Hello JennG1,
I appreciate the detail you've gone into about what's happened in the process of you helping your client with their company file. I want to make sure you're good to go with the options regarding this company file now that it's been upgraded to a new and different version. I'll explain the options.
One of the important things to keep in mind when it comes to company files is that once they've been upgraded to a newer version, they can't go backwards. While files called Accountant's Copies have a little bit of wiggle room with this, regular company files or backup files don't have any wiggle room and all people using that file must use the same version of the software in order to be able to continue to work. Here's more information about the Accountant's Copy if you're interested: Use the Accountant's Copy
It sounds from what you're saying that you worked directly in your client's backup file rather than an Accountant's Copy. Even if you did use the Accountant's Copy, since you mention having the newest version, the difference between the 2017 and 2020 will be too great for you to be able to send the file back to your client for them to use. In this situation, the client would either need to upgrade their version of the software or continue without your edits in another version of their own company file.
I encourage you to discuss this with them so you can find the best option for both of you. If your client would like to learn more about upgrading, they can chat with our support team. Here's more information about support: Intuit QuickBooks Desktop software support policies. Please note that support hours are currently reduced to Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET for all versions of QuickBooks Desktop due to staffing reductions in the wake of the global pandemic.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
