Quickbooks Stopping Support For Desktop Software - What Should I Do Now?

As you may have seen in the media, financial software giant Intuit has stated that it will officially stop supporting the use of Quickbooks for Desktop on June 30th 2023. 

They say that the main reasons behind the decision are compliance and regulation changes, and a new UK product development strategy. 

Although Quickbooks for desktop will continue to function for clients, it will likely be exposed to increasing security risks as time goes on. With it predicted to become virtually unusable for clients who decide to soldier on at some point in the future. 

Even Quickbooks themselves have allegedly advised against its continued use, and for its customers to take immediate action.

This has left many firms that are users of Quickbooks desktop software facing the major technical problem of being without any viable HMRC recognised accountancy software.

This is forcing Quickbook desktop users to move to paid monthly subscription plans or find an alternative. This added cost of subscribing to a monthly cloud accounting software subscription can cost anywhere between £10 and £70 per month.

This is an unwelcome additional cost, especially as many of QuickBooks desktop users originally bought a perpetual licence to avoid paying monthly. Sage desktop software users faced a similar situation last year, as the FT reported back in December. 

For comparison, Crunch subscriptions start from £24.50 including software and accountancy support for Sole Traders, only 50p more expensive per month compared to Quickbooks software only Essentials plan. Whereas our Limited Company Pro plan including directors payroll, accountancy support, enhanced software and much more comes in at only £79.50. Just £9.50 per month more than Quickbooks software only Advanced plan.

Many accountants across the UK are also desperately seeking alternatives. One option of course is switching to Quickbooks Online however, this will be problematic for many users. 

Due to the fact that the parity of several key features is inconsistent between QuickBooks Desktop and Quickbooks Online, it’s difficult for clients to smoothly transition. As they won’t be able to access the same features and perform some of the same essential tasks that were available on the Desktop version. 

The only possible solution for this is to use various other integrated third-party software for different functions. Which could create a clumsy and inefficient user experience - this could feel like a step backwards with hindered usability.

Secondly, for clients wanting to adopt Quickbooks Online or other platforms, like Xero or Sage, there’s an issue with moving data across. Quickbooks does have a data export tool, but this, surprisingly, does not enable clients to directly transfer from the desktop version to the Online version.

Instead Quickbooks has partnered with a third-party provider, MoveMyBooks, and is offering this service free for clients that only wish to migrate accounting data for this current and previous financial year. 

However, this offer is not set to be permanent. And for every extra year clients want to migrate accounting data will cost £75. 

Lastly, clients that have already tried to switch platforms with MoveMyBooks have reported errors between converted data. Namely comparative inconsistencies with VAT codes, credit note allocations and missing data as apparent issues. So, support from an expert accountant is recommended.

Needless to say, with such a range of potential obstacles, Quickbooks clients are naturally looking for a more cost-effective and straightforward solution.

Fortunately there is one winning option for this:

Crunch can make switching accountancy firms and transferring your data a stress free experience.

What’s more, depending on your use case, our Crunch software can perform all the same functions as QuickBooks, with the added benefit of human support from our accounting experts. And when there are more complex needs, or ecommerce customers, we have chosen to use Xero alongside leading integrations to support UK SMEs.

Importantly, all our packages include the cost of the accounting software as standard, so there's no additional subscription costs to pay. It's all included.

And even better yet…

To see how Crunch has helped over 40,000 entrepreneurs like you, let’s examine some of the core features and benefits of our packages.

• Innovative online accounting software that can handle VAT, Self Assessment, Expenses, Invoices and all other accounting tasks that's included in our prices. 

• Affordable prices: Sole Traders Pro £24.50, Limited Companies from £41.50 and businesses looking for a boost can pick from one of our XL packages from £159.50.

• Your own dedicated Client Manager and ACCA Chartered Certified Accountant support when you need it to help answer all of your questions 

• Support to migrate all your data from your old online accountancy software

• Access to exclusive and unique resources to help you grow your business, as well as our online Chorus community of small-business owners where you can share you can share questions and inspiration

• Bookkeeping add-on if you require it and support your transition

• Our brand new mobile app to help you manage your finances on the go

You can switch to Crunch in just three effortless, hassle-free steps:

1. Just book a consultation with an advisor who will walk you through the process
2. Inform your previous accountant that you’re leaving
3. Speak to your Client Manager who’ll initiate the data transfer

It’s that easy.

So there's no need to panic about finding a new accountancy service. Join Crunch and you can pick up where you left off with minimal fuss. To learn more about our different packages and what they can do for your business visit our pricing page.