
Move your QuickBooks Desktop file to QuickBooks Online
by Intuit•523• Updated about 19 hours ago
Follow these step-by-step instructions to move from QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Premier, and Enterprise to QuickBooks Online.
Prerequisites
Note: You have 90 days from the time you create your QuickBooks Online account to move your data. If you’re not sure how old your company is, sign in to QuickBooks Online. Then, refresh this page for personalized info.
Check out the pre-move checklist for more info.
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Explore the benefits of moving to QuickBooks Online including automatic updates for the latest version of QuickBooks, tracking and sending invoices on the go, and mobile alerts. Learn more about QuickBooks Online.
Step 1: Get your desktop file ready
- Make sure QuickBooks is up-to-date.
- Mark any customers, vendors, or accounts you don't use as inactive. This will clean up the data you moved to QuickBooks Online.
- Delete or void unbilled charges and unbilled time associated with inactive accounts, customers, vendors, or employees. To delete unbilled charges, go to Vendors, then select Bills.
- Make sure your company file isn’t too big to export.
- Each transaction in your file has links or targets to every other entry related to it. For example, an invoice has a target for the customer and each item, account, estimate, sales tax, and payment it touches.
- Total targets need to be less than 2,000,000 for data to move to QuickBooks Online. Press Ctrl+1 or F2 on your keyboard to check. If you’re over 2,000,000 targets, you can try to condense your data. You can also enter your customer opening balances in a new QuickBooks Online file.
- Learn what does and doesn’t move to QuickBooks Online.
- Print a copy of your sales tax liability report. You'll need it to enter adjustments after your move.
- Go to Reports, then select Vendors & Payables.
- Select Sales Tax Liability.
- From the Dates ▼ dropdown, select All.
- From the Print ▼ dropdown, select Save as PDF.
- Choose the folder you want to save it in, name the file, and then select Save.
- If you use online banking or import bank transactions;
- Make sure to categorize and reconcile bank and credit card statements/transaction. Go to Banking, select Bank Feeds then Bank Feeds Center.
- If you use QuickBooks Desktop Payroll:
- Terminate or deactivate any employees you haven't paid in the current year.
- Make sure employee profile info (first, last name, Social Security number, date of birth, hire date, and address) are available and updated for all employees.
- Wait 2–3 days after you've run payroll to move your data. This helps make all your paycheck info transfer over to QuickBooks Online. Then, move your data before your next payroll.
Note: Make sure to move your data at least a few days before your next payroll run. This will give you time to finish the setup for Online Payroll.
- If you use QuickBooks Desktop Payments:
- To move your QuickBooks Payments subscription to Online, your QuickBooks Online account admin email needs admin-level permissions on your QuickBooks Desktop Intuit Account.
- If you use QuickBooks Time, contact us for help setting up your account in QuickBooks Online.
Step 2: Move your QuickBooks Desktop file to QuickBooks Online
You have two options to move your data.
Important! If your QuickBooks Desktop version is 2021 or older or you don’t have access to QuickBooks Desktop, you'll have to use the web-based migration tool. |
Step 3: Get ready to use QuickBooks Online
Schedule a 1 hour call with one of our experts. We'll answer questions about your data move, show you around QuickBooks Online, and help you tackle everyday tasks.*
Check out the Move from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online Resource Center, where you can schedule your call. We'll answer questions about your data move, show you around QuickBooks Online, and help you tackle everyday tasks.*
Next you can follow this list of what to setup in you new QuickBooks Online company.
- Connect your bank or credit card account.
- Create and send invoices to your customer.
Note: If you track sales tax, set up location-based sales tax in QuickBooks first. - Track your bills and learn how to pay them in QuickBooks.
- If you use payroll, follow this guide to set up and run your payroll in QuickBooks Online.
Note: To view this, you'll need to sign in to QuickBooks Online. - Get started with QuickBooks Online.
Related articles
- If you use QuickBooks Desktop for Mac, check out Move from QuickBooks Desktop for Mac to QuickBooks
- For Accountants, we have an exclusive Batch Migration tool for you to use.
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