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What you need to know about QuickBooks Desktop changes

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 QuickBooks Warning for QB Desktop 2021:  QB Desktop Pro, Premier, Enterprise, Accountant, & Mac 2021 versions are facing a service discontinuation after May 31, 2024.

What this means: You can still use your desktop product but will no longer have access to QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, Desktop Payments, live technical support, Online Backup, Online Banking, and other services through QuickBooks Desktop 2021. QB will not provide security updates after June 1, 2024.

The 2021 discontinuation warning is not new, but Intuit’s July 31, 2024 product announcement will change the landscape. After July 31st – Intuit will only be offering QB Desktop Enterprise for new subscribers. The only entities who will still be able to continue to use their current desktop product’s full functionality and receive security updates will be those who have an existing active subscription by July 31, 2024. 

Intuit has publicly stated, “all future innovation will happen in QuickBooks Online.”  It is imperative that you prepare for these imminent changes.

For those who wish to purchase a QB Desktop subscription after July 31, 2024 – their singular option will be QB Desktop Enterprise which is currently $1,922/year.

You can still use your discontinued QB Desktop licensed products (2021 and older) on your machines without subscriptions. Be advised that should you have a crash, or corruption of your company file, your options after July 31, 2024 will be limited. If your company file becomes corrupted and you do not have an uncorrupted back-up, you will have to subscribe to the latest QB Desktop Enterprise version and have QB Data Service attempt to recover your data file. If you are trying to hold on to an older Desktop product, we strongly encourage frequent backups of your company file in a location that is different from where your company file is stored. For those on QB Desktop 2021 make sure you have any updates/fixes downloaded and installed BEFORE May 31, 2024.

If your desire is to continue with the QB Desktop product as long as possible, you may want to consider moving to a current subscription-based Desktop product before July 31, 2024, to be grandfathered in. The QB Desktop Pro Plus subscription without payroll is currently $649/year.  Unfortunately, there is no promise from Intuit to not sunset these products in the future.

If you choose to make the transition from QB Desktop to QB Online, we strongly discourage you from allowing QuickBooks support to “help” you bring your QB Desktop data to QBO. Unfortunately, Intuit’s migration tool to move your desktop data to QB Online is a “Cookie Cutter” tool that does not take into consideration the dynamics of your company file prior to the migration. This often creates a mess, and you are left to clean up the data. 

We understand this is not an easy process or decision to make as many are comfortable with their QB Desktop product. At MinistryCPA, we have experience assisting both non-profits and businesses transition from QB Desktop to QB Online with an individualized approach and help each step of the way. Please feel free to reach out to us at MinistryCPA if you have questions about the status of your QB Desktop product or would like to discuss your options moving forward with a QuickBooks Online product.



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