Question Discontinued - Quickbooks Premier Desktop -

[2B]

Who is using QBD (QuickBooks Desktop) and where did you get it from?
We were using the QuickBooks premier manufacturing and wholesale edition 2020, and up until todays notice, we would update every 3 years to keep the add-ons operational.

Now this is discontinued and it is either
* ANNUAL $799 Per User
* ONLINE $512 Per User

It seems Quickbooks is / has discontinued Quickbooks "Desktop" and to keep using the add-ons (Intuit, payroll, security updates, ETC) you have to change to either an ANNUAL download plan or 100% online with QB storing the data

For those that use QuickBooks, what did you change to annual or online? Did you leave QB for another program?

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I used the desktop version for almost 15 years before switching to the online version. The desktop seems like the "guts" of the program haven't changed since the 1990s. I went with online because the invoicing and payments process is cleaner for the customer. At first it seemed more limited... but I've been on it almost 4 years now and it's fine. In that 4 years I've never had a problem with it not responding or not being available. It moves relatively fast. I can access it from multiple computers and remotely without a problem... the desktop version gave me fits trying to access it from somewhere else. No issues with bank syncing. All in all it's fine.

I've used Wave before and it did fine but it had a fatal flaw in that I couldn't setup the invoice to show a deposit required.. and my biggest client had to have it setup a certain way and I couldn't do it with Wave but could with QB Online.

 

[MikePatterson]

We use the Desktop subscription. We did the same, upgrade after 2 or 3 years. It sucks to be on their subscription plan but I didnt want our books to on "their" servers. And we also use print boss addon for our check printing, if we migrated to online it would have been a royal PITA to print checks.

 

[ABA Visibility Products]

We use the Desktop subscription. We did the same, upgrade after 2 or 3 years. It sucks to be on their subscription plan but I didnt want our books to on "their" servers. And we also use print boss addon for our check printing, if we migrated to online it would have been a royal PITA to print checks.

Printboss has a QB Online version that does check printing for you with the exception of Payroll checks. It's bit of a process but it does work.

 

[ChaseO]

We went online about a year ago. There are still some quirks after getting used to the desktop version, but the invoicing and getting payments does seem to be growing on us. I am not a fan of them discontinuing our desktop version that we paid for. Between QB, 2 drawing programs, and software to run the router, I think I'm over 500 a month in subscriptions. I hate it.

 

[signdudegraphix]

We went online about a year ago. There are still some quirks after getting used to the desktop version, but the invoicing and getting payments does seem to be growing on us. I am not a fan of them discontinuing our desktop version that we paid for. Between QB, 2 drawing programs, and software to run the router, I think I'm over 500 a month in subscriptions. I hate it.

Get V-Carve Pro to run your router. Signlab and FlexiSign have non subscription software. Photoshop is a steal for $120/year subscription in my opinion. We’ve been using QB online for a few years. The main thing we noticed is that our customers pay faster. It’s a good fit for our business.

 

[caribmike]

I switched from Desktop to Online a while back. I find it much better for many reasons. The days of actually "owning" software are over, which I understand from a business prospective completely.

 

[CanuckSigns]

We switched to Online about 4 years ago, we could never get the desktop version to network properly and allow 2 people to use it at once, but the online version does this very well obvously. However the online version is not without it's issues, about once every 3 months I need to switch from firefox to chrome because it won;t work in one or the other, not sure why.

Also, be aware that there is no path of succession out of quickbooks online, you can import your QB company file into online, but you can not export it from Online, so make sure you really think it will work for you before you start entering a ton of data into it.

 

[Kemik]

Everything is going to subscription services now, music, television, software, games, I even have to pay a subscription fee to use the remote start on my car.. What's next, Grocery subscription services?, no milk and eggs for you unless you pay us monthly in advance!

 

[signmania]

We tried 2 years ago to upgrade from desktop 2016 to 2021. QB said you couldn't, but we found a certified support company that sold it to us. Turns out it was a version being sold in Canada only. It worked fine (we're a small company and don't do taxes or payroll on it--just invoicing and keeping track of expenses). Problem came up when we tried to get support for some questions and they wanted over $1k for a year's support. We went online with the "starter" package for $25/month; within 6 months it was $30/month. It doesn't have the functionality of a more expensive version (no place to put customer PO in a reserved field, limited space for invoice description when searching for an old job, limited ability to customize invoice, etc.) but I didn't want to spend more. If I was a larger company I would have. I'm not a fan of QB for a bunch of reasons, but since everything is going subscription I had no choice.

