Leaving QuickBooks Desktop without losing history

Intuit ended support for QuickBooks Desktop 2021 on May 31, 2024, and stopped selling new QuickBooks Desktop subscriptions in the United States after July 31, 2024. Files on discontinued versions still open, but they lose security updates and connected services such as payroll, payments and online banking.

Before you move

• Decide which platform fits how you work: QuickBooks Online or Xero.
• Decide how much history comes with you: full detail, or summarized balances for older years.
• List the add-ons and integrations you depend on.

A calm migration plan

1. Close and reconcile the last full month in Desktop.
2. Clean the lists: customers, vendors, items and chart of accounts.
3. Convert, then compare balances line by line against the Desktop file.
4. Reconnect bank feeds, payroll and payments.
5. Train the team one-on-one on the new file, with your own data.

A migration is finished when the balances match, not when the file opens.

Lois is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor at the Elite tier and Xero Certified, and has moved many Desktop files. Dates in this article come from Intuit's published notices and are confirmed before publication.

This article is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice for your situation. For advice on your business, book a call with Lois.