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QuickBooks provides you with a unique way to manage the business with strategy and security. QuickBooks Online is also known for its best features. You can access QuickBooks online from anywhere anytime however, QuickBooks Desktop is widely used. Many users are using QuickBooks Desktop and while working they also need to convert QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online.
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The below article informs you about the process of converting QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks online.
Things To Consider Before Converting QuickBooks Desktop to Online
Prior to migrating from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks online, here are the list of points you must be aware of:
- Migration of QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online will need some (limited) downtime for your particular team. Ensure to strategize the migration when it is a slow period to prevent it from upsetting your business too much
- The data present in QuickBooks Desktop can be shifted to QuickBooks Online. But, not all reports or features are present in both the versions. You’ll wish to export any particular custom reports that you have prepared in QuickBooks Desktop prior to the migration.
- QuickBooks Online uses a new pricing plan than QuickBooks Desktop. As per this plan, a monthly subscription fee will be levied rather than a one-time software purchase.
What are the Advantages of Converting from QuickBooks Desktop to Online?
Now when you have finished the procedure of changing from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online, there are some key benefits that you must be aware of:
- Automatic Backups: The data is backed up automatically. Hence, in case anything wrong happens to your system, you will not have to lose any information.
- Anywhere, Anytime Access: In case you are not in the office and want to make some edits in your books, you can do it hassle-free with remote access from your tablet, laptop, or smartphone
- Incorporations: QuickBooks Online assimilates with many different applications, making it smooth to link your particular accounting software with the remaining of your business
- Enhanced Security: One of the most key advantages of importing to QuickBooks Desktop Online is augmented security. When your data is saved in the cloud, its gets safety from hackers to use it.
- Smoother Association: Several users can use and change the same file instantaneously. Hence, if you have a team of accountants, they can function on the same file without needing to send it back and forth.
How Features and Data move from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Desktop uses various kinds of terms not used in QuickBooks Online for menu options, lists, features, reports, items, transaction types, along with other labels.
Below is a table for the list of the terminology differences between QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop:
Terminology:
QuickBooks Desktop is using different types of terms than QuickBooks online for menu options, Features, Lists, Items, Transactions Types, Reports and other.
Find the list of terminology differences between QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online:
QuickBooks Desktop Term | QuickBooks Online Term |
Documents / Doc Center | Attachments |
Unscheduled Payroll | Run Payroll Bonus Only |
Income Tracker | All Sales |
Upload & Review Bills | Receipts |
Forecast | Budgets |
Reconcile | Reconcile |
Non-inventory Parts | Non-inventory |
Groups | Bundles (Products & services) |
Subtotals | Subtotal |
Payments | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Jobs | Sub-customers Projects |
Memorized transactions | Recurring transactions |
Price Levels | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Other Names | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Fixed Asset Items | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Vendor Types (Vendor and Customer Profile Lists) | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Customer Messages (vendor and Customer Profile Lists) | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Vehicles (Vendor and Customer Profile Lists) | Manage vehicles |
Add/Edit Multiple List Entries | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Employees | Employees |
Chart of Accounts | Chart of Accounts |
Terms (Customer & Vendor Profile Lists) | Terms |
Memorized reports | Custom reports |
Commented reports | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Company Snapshot | Business Snapshot |
Bills | Expenses Bills Vendor Credits |
Item Receipts | Expenses Bills |
Credit Memos | Credit Memos Refund Receipts Delayed Credits |
Receipt Management | Receipts |
Make General Journal Entries | Journal Entries |
Transfer Funds | Transfer |
Statements | Statements |
Invoices | Invoices |
Sales Receipts | Sales Receipts |
Purchase Orders | Purchase Orders |
Undeposited Funds | Undeposited Funds Payments to deposit |
Edit > Preferences | Settings (gear) > Account and settings Settings (gear) > Payroll settings |
Weekly Timesheet | Time Entries (If you have the Time tab) Weekly Timesheet (if you don’t have the Time tab) |
