Hi Jasl,
Thanks for those additional details about the Surface Pro 7. I know how there not being a disc slot can complicate the situation, and I can answer your questions about the installation options and share ideas with you about how you can get to work with QuickBooks Desktop on that device.
The first thing I recommend, if you haven't done so already, is reviewing the system requirements article that my colleague shared to ensure that your Surface Pro 7 has the space on the drive to handle the program. If it does, that's great!
There are a few ways to install QuickBooks Desktop, and using the CD or the download link achieve the same thing. This means you'll be able to use the download link with the license information for your disc version to get going with QuickBooks Desktop. Here are some articles that can help.
You don't need to start with the QuickBooks Desktop trial if you don't want to, but that is also an option as Fiat Lux mentions. What the trial option offers is 30-day access to try the program without making any purchases or using any license information. I see Fiat Lux shared this link, but to make sure you have it, you can learn more about it here: Download a trial of QuickBooks Desktop
As for why there are both disc and downloadable versions of the software, that's because there are different ways to purchase the software and the downloadable versions can help in situations like yours where there isn't a disc drive or the disc was lost. The version of the software with the disc is typically purchased through third-party retailers, whereas Intuit provides a download of the software when someone purchases it. One isn't different than the other; it's just different ways of accessing the program.
I hope that helps shed light on this. If you have more questions, feel free to ask them. :)
