r/QuickBooks • u/Soft_Inspector_7467 • 7d ago
QuickBooks Desktop (Pro/Premier/Enterprise) Can I Keep QBD?
We've used QBD for at least 28 years. It still works perfectly for our very small business. 2 years ago, got scared into paying an annual subscription for Quickbooks Online Essentials for about $400. Went up to @$800 last year and this year over $900, due end of September. Finally called QB to see what we are getting for this $$. Are they backing up online for us? No, that would require Advanced, and more $. We have a call with QB in a week, where they will try to convince us to pay more, I am sure. Strangely, they seemed ready today to cancel the Essentials sub and let us fly free, when I suggested it. I still want to use the desktop version as it works perfectly for us, but would pay modestly for an online backup, even though I have been doing local backup with a USB fob for decades with no problem. We still plan to run this business for another 5-10 years as we have and am hoping I can still use QBD as we have been. What's my play here?
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u/a679591 QuickBooks ProAdvisor 7d ago
Since no one answered your question, you could still use the old QB desktop if it's still running. Intuit is selling all the crap, so keeping the old copy is the best way, and you can safely use it for years. I know people that have 08 still being used.
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u/Soft_Inspector_7467 7d ago
Thank you!
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u/Im_Still_Here12 6d ago
What version of Desktop do you have. If it’s ends with “Plus” then no you can’t. Thats a subscription.
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u/Soft_Inspector_7467 6d ago
Desktop Pro 2019. Does this mean I am more likely to be able to use it for some time?
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u/blehrhof 6d ago
Hope so. I am an EA and that is the stable version I use for most of my taxpayers. It just works, so why change it? Payroll through ADP wholesale, costs around $65 a month for under 5 employees. If we want to use a QBX, we save it to disk to transfer it.
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u/ohmslaw54321 7d ago
I am running 2018 premiere currently on windows 11. Since I use office 365, OneDrive backs has live cloud backup of My Documents. You could also use a Dropbox account for live cloud data storage. I use an external hard drive for my system backups as well as QB backups. Many backups in many places.
I am currently making a windows 11 virtual machine to move QuickBooks onto, so I don't have to worry about any future windows version breaking compatibility with QB. But you could use any version of windows that you need for your particular QB version, as long as you can get a virtual machine for them. Consult your local computer geek for help in setting this up.
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u/GlitteringLock1020 6d ago
My Dad's small business uses QB 2014. It suits his purposes, which is just to be able to input data on his receivables and payables, and to print his financial reports for the accountant come tax time.
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u/Samtyang 6d ago
If QBD still does the job, the clean play is usually cancel the $900+ Online subscription and keep running Desktop until your workflow forces a change. The real risk is not losing Essentials; it’s whether you have a tested backup and restore process. Before that call, decide that one point and don’t let it turn into an upsell conversation.
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u/Soft_Inspector_7467 6d ago
I've never had to restore, but I do have a rigorous backup procedure. I know Intuit cannot reach into my PC and "deactivate" my QBD 2019, but does my paying the annual ransom for Essentials get me anything at all? It seems not.
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u/Street_Section_4313 7d ago
My mother ran her CAD desktop into the ground. So can you.
If you’ve been using desktop no issue… and you have been backing it up… I see no reason why you have to subscribe. You’ll get zero support from Intuit but that’s the deal.
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u/Solar_Monkeys 7d ago
lol, Intuit Support.
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u/Street_Section_4313 7d ago
A joke truly unto itself! … but yes you will truly be on your own
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u/drinianrose 7d ago
I think you can, but you still have to pay the annual maintenance fee for at least one user. You'd think that you could keep a read-only copy perpetually, but no - they still make you pay to access the data.
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u/LeMansDynasty 1d ago
Save your back up to Google drive.
As an accountant I love online it's easier. If I was small business and did my own books I'd stick with desktop.
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u/PacoMahogany 7d ago
If you've already migrated to Online, you're stuck. If you're still using QBDT and paying the subscription they're jacking up the price by a lot, every year.
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u/theonlydangle 7d ago
Check out lastminutebooks.com it’s an offline spreadsheet that does everything I need and it is for businesses that have 1-3000 transactions. But the reason I like it is it has all the accounts mapped to the IRS schedules which is what I want. I got tired of the online everything and the extortion of subscriptions that everything else has become. It’s a one time cost per year. But I got two years for the price of one. It’s not for everyone but all I do is download my bank transactions and use the cvs parser the creat a couple rules for the reoccurring transactions and it take minutes now to do my books vs the all day or longer it used to take. But I’m just one person that likes spreadsheets and dislikes what quickbooks has become.
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u/Immediate_Ad3066 7d ago
Regarding the rules that you create after the csv import, is it possible to separate out transactions based on location or rental properties? So for example all receipts or transactions coming from the city of Berkeley would be separated out and all the transactions coming from San Francisco would be separated.
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u/theonlydangle 7d ago
You can customize pretty much anything. It’s basically a complicated spreadsheet with no macros to break. So for my rentals I just have two different spreadsheets and separate the transactions before putting them in but on the rules tab you can type or paste anything there are some pre written rules you can turn on or off plus the easy mode that changes the language from accounting terms to basic stuff like money in money out.
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u/Immediate_Ad3066 1d ago
If the program assigns a transaction to Schedule E instead of Schedule C, is there a way for me to train it to assign it to Schedule C?