Calendar | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
To Do List | Tasks (QuickBooks Online Advanced) |
Letters | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Bank Feeds | Online Banking / Bank Transactions |
Scheduled Payroll | Run Payroll |
Payment Reminders | Reminders / Automatic invoice reminders |
Bill Tracker | Vendors window |
Schedule Online Payment | Online Bill Pay |
Budgets | Budgets |
Inventory Parts | Inventory |
Assemblies | Bundles (Products & services) |
Other Charges | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Discounts | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Services | Services |
Items | Products and services |
Leads | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Billing Rate Levels | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Vendors | Vendors (for all Vendors) Contractors (for Vendors tracked for 1099) |
Sales Reps (Customer & Vendor Profile Lists) | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Job Types (Customer & Vendor Profile Lists) | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Ship Via (Customer & Vendor Profile Lists) | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Templates | Custom Form Styles |
Customers | Customers |
Classes | Classes (and Locations) |
Customer Types (Customer & Vendor Profile Lists) | Customer Types |
Payment Methods (Customer & Vendor Profile Lists) | Payment Methods |
Scheduled reports | Custom reports |
Custom reports | Custom reports (QuickBooks Online Advanced) |
Credit Card Charges | Expenses Credit Card Credits |
Job & Item Estimates vs Actuals | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Customer Groups | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Reminders | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Set Up Users | Manage Users |
Time / Enter Single Activity | Time Entries (If you have the Time tab) Single Time Activity (if you don’t have the Time tab) |
My Company | Settings (gear) > Account and settings |
Use Register (For Banks/Accounts) | View Register |
Pay Bills | Pay Bills |
Receive Payments | Receive Payments |
Checks | Checks |
Estimates | Estimates |
Enter Statement Charges | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Make Deposits | Bank Deposits |
Adjust Quantity/Value on Hand | Inventory Quantity Adjustment |
Batch Invoices | Batch transactions (QuickBooks Online Advanced) |
Sales Orders | Not available in QuickBooks Online |
Features:
What Moves to QuickBooks Online | What does not Move to QuickBooks Online |
Inventory: • Inventory is imported in the FIFO method (First-In First-Out). • QuickBooks Online will make the required adjustments to determine again inventory depending on the FIFO start date. • Inventory is present only in QuickBooks Advanced and QuickBooks Online Plus. • You will be requested to fix the FIFO start date. • The recalculated adjustments and inventory will be shifted to QuickBooks Online. Note: QuickBooks Online does not provide provision units of measure for a set of inventory items. | |
Payroll: • Paychecks are moved as normal checks in order to keep the financial reports precise. You will need to include Per payroll totals, YTD totals, along with tax payments paid in order to setup payroll. • Adjustment transactions, liability refunds, and opening balance transactions that impact the account copies to the particular journal entries. • Employee addresses may require some changes and fixes. Address for the particular outside supported states must be left blank. • Review what should be done after you shift from QuickBooks Online for additional information. • QuickBooks Online copies the present year’s paycheck data in the form of lump sums. • All the inactive and active employees will import to the particular QuickBooks Online. • Gender • Bank Names • Employee bank details for Direct Deposit. • Date of Birth • Social Security number • Direct deposit account numbers • Routing numbers | Payroll: • In case you ran the payroll in the present calendar year, it is mandatory for you to run the payroll reports in your QuickBooks Desktop in order to setup payroll in QuickBooks Online. You will need the following reports:- Payroll Summary totals for every check date in the present quarter and Payroll Summary by Employee for the last quarter and calendar year. • The information behind the particular transactions does not change. • The payroll history has not moved over. • You must setup an all work location address along with physical addresses. • After you set up your payroll in QuickBooks Online, it will be possible for you to create paychecks. |
Multi-Currency • Multi-currency preferences will shift to QuickBooks Online. • Multi-currency is present in QuickBooks Advanced and Online Plus. | Multi-Currency: • Transactions that has 3 kinds of currency will not copy to QuickBooks Online. |
Write Letters | |
Mileage Tracking • You will be required to add last mileage into QuickBooks Online manually. | |
Sales Tax: • Sales Tax will not copy for all the transactions. A few of the taxes will copy as Journal Entries. | |
Budgets: • Only the Profit and Loss budget kinds will copy to your particular QuickBooks Online. • Budgets are only present in QuickBooks Advanced and Online Plus. | |
Price Levels | |
