The Dreaded Retirement of QuickBooks Desktop
*As of February 28, 2024, the dates have changed. You must be signed up as a subscriber by July 31, 2024. Ensure your upgrades to QuickBooks Desktop by this date.
You have all heard about it (or maybe you have not). But it’s happening, and here’s what you need to know.
Intuit is retiring (discontinuing) updates to their desktop versions of the app. This means that you will no longer be able to update the software if it malfunctions and protect your data. This includes the following software:
QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2020
QuickBooks Desktop Premier 2020 (General Business, Contractor, Manufacturing & Wholesale, Nonprofit, Professional Services, and Retail)
QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 20.0
QuickBooks Premier Accountant Edition 2020
QuickBooks Enterprise Accountant 20.0
QuickBooks Desktop for Mac 2020
This means that everyone using the QuickBooks verse needs to have a subscription. My goal is not to have you in a panic, my goal is to help you feel informed. If you end up in a bind in QBD and need support, this will no longer be available to you as it is no longer supported. Add ons such as payroll and payment processing features also will no longer work. If you are currently using any version of QuickBooks Desktop 2020 you’ll want to move to the new subscription model or to QuickBooks Online.
What can you do about it?
My recommendation would be to consider this a positive time to make a switch. Consider connecting with a trusted advisor to help you make the switch. You will want someone well versed in the software to assist with the transition. Here at Books in Harmony we specialize in QuickBooks Online (QBO) and transition all of our clients from a Desktop based application to the cloud application QBO. We would be more than happy to discuss what this transition would look like for you.
I don’t recommend you complete the transition yourself, as there are key metrics that need to be captured before migrating data. If you prefer someone closer to your area to assist, you can always check the find a QuickBooks ProAdvisor link here: Find a local Bookkeeper
Is a Cloud Based Software secure?
It is as secure as your online banking, so it can be trusted.
QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Self-Employed financial features take advantage of state-of-the-art encryption and authentication technologies, including Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), digital certificates, and RSA encryption to protect the security and privacy of your financial information.
Ultimately, you want to have the expertise and support of someone who understands what the transition means, and you want your data to be reliable. Take a deep breath, and consider moving your business into a cloud based software today.
Sources:
https://www.gentlefrog.com/quickbooks-desktop-subscription-what-this-means-for-you/