting them to QBO.

I can help you on how to condense your data in QBDT.

Here's how:

1. From the QuickBooks File menu, select Utilities and then Condense Data.
2. Click Yes to the message Budget data may be moved during cleanup. Do you want to continue anyway?
3. In the Condense Data window, select Transactions before a specific date.
4. Use the Date field to select a date. QuickBooks will remove closed transactions on or before the date you choose.
5. Tick Next.
6. Select a method to summarize the transactions you're removing then Next.
7. Click Begin Condense.

You can also check these articles for you for your guidance:

• Use the Condense Data utility
• Condense your QuickBooks Desktop file for import to QuickBooks Online
• Move your lists to QuickBooks Online
   

Furthermore, you can visit this article to get ready for us QBO: Getting Started With QuickBooks Online

If you still have concerns about migrating your data to QBO, feel free to leave a comment. I'm always here to help.

@DS127 

I don't understand your last question. What kind of suggestion do you need?

I know how to condense...have done that many times (I included that in my process i outlined on 4/30).

Using a 3rd party app/service was mentioned to do the cleanup and I was just wondering if someone has something to suggest.  But on the other hand, I don't think it would save time bc we  would still have to go into the file and show which customers, vendors, products need to be deactivated.  So Im just going to do the process I outlined.

Thanks for the help, though.

I don't think it would save time bc we would still have to go into the file and show which customers, vendors, products need to be deactivated.

You can contact @Fiat Lux - ASIA for assistance. You don't need to show them anything except share your portable file and ask them to remove unused List data.