QuickBooks Payments • You will be required to unlink your particular payment account from your given Desktop file and then relink that account to QuickBooks Online once you have converted. |
Items
Shifts to QuickBooks Online | Does not Shift to QuickBooks Online |
Assemblies • Assemblies shift as Bundles for particular Sales Transactions. • Every Item of the assembly gets displayed on a detail line when you see the transaction. • Assembly items are the inventory items that were made from different inventory items. • All the constituents of assemblies copy for the purchased transactions. • The Bundle items are not monitored as inventory in QuickBooks Online. | |
Groups • Zero amount line are at the beginning and end of where the group item initially was. You can view which item were a segment of the group. • Group total will be displayed on the last line of the particular invoice in the given description field. • Group Items shift as Bundles • The top line displays the group name. The bottom line displays the group description. | |
Payroll Items | |
Discounts • Discounts received as early payments of bills from vendors shift as vendor credits. Such discounts are implied to the outstanding balance of a vendor. • Discounts move as credit memos for early payments. They are integrated to the outstanding balance of a customer. |
Lists
What Moves to QuickBooks Online | What does not Move to QuickBooks Online |
Jobs and Customers Note: Jobs are shifted as Projects to QuickBooks Online. A few of the Job Fields like Bill and email to certain address are not shifted. The projects in QuickBooks Online do not sustain 3rd app integration or custom fields. • Customer Name • Mr./Ms • Middle initial (M.I. • Phone • Alt Ph. • Terms • Customer Ship to Address (except Note) • Your jobs shift to sub-customers • Company Name • First Name • Last Name • FAX • Customer E-Mail • The ship to Address changes, however, not accurately. The complete address will be put in the main address field. However, State/Province, City, Country Blank, and ZIP Code/Zip Code will be left. • Chosen Payment Method • Tax Code/Item • Note (up to 4000 characters) | |
Memorized Transactions | |
Vendors • Company Name • First Name • Last Name • FAX • Vendor Name • Mr./Ms. • M.I.Phone • Terms • Print on Check as • Account Tax • Address | Vendors • Alt. Contact • Status • Credit Limit • Custom Fields • Alt. Contact1099 ID • Contact • Vendor Type • Note • Alt Ph. |
Jobs and Customers • Alt. Contact • Rep • Custom Fields • Credit Limit • Start Date • Job Type • Job Ship to address • Credit Card Info • Inactive status (as long no unbilled charges are shifted, this status stays the same) • Customer Type • Price Level • Account • Job Status • Projected End • End Date • Job Description • Job Bill to Address • Job E-Mail | |
Chart of Accounts • For security purposes, bank account notes and number will not move QuickBooks Online. QuickBooks Online has an extra account type called Detail Type. It will shift your account and allocate them detail types. You can edit it later if you wish to. • QuickBooks Online will fix the last A/P or A/R account that was utilized on a transaction in form of a default. • QuickBooks Online enables for 1 default A/P and A/R account. | |
Reminders | |
Scheduled Transactions • QuickBooks Online Advanced, Plus, and Essentials sustain recurring transactions. • In QuickBooks Desktop, the scheduled transactions shift as Recurring transaction in QuickBooks Online. | Scheduled Transactions QuickBooks Online simple start does not sustain recurring transactions templates. In order to evade errors, you will be needed to remove all scheduled templates and transactions in QuickBooks Desktop, prior to importing to Simple Start. |
Terms: • In QuickBooks Online, the correspondent to a job is terms. It is possible to edit the terms later on in order to make them dissimilar from the parent ones. • In QuickBooks Desktop, It is not possible for a job to have its own terms. It acquires the terms from its particular parent. | |
Inactive Items: • In case there is no balance tied to its name, it will shift as inactive. • Customers, inactive accounts, or vendors shift. In case they have any open any open balance, they turn active. | |
Custom Fields in Lists | |
To Do | |
Other Names: • Other names move as vendors in QuickBooks Desktop. • QuickBooks Online does not have Other Names list. |
Preferences
What Moves to QuickBooks Online | What Does not Move to QuickBooks Online |
Layout Customization • Your particular logos will shift | Layout Customization • The templates that are custom will not shift. |
Users and Permissions • Present users do not get access to QuickBooks Online automatically. They are required to get invited from QuickBooks Online to get access. | |
Shortcut List • QuickBooks Online has its own set of shortcut keystrokes. In any screen, click Ctrl+Alt to check the shortcut menu. • Your icon bar and shortcut list setting from the particular QuickBooks Desktop will not shift to QuickBooks Online. | |
Closing Date Password |
Reports
QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop do not have the same reports. Accrual basis reports that are available in QuickBooks Online will be same as reports in QuickBooks Desktop. Cash basis reports may be dissimilar.