 

[White Haus]

We've been on Desktop Pro + Payroll and just pay annually for subscription. We've tried Online and it's garbage as far as I'm concerned. You can't customize much and every time I asked about missing features that were in Desktop they just shrugged. I don't know how they get away with forcing customers into an Online version that only has about 70% of the features of the Desktop features.

Next step will be dropping Desktop altogether, which I'm sure is coming. That will be the day we move to another company.

Curious as to what the Manufacturing edition offers? I've never heard of it before.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

We tried 2 years ago to upgrade from desktop 2016 to 2021. QB said you couldn't, but we found a certified support company that sold it to us. Turns out it was a version being sold in Canada only. It worked fine (we're a small company and don't do taxes or payroll on it--just invoicing and keeping track of expenses). Problem came up when we tried to get support for some questions and they wanted over $1k for a year's support. We went online with the "starter" package for $25/month; within 6 months it was $30/month. It doesn't have the functionality of a more expensive version (no place to put customer PO in a reserved field, limited space for invoice description when searching for an old job, limited ability to customize invoice, etc.) but I didn't want to spend more. If I was a larger company I would have. I'm not a fan of QB for a bunch of reasons, but since everything is going subscription I had no choice.

You can manually design your invoice layout and type in "PO" next to another field. I use the "Tracking Number" field next to the words PO.

 

[signmania]

Sorry, just saw your response. I'm using the "starter" package to save money. According to QB I have to use one of their templates (there are a few available). If I want a more custom invoice I've got to upgrade. I just take a pen and write the PO on the invoice when the client picks it up! I'm cheap.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

We've been on Desktop Pro + Payroll and just pay annually for subscription. We've tried Online and it's garbage as far as I'm concerned. You can't customize much and every time I asked about missing features that were in Desktop they just shrugged. I don't know how they get away with forcing customers into an Online version that only has about 70% of the features of the Desktop features.

Next step will be dropping Desktop altogether, which I'm sure is coming. That will be the day we move to another company.

Curious as to what the Manufacturing edition offers? I've never heard of it before.

So you can keep desktop? What do you have to do? I am dreading being forced into online. It's a dummy version, like a telephone with gigantic buttons for people who can't see.

 

[netsol]

2021 was the last "non subscription" product
i switched a few cusotomers over to it

they actually "pulled back" unsold product in early 2022

you can still find a few vendors who have some "in the back room" (a developing black market)

i don't currently have a source, but, i am not taking new clients so, it all works out for me

 

[Notarealsignguy]

2021 was the last "non subscription" product
i switched a few cusotomers over to it

they actually "pulled back" unsold product in early 2022

you can still find a few vendors who have some "in the back room" (a developing black market)

i don't currently have a source, but, i am not taking new clients so, it all works out for me

So with a subscription can you still use the desktop verion?

 

[White Haus]

So you can keep desktop? What do you have to do? I am dreading being forced into online. It's a dummy version, like a telephone with gigantic buttons for people who can't see.

Yep. We're currently on subscription for Quickbooks Desktop Pro 2023 w/ payroll, it's just what we've always done. Keeps us up to date and we just upgrade/install new version every year.
I would just call them and tell them you want to subscribe to that and that you don't want to listen to their nonsense pitch about stupid-ass QBO.

I'll never switch to QBO unless they match 100% of the features that Desktop has. It's a cute "app" for small businesses that don't know/care about full accounting software. And I'm no accountant by any stretch but I wouldn't want to lose any of the functionality of Desktop Pro.

 

[netsol]

yes, absolutely

 

[netsol]

we used to be able to "cheat" with quickbooks pro premium
it came in several "flavors"

accountant version (let you open multiple different companies + versions more than 3 years old
contractor versions (read custom fields from popular add ons that are sold
not for profit (has additonal fields that are only good for charities in the database

now, if you load not for profit, it won't let you load on a different pc & choose a different customization

they finally caught on (30 years too late)

 

[Notarealsignguy]

I guess that is good news then? I have been desperately searching for more things to perpetually subscribe to. There won't be many more short hairs to grab hold of here soon.