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Jaynee
Level 2

migration

Three months ago, we migrated from desktop to online, we did not know very much about the product and when I asked was assured there should be no issues.  Unfortunately, I have learned many things in the last 3 months that we should have been made aware of before ever considering migrating to the product.

Not all of the data migrated, and we have not been given a viable solution to retrieve the missing data.  Having said that and spending many hours on support with many different people gathering bits of information each time with no clear answers it has become very frustrating.  Now today someone has suggested an app and I am seeing that on the online home page quickbooks advertises apps that seem to correct and do the import and export functions we need to correct my issues, so this brings me to the question as to if they are advertising the app what I am missing that they cannot offer the support to correct the issues we are having?  I would like to know if anyone else has had similar issues and used any of the apps to migrate invoices from desktop to online successfully.

17 Comments 17
Rea_M
Moderator

migration

I see where you're coming from, @Jaynee. As a customer, I would also like to keep my company files updated in QuickBooks Online (QBO).

 

Let me share some insights about third-party applications and limitations when moving your QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) company file to QuickBooks Online (QBO) so you can manage your financial data accordingly.

 

When you switch from QBDT to QBO, there'll be differences in how your books appear. Transactions like invoices move to QBO. However, some of its data like subtotals and progress invoices don't move. With this, you may opt to manually import them or utilize a third-party application to do it for you.

 

If you wish to know more about how your books move from QBDT to QBO, please see this article: Learn how features and data move from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online.

 

On the other hand, QuickBooks advertises apps to guide our users on how to optimize their experience with the system. While I can't recommend which app you should use, I know the resources to help you look for one. Explore the Apps menu within QBO or the QuickBooks App Center to do that. From there, you can read some user feedback about the app and other information like its functions, etc.

 

Also, you may want to check out this article with short step-by-step videos as your reference to guide you in getting started and using QBO to run your business: Learn about QuickBooks Online with how-to videos.

 

Please don't hesitate to keep me posted in the comments if you have other concerns about migration and data management in QBO. I'm always ready to help. Take care, and I wish you continued success, @Jaynee.

Jaynee
Level 2

migration

Rea,

Thank you for your response. I wish it was just an appearance of how the data transferred but I do not believe this to be the case, more so I have payments recorded without sales as the payments transferred but the sales did not, and I can't run any accurate reports until I reconcile all of my accounts one at a time.  It has taken days just to create the csv file of missing invoices.  If I have to enter them all manually it will be months.  it effects every area of our business, receivables and our inventory.  Again, my question remains if quickbooks can advertise the apps that can help fix this issue why isn't quickbooks support offering a solution themselves rather than the alternative which has been many hang up calls and hours of promised call backs that do not get called and the continued run around of no service.

JessT
Moderator

migration

Hi Jaynee,

 

Your question about offering an app instead of a solution makes sense. However, this remains a limitation, and there is currently no solution in place. Therefore, we recommend looking for third-party apps.

 

On the other hand, I suggest submitting feedback about solving the limitations instead of offering workarounds. That way, our product development team can consider making improvements in future updates.

 

I wish I could do more to help you from here, but please don't hesitate to reach out if you have other concerns.

Fiat Lux - ASIA
Level 15

migration

@Jaynee 

Which 3rd party apps do you mean?

Jaynee
Level 2

migration

When you are in your online account, at the left of the screen there is a menu to choose where you would like to go to, customers, payroll, chart of accounts etc, towards the bottom there is one called apps, this is where I am finding the apps, I have not found a specific one yet as I am not very tech saavy but the description and reviews of several of them listed seem to be applicable to my needs,  That is why I reached out to the community hoping someone had used one and knows more specifics.  Ideally, I would like to find someone with knowledge to assist me in the task.

Jaynee
Level 2

migration

In my opinion the consumer should not be searching for workarounds the developer should be offering solutions.  If I had any access to this development team you speak of that would perhaps be something I might consider, it has been my experience that getting past general customer service inquiries is as far as you go in the system.  

Fiat Lux - ASIA
Level 15

migration

@Jaynee 

The built-in conversion tool in QB Desktop has limitations. If you need to convert data with non-posting transactions (e.g. estimates, purchase orders), jobs, classes, multicurrency or attachments; You should consider purchasing a 3rd party service to do so.

expects better
Level 3

migration

Unfortunately, their poor sales team convinced me this was the way to go too.

We tried it for I believe 5 weeks and it was the worse experience that we could have ever ask for. 

The migration was an absolute hack job before and after. Their support was an absolute joke and we ended up having to re- enter into a saved copy about 1.5 million in transactions in a 5-week period They literally didn't care. So, Sad!!!!!!!! I estimate this cost our company about 6k in un-necessary labor cost associated with the bad advice. This need   status!  

I pity anyone who is misled down this dark nasty road. 

 

4Gal
Level 11

migration

@expects better 

Do you have any outstanding issue?