What moves to QuickBooks Online | What does not move to QuickBooks Online |
Memorized Reports | |
Audit Trail | |
Reconcile • Cleared transactions will include a C in the particular cleared column in QuickBooks Online. • All the reconciled transactions in the particular register will have an R in the given cleared column in QuickBooks Online. |
Transactions
What Moves to QuickBooks Online | What does not Move to QuickBooks Online |
Credit Card Charges • The credit card charges in QuickBooks Desktop change to Expenses in QuickBooks Online. | |
Finance Charges • It is possible to run an open invoice report to check the customers who are overdue. Add finance charges manually to come up on the next invoice of the customer. • Your particular finance charge invoice shifts to invoices in QuickBooks Online. | |
Bill Payments, Bills, and Bill Credits • In QuickBooks a bill discount shifts to a Vendor credit in QuickBooks Online. • Bill Payments done by credit card shift to bill payment in your particular QuickBooks Online. • The Bill Received inclination does not shift to QuickBooks Online. • The address provided on bill payment checks is substituted by the Vendor address present on the vendor list. • A bill discount in QuickBooks Desktop shifts to a Vendor Credit in QuickBooks Online. • The Bill Received preference does not shift to QuickBooks Online. | |
Estimates • The estimated that are active are marked as Closed. • Estimates that are used for progress invoicing will not link to the invoices that you have generated in Desktop. • Your particular estimates in QuickBooks Desktop will shift to QuickBooks Online. • Estimates that are inactive are marked Rejected. | |
Journal Entries • You may witness some transactions such as invoices and checks shift as Journal Entries. It will happen only if the tax rates were included as flat rates rather than percentages. • The actual transaction cannot be created once more. | Journal Entries • Statuses that are billable do not move. It is not possible to make a journal entry billable in QuickBooks Online. |
Reimbursable Expenses • Unbilled time and reimbursable expenses will shift as billable expenses in QuickBooks Online. • QuickBooks Online has billable expenditures that are identical to reimbursable costs in QuickBooks Desktop. • In QuickBooks Online, you state the markup percentage, when you craft the purchase rather than the invoice. | |
Invoices • Logos will shift. • Sales Rep will shift to a particular Custom Field. | Invoices • Progress Invoices along with their additional fields don’t shift. • Subtotals don’t shift but are added in the particular Description field. • Other along with Other Customer custom fields don’t shift. |
Purchase Orders • Open POs will not show the particular items received. • The switch shifts the link between Purchase Orders and bills. • The PO will be required to be connected to the Bill to show the items received. | |
Item Receipts • Item receipts changes to Bills. | Item Receipts • The switch deletes the connection between Purchase orders and bills. • The PO will be required to be connected to the Bill to show items received. • Open POs won’t reflect items received. |
Pending Sales | |
Reconcile • Your previous reconciliation reports do not shift to QuickBooks Online. |
How to Convert QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online?