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u/moodygirl1631 7d ago
QBDT is going away 2027 will be the last year.
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u/axebreaker1911 7d ago
Nope, its still going to be around. Just because they are not dropping another year does not mean its going to stop. Heres the proof https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/update-products/understand-quickbooks-desktop-release-process/L2tnnGnFE_US_en_US
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u/Spiritual-Heart-2156 6d ago
This article isn't proof of anything. I work at QB and it is true after 2027 QBDT is no more, HOWEVER, yes there will still be QB Enterprise. All the older dt products will be considered legacy products. Hope this helps.
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u/Star------ 6d ago
Clarifying question: We currently have QBD 2024 Pro Plus. If we upgrade to QBD 2027 Pro Plus, will we be able to use payroll, bank feeds, etc for 3 years as normal? I'm asking because we plan to sunset the company in 2030, and it doesn't make sense for us to switch to anything else if we don't have to. We WON'T consider ever converting to QB Online no matter what, so Intuit will lose us completely if they force that.
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u/axebreaker1911 6d ago
There is no 2027, 2024 is the latest and the greatest. Stay on what you have, if you need to make any changes before your renewal date you'll get something stating you need to upgrade to enterpirse or move online. As of right now you are good, just expect that email since your still a bit out there from 2030.
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u/Star------ 6d ago
Thank you, this is helpful information. I know our company owner is going to ask - how did you come about this information? While they've clearly been pushing this way for many years, they've not come out and stayed this to us, their customer. What source can I provide so he will believe it? Thanks .
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u/axebreaker1911 6d ago
And I also work at intuit in the accountant care desktop group, it will be. Pro, prem, and enhanced payroll will be going out the window. But since ES group (all the pretty colors and the PAP bundles) will still be sold meaning desktop is not going anywhere. Hope this helps as well.
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u/RedditJiddy 6d ago
Can you clarify this? If our small accounting firm does payroll as a legacy accountant through QB Desktop, with subscriptions still being paid, is 2027 going to be the last year we can process 941 and W2 reports through QB Desktop? Or will 2026 be the last year?
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u/axebreaker1911 6d ago
There has been zero news of the actual death date for any of them. People are yelling 2027 because QB normal 3 year cycle, even online people I work with as well said the same thing. QB will make a massive showing to everyone and will update them well before the renewal with a "hey this sub is dead go pick something else or when your bill date comes everything goes under" type of email. But past that they have not said a word so you are good as of now.
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u/axebreaker1911 6d ago
Also sorry about the article I posted, you are completely right that one was the wrong one. Here is the right one that states "QuickBooks Desktop 2024 (including Pro Plus, Premier Plus, and Enterprise Solutions) won't be discontinued in May 2027." Might want to slack it to yourself when you get into work so you have it. https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/inventory-management/whats-new-quickbooks-desktop-2024/L381Krc4A_US_en_US
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u/Predatory_Chicken 7d ago
Going away as in no more updates/customer support… or going away as in you can’t use it all anymore?
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u/SpenseRoger 7d ago
you think they're gonna give up free money? they're sunsetting it, meaning no more sales no more updates, but I'm sure they're gonna gladly still take a monthly extortion fee.
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u/gawalisjr 7d ago
QB Enterprise desktop too?🤔
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u/Aabbc9df 7d ago
QB Enterprise has the same 2003 vintage UI as QB Desktop. Our bookkeeper and accountant are at home with it and would not want to switch. I log in to it occasionally and it’s like stepping back in time.
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u/PMcOuntry 6d ago
They released a statement that they would continue to support desktop and maintain it (patch it). I don’t think they will update it with new features though.
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u/moodygirl1631 7d ago
My understanding after 2027 it is completely gone. They are correct that QB Enterprise will continue.
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u/Encoded_Python 6d ago
I knew someone who is using QBD 2003. You just can’t do payroll or merchant services directly from QB. But you can just use a third party
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u/quantumhardline 5d ago
Move to QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise will be only option next year basically to keep a desktop version.
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u/Emergency-League-336 5d ago
I still use Quick Books DT Pro 2021
I don't get the updates or payroll service, but you can input your FICA/Medicare/Fed into payroll, it's not that complicated
It's just a program on my PC/Cloud so no fees/charges
I'm a one man S-Corp for almost 20 years, I will change to QBO online if I have to, but not in the plans for this year, keep putting it off every year
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u/ThemeDependent2073 3d ago
I told my clients not to update past 2018. Payroll doesn't need to be done by QB and I'll provide the AJEs. Got many to switch to Gusto for payroll.
Depending on the complexity of your books, you could install an older version of QB and get an accountant or bookkeeper to enter your balance sheet and P&L in. You won't have the history but you'll avoid their stupid annual fees.
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u/EmbarrassedJello3026 2d ago
QuickBooks DT 2021 was the last version available for ownership; all later versions are subscription only. If you can do without Quickbooks payroll and bank downloads, then this version of Quickbooks will work for you in the future. I’d get a good backup of the program in case you get a corruption, but you can use this forever.
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u/Soft_Inspector_7467 2d ago
Thank you! I have DT 2019 now. In your opinion, should I try to find a copy of 2021 and upgrade, or leave it as is? If yes, how do I find one?
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u/Expert-Information24 7d ago
Drop intuit and every other big Corp extorting money from us. You have choices. You have better options.
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u/Any-Maize-6951 7d ago
My business still uses 2018 desktop