I only recommend converting the current fiscal year or starting from scratch in QB Online. You should keep to access your historical data in QB Desktop and you can use the trial version for good if needed.

expects better
Level 3

migration

The payroll dept did not pay a tax payment that was due. I was unable to make the form like I was able to on desktop and had to do a work around as soon as I switched back to desktop. I put in a request which was all you could do and they called me back about 6-8 months later. What outstanding service. You would think a business tax issue would speed up the process. They simply could care less. 

bobrrc
Level 2

migration

I am going through a similar problem with migration from desktop to online. I am in construction and I keep track of all my jobs with items and progressive invoicing. The migration has literally put my business at a halt. Non of the previous invoices are linked to my estimates or jobs. This goes for every job I have aver done. You do a report on the jobs and they are all zeroed out as if they never happened. I have been on the phone with Tech help for 4 days and about 16 hours with 8 different people. No one can seem to fix it or know why it is the case. Some have said that progressive invoicing doesn't link to estimates when migrating up to online. I have several open jobs that have been billed out and paid different amounts with progressive invoicing. I'm being told that I need to go in an manually change the invoice to reflect what has been paid so far. Even if I did that it would take me several days to that. It still would not change the fact that all my jobs are zeroed out and I have no record and job costs for each job now. QBO advertises seamless upgrade, It has been nothing but seamless. I haven't been able to use my Quickbooks for over a week now and I can not invoice customers to get paid. Now they are not returning my phone calls. They are ruining my business with this very flawed migration.

4Gal
Level 11

migration

@bobrrc 

Which QB Desktop year version do you have? You should keep your QB Desktop to open your historical data for good.

Jaynee
Level 2

migration

I am very sorry for anyone experiencing this situation and the losses it is causing business.  My only advice would be to look outside of QB for solutions, I was able to find apps that made it easier to manually migrate the missing information faster, having said that online still has limited capabilities so it may not work for what you are trying to use it for and may need to return to desktop instead.  It is unfortunate the limited capabilities are not discussed up front however.  There are some very knowledgeable QB people who are familiar with both versions and by searching and asking questions in groups like this and by asking multiple questions of other users I was able to figure out important details. You are correct in the lack of support, occasionally after calling for months I would land on a person who would spend the time to answer the questions and give the details needed to unravel the messes. Best of luck to you, my best advice is to find out if its going to work before you get any deeper into it.

bobrrc
Level 2

migration

I didn't want to upgrade to online. I had issues with transferring my QB from old computer to new one. They said they no longer support desktop and I had to upgrade to online. QB need to get there act together before they force people to upgrade. This is an ongoing issue as I have been ready forums where people have same issues. Paying $90 month for a product that doesn't work as advertised. I have to then go to 3rd party people to get it to work. QB desktop does not migrate properly to online. I have lost a week of work dealing with QBO help. no one can fix it or know why it is not linking invoice to jobs or estimates. I have spoken to other contractors who upgraded to online and they said it was a nightmare for them also. They had to have people go in and do each job by hand to get them back to working order. QB should be paying us to use it like this as I have lost business and not to mention the hours and hours I spent on the phone with these people. No excuses for this to happen to business owners. Unacceptable!

4Gal
Level 11

migration

@bobrrc 

I didn't want to upgrade to online. I had issues with transferring my QB from old computer to new one. They said they no longer support desktop and I had to upgrade to online

 

Which QB Desktop year version do you have? Can you access your CAMPS and find your license code there?

bobrrc
Level 2

migration

I have QB Pro Plus. I had transferred over to a new computer. When I did there was an issue with creating PDF files for invoices. I couldn't print, save or email them. When I called QB Tech support they said they no longer supported the desktop version and I had to upgrade to QBO. So I did. This all started on Nov. 29 and I have not been able to use my Quickbooks Online at all until Dec. 7 when I fixed the desktop vesion myself. They had to delete and create 3 COID and remigrated everything over. I still can't use progressive invoicing and all my job I ever did from last 12 years are all zeroed out. None of the invoice or bill payments are linked to them. Current jobs are not linked to any progressive payments. Basically I have no business anymore with QB Online. Lucky I decided to search forums and found a link to a QB page that led to a toll box to download that fixed the issue that QB Tech support said they can't do. Now my desktop works again. I spent 16-18 hours or more on the phone over 4 days and no one could help or understand why non of the info migrated over correctly. From what I am reading in forums is that QBO is not set up for progressive payments or is having issues with it and there are a lot of people who are having issues with it. QBO should make it clear to people before they upgrade because I could not do business for a week because I could not create invoices from current jobs and I missed payroll for the first time ever. I was in office dealing with this instead of being out int the field working. I canceled the Online version and back on my desktop now. It has been the worst experience. If a 3rd party app can supposedly fix the issue then why can't QB fix it themselves. I should not have to work so hard to fix their problem especially at $90 a month.

4Gal
Level 11

migration

I have QB Pro Plus. I had transferred over to a new computer. When I did there was an issue with creating PDF files for invoices. I couldn't print, save or email them. When I called QB Tech support they said they no longer supported the desktop version and I had to upgrade to QBO

 

Your new machine is running on Win 11, correct? Tech Support was disingenuous when they said Pro Plus was outdated. I am not surprised by this practice.

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