QuickBooks Online is used by every small and medium-sized business owner, also is one of the most useful editions. QuickBooks Online can be accessed from anywhere to make the work easier. Even you can back up the data anywhere anytime. Below are the methods to convert QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online.
Method 1: Verify Data
In this method first, you need to verify the data. To do so follow the below points
- Go to File >> Utilities >>> Verify.
- If there is any issue occurred while verifying the data then you will be asked to Rebuild the data.
- After rebuilding the data, again verify to see if the issue has been resolved or not.
Method 2: Save Company File in QuickBooks Online Format
Open the QuickBooks Desktop and create the company file copy which is compatible with the QuickBooks online. To do the same, go to options Files >>> Utilities >>> and finally go to the Copy Company files option for QuickBooks online. Now, save the file on your Desktop. It helps to create a new QuickBooks file with the extension “OE.qbw“.
Method 3: How to Import QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online
Once the above two steps are done then you can easily import QuickBooks Desktop Online via Internet explorer.
- Go to option “Company” >>> select option “more” >>> and at last select Import QuickBooks Desktop Data.
- Now select the option “File” which you want to import and let the process complete.
- Once the importing process finished, you will get a confirmation email.
How to Migrate QuickBooks Desktop File to Online

Step 1: Check the File Size Requirements
To get started, open your QuickBooks Desktop file and press F2 to determine the total target count. If you find that your file has more than 350,000 targets, don’t worry! You can try to reduce the targets by condensing your QuickBooks file. If that doesn’t work, you’ll have to export specific data such as lists and account balances. Let’s get started.
- You can import data to QuickBooks within 60 of subscription. If it is more than 60 days then try for the below steps.
- Convert the subscription to 180 days.
- Using the new email setup to QuickBooks Online subscription verify the data.

Step 2: Prepare QuickBooks Data for Export to QuickBooks Online
- Before proceeding ahead, finish all your outstanding tasks such as bank accounts, inventory, and payroll, etc.
- Update your complete data before converting, here you can also delete the unwanted data.
- Take the back up of your data in the data file. Now, in the QuickBooks Desktop file go to File option >>>backup company >>>Create local backup option.

Step 3: Create a QuickBooks Online Account
- Once work associated with data finished, create a QuickBooks online account and provide the important data required such as email address, Name, mob number, and password.
- When the above step is completed log out of the account.

Step 4: Open QuickBooks Desktop
- After logging out, the new QuickBooks Online account open QuickBooks Desktop to export the data. Don’t forget to download the recent update.
- For that simply go to the Help menu and click on QuickBooks update.
- Now, click on the Company menu and select Export Company file to QuickBooks online.
Step 5: Log in to QuickBooks Online Account Again
- After selecting Export company file to QuickBooks online after login to the new account. The system will ask you if you want to export your existing inventory.
- You should be aware that QuickBooks online values inventory using the FIFO method which is (first in, first out).
- The inventory will be calculated using the same method from the given start data if you click on yes to the value.

Step 6: Choose QuickBooks Online Company
- Now from the drop-down select the QuickBooks online company where you want to import data to QuickBooks Online.

Step 7: Copy Data File
- After selecting the company file, copy the data file there, which takes some time.
- After copying all data you will get a notification and you need to click on OK.
- You need to send an email confirmation regarding the same once your data is ready in QuickBooks online, also you need to ask to complete the setup.
- Before start working on QuickBooks online check if the data has been exported properly. You may also run a profit and loss statement and balance sheet report then can compare with QuickBooks Desktop and Online.
- You will get an email notification once data is ready.
- Now, click on Complete your setup which takes you to log in to QuickBooks Online and review the data.

Do You Know What Can Be Converted and What Not?
When switching from QuickBooks Desktop to Online most of your data will import. Below are the few items that won’t convert and it includes:
- Account Reconciliation Reports for Banks and Credit Cards: As soon as you switch to QuickBooks Online, you must re-enter your reconciliations from the point where you left them. If you don’t delete the files, you can still access older reconciliation reports from your desktop version if you need them.
- Audit Trail: You can only keep a duplicate of your desktop version and the data it contains in order to preserve your past audit trail. However, QuickBooks Online will now offer a better audit trail for you.
- Recurring Credit Card Charges: Your current recurring credit card transactions must be stopped in the Merchant Center. Create recurring sales receipts in QuickBooks Online to rebuild them after that is finished.
- Inventory from QuickBooks for Mac: If you have access to a Windows-based computer, you can transfer your inventory there even though you can’t do so from a Mac.
- Reports: Numerous reports in QuickBooks Online might take the place of several that you have been using in the desktop version. The ideal answer is to find a new QuickBooks Online report and start using it.
What to do After You Migrate the Data
Before using QuickBooks Online, there are still a few steps you must complete. Before making any changes to the data or entering new transactions, it is best to finish these as soon as you can.
After the migration, Go through the following checklist to make sure all of your data is transferred as planned and to import any data that wasn’t migrated.
1. Check Your Data by Comparing Reports
To be sure your data was transferred correctly, compare the reports below in QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online:
- Balance Sheet Report
- Trial Balance- All Dates
- Summary of Customer Balance – All Dates
- Summary of Supplier Balance- All Dates
- For the most recent period, see the Sales Tax Summary Report.
- Any further reports you would like to check
Run the reports using All Dates and change the accounting method in QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop to accrual to check your data.
2. Confirm Company Settings
We can move your accounting data into QuickBooks Online, but we can’t transfer information like your company’s name, address, or email address. By following the instructions below, you must enter this data in your QuickBooks Online company.
- Select Account and settings from the Settings (gear icon) menu.
- Enter your company’s name and contact details in the Company tab.
- To get monthly invoices from Intuit for your QuickBooks Online subscription, enter the email address in the Company email box.
- Enter an email address in the Customer-facing email box if you do not want your customers to contact you at the company’s email address.
- At last, Choose Save.

3. Configure Your Sales Tax Settings
Before you use QuickBooks Online, make sure that it is configured with the appropriate CRA Business Number and filing frequency. If your company is not sales tax registered, you can skip these steps.
- Select Sales tax under Taxes
- Then you have to select the Set-up sales tax button
- Select Save after selecting the province or territory where you conduct business.
- On the following screen, enter the necessary data before choosing Next.
- Select OK on the next screen.
- At any moment, you can return and change these settings.
4. Connect Bank and Credit Card Accounts
Bank and credit card information is not moved when you switch from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online for your security. Follow these steps to link your accounts in QuickBooks Online:
- Begin by selectin Bank transactions under Transactions under Bookkeeping.
- If you already have an account, choose Add Account or Connect Account from the home page.
- Then you have to search for your bank
- Choose Continue, then fill out the pop-up window with your login information for your bank’s website.
- Choose the accounts you wish to connect.
- Choose the appropriate account type from the dropdown option for each account. Your chart of accounts currently lists these accounts.
- Then you have to select the time period for the download and then connect.
5. Clean up Bank Reconciliations
It assumes that no bank transactions have been reconciled because you haven’t done one yet in QuickBooks Online. In order for QuickBooks to only take future transactions into account for reconciliation, you must instruct it to mark all transactions up to the conversion date as reconciled.
- Choose Reconcile from the Settings (gear icon) menu.
- Select Reconcile Now after selecting the appropriate bank account from the drop-down menu, entering the Ending balance, and selecting the Ending date.
- The transactions are shown in a list. To choose every transaction in the list, check the boxes at the top. Make sure you have selected every transaction in both columns if the data is in two columns.
- Find the transactions that haven’t been cleared yet and uncheck them. You have successfully completed the reconciliation when the Difference is zero.
- Then you have to select Finish Now
- Again you have to repeat these steps for each account that you have connected to QuickBooks Online.

6. Link Payments and Credits to Open Invoices
You might see names with zero balances in your A/R and A/P aging reports because the transactions transferred into QuickBooks Online did not link invoices with their corresponding payments. By activating the Automatically apply credits feature, you may quickly link credits and payments to your open invoices:
- Account and settings can be found in the Settings (gear icon) menu, which is located near the top right of the screen.
- Select Automatically Apply credits on the Advanced tab, then click Save.

7. Review Your Accounts Detail Types
Your sub-account hierarchy is maintained by QuickBooks Online after conversion. However, it also makes use of a Detail type, which is an additional level of account typing. You can be more specific with your account organization using detail kinds.
When converting accounts, detail types are assigned to accounts where the detail is evident. The conversion procedure assigns a generic detail type, such as Other Miscellaneous Income, to accounts where it is unclear what the appropriate detail type should be. You can change this right now.
You have to run the Account Listing Report to review and then edit your accounts detail types:
- First, you have to go to the Business overview and then you have to select Reports.
- Then you have to look and open the Account List report and then review your accounts.

- To edit an accounts detail type you have to select the account name and then you have to select the correct detail type from the Detail Type dropdown menu,

- Last, select Save and then close.
8. Complete Payroll Setup
To balance your books, transactions and payroll accounts are converted, but the information behind the transactions-such as payroll item breakdowns and employee year-to-date figures—is not changed.
Journal entries are created for liability refunds, adjustment transactions, and opening balance transactions that have an impact on accounts.
To finish setting up your payroll:
- Select Employees under Payroll.
- Make that every employee who received a paycheck this year has their status set to Yes in the Paid in [Year] column. Anyone who hasn’t received pay this year is automatically listed as No.
- To enter or confirm your year-to-date paycheck totals and employee information, choose Complete payroll setup.
- To finish the setup, follow the instructions to complete the setup.
- When you’re prepared to pay your employees, use Run Payroll.
If your QuickBooks Desktop pay types were not mapped to a typical QuickBooks Online pay type, you might be asked to match your payroll items. To map your QuickBooks Desktop pay types with those of QuickBooks Online, follow these steps:
- In the QuickBooks Online column, you have to choose the (choose one) dropdown.
- Choose the pay type that most nearly matches the item’s configuration in your Desktop file.
- It’s best practice to review your QuickBooks Desktop file and verify how your items are set up to ensure that the pay types match.
- After the mapping is complete, you have to choose Save and Close.
- The same procedure must be followed for each item that needs to be mapped before choosing Continue.
You can’t seem to find any options? QuickBooks Online Payroll does not support all imported pay types. Choose Skip for now in the lower right corner of the screen if this is the situation. If you choose Skip for now, keep in mind that you cannot go back and map your pay types. To finish the payroll setup, you must manually create the pay kinds for your employees.
9. Link Your Payments Account
While your current Payments account cannot be transferred to QuickBooks Online, a new one can be made. To enable payments in QuickBooks Online, follow the below mentioned steps:
- Select Account and Settings from the Settings (gear icon) menu.
- Choose Payments. Choose Learn More from the QuickBooks Payments option.
- Then you have to Create Payments. Three sections of a signup window appear.
- Select Start in the Business section. After completing the form, click Next.
- Select Start in the Owner/Proprietor section. After completing the form, click Next.
- Go to the Bank section and choose Start. Search for your bank after selecting Add a new bank connection.
- Choose the account that should receive payments from customers.
- Select Connect after entering your bank’s login credentials.
- Then you have to select Activate payments when you are finished with all of the sections.
10. Add Users
Check to see that the access is appropriate for any users you want to add to QuickBooks Online. By choosing the Settings (gear icon) menu, then Manage users, you can see your current users.
To add additional users you have to follow these steps:
- First, you have to select Manage Users from the Settings (gear icon) menu.
- Choose Add User.
- Then you have to choose the sort of user you want to create. More options appear on the screen based on the user type you choose.
- Select Save after entering the name and email address of your new user.
After you finish these steps, QuickBooks sends an email to your new user. Ask them to click the email’s link to access a sign-in or account creation page.
11. Invite an Accountant
Up to two accountants can be invited to collaborate with you in your QuickBooks Online company. If you want to invite an accountant, do the following:
- Select My Accountant (Take me there) under Bookkeeping.
- Then you have to select Invite, then enter your accountant’s email address.
- Pick Manage users from the Settings (gear icon) menu.
- Now you have to select Accounting Firms and then you have to select Invite
- Fill out the necessary fields and then click Save.
The advantages of QuickBooks Online such as its affordability along with integration with other applications makes it ideal and worth for your business. We have mentioned all the steps and procedures concerning the migration. We have also stated the advantages of such a migration. If you still need any assistance in converting your QuickBooks Desktop files to QuickBooks Online, we are here for you.

Looking for a professional expert to get the right assistance for your problems? Here, we have a team of professional and experienced team members to fix your technical, functional, data transfer, installation, update, upgrade, or data migrations errors. We are here at Dancing Numbers available to assist you with all your queries. To fix these queries you can get in touch with us via a toll-free number
+1-800-596-0806 or chat with experts.
Video Tutorial for Convert QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it Possible to use Both QuickBooks Online and Desktop?
No. It is not possible to use both QuickBooks Online and Desktop for the same company. Not to mention, these two applications are two distinct platforms that are not attuned with each other.
Why Companies are Shifting from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online?
One of the primary reasons for this migration is affordability in QuickBooks Online, especially where there are more than one users. Not to mention, Accessing company files remotely, easy collaboration with team members and seamless-integration with third-party software also plays a key role.
How much Time it will take to Move?
The size of your company file affects how long it takes to transfer your data to QuickBooks Online. Until the move is done, keeps QuickBooks Desktop running.
What occurs to the Data I Already Have in QuickBooks Desktop?
Simply copy the data to QuickBooks Online, and nothing changes. You will now enter fresh data into QuickBooks Online.
The data in your QuickBooks Desktop company file will still be kept by you, but you can only access it if your QuickBooks Desktop subscription is still valid. Learn how to move your QuickBooks Desktop file to QuickBooks Online.
How to Verify that Your Data is Imported Correctly?
Run a profit and loss or balance sheet report in both QuickBooks Desktop and Online, then compare the two.
How to Create a New Company File in QuickBooks Online?
Under your QuickBooks Online account, you can have multiple companies. You’ll need a paid subscription for each company, but you use the same sign-in information for all of them. Here’s how to add or create a new company.
How will Changing Inventory Methods Impact Your Business?
Using FIFO, QuickBooks Online calculates inventory costs as of the inventory start date. Existing transactions from this date forward are also subject to a FIFO recalculation. In order to prevent having to file revised tax returns, it is advised to choose an inventory start date that is the first day after your company’s most recent tax filing period.
Additionally, you must inform the IRS of your new inventory costing method.
What do You need to do if You don’t Bring over Your Inventory?
You can choose No, don’t turn on inventory, and stop tracking quantity on hand during the move if you’d prefer not to use FIFO or switch on inventory in QuickBooks Online. Later, you can change these settings, but doing so requires creating new inventory items. If you require help with this decision then get in touch with your accountant.
What is a QuickBooks Online Account?
Accounts for QuickBooks Online can be accessed entirely online with a web browser. The sign-in and account information are separate from QuickBooks Desktop.
Does QuickBooks Online Sync with QuickBooks Desktop?
No, QuickBooks Desktop is completely independent of QuickBooks Online.
What are the Limitations of QuickBooks Online?
1. Even though when QuickBooks Online is less costly than the Desktop version, there is monthly subscription fee. It can be an advantage or a limit based on the operation size.
2. QuickBooks Online doesn’t include all the features present in the Desktop version. Based on your selected plan, the included ones too may be walled off. Hence, if you require something specific – such as inventory management or time tracking, you will be required to buy the more advanced plans.