Why is Intuit® Discontinuing Support of My QuickBooks® Software?

Intuit® discontinues live support and access to add-on business services of older desktop versions of QuickBooks® software to focus on supporting more current versions.  This is covered under the Sunset Policy. Once Intuit® has sunset a version of QuickBooks® software, Intuit® will no longer register, provide key codes or offer data and password recovery.

 

Intuit’s Sunset Policy Explained

QuickBooks® desktop software versions are supported by Intuit® for three years.  Every year Intuit® will retire one year’s version of the product. Intuit’s policy is the same whether you are using QuickBooks Pro, Premier, Enterprise, Mac, and Accountant Edition.  This means if you count back three years of the current year’s version of QuickBooks®, the fourth-year back will be the version that will be retired. The retirement date is May 31 each year, so be sure to upgrade before then.  QBALANCE is a member of the QuickBooks Solution Provider Program and a QuickBooks® software reseller and can help you get the best price for your QuickBooks® software upgrade, call 800-216-0763 to speak with a QuickBooks ProAdvisor.

 

What Happens if You Don’t Upgrade?

This depends on whether you use any of the following services or add-ons to QuickBooks® software.  The QuickBooks® services that will stop working include:

  • Enterprise: Annual full-service plan for support must be renewed
  • Email from QuickBooks
  • Workers Comp payment processing within QuickBooks®
  • Payroll Services: Basic, Standard, Enhanced, Full Service, or Assisted
  • ViewMyPaycheck service – need active payroll service as well
  • Credit Card Processing: Merchant Services, automatic credit card billing, terminal downloads of credit card transactions
  • Bank Downloads: Bank Feeds for downloading your bank transactions
  • Bill Pay: No longer connect to your bank to pay bills
  • Accountant Copy Transfer Service: Sending a copy of your company file to your accountant
  • Intuit Payment Network: ACH payments, mobile payments
  • Check Processing: This service allows for accepting check payments by phone and scanning checks for deposit and sending bank deposits from QuickBooks®
  • Multi-Currency and Exchange Rate: for assigning currency types
  • Third-party software add-ons to QuickBooks® desktop products
  • Live QuickBooks® support

 

Using any of the above services or having any add-on products that expand your QuickBooks® functionality, will require an upgrade or the services will stop working.  Your version will need to be upgraded before the end of May to keep all your services and QuickBooks® running smoothly.

For those who don’t use any of the above and still want to use their QuickBooks® Pro, Mac, Premier, or Accountant edition they can do so, at their own risk.  Intuit’s QuickBooks® support is only available on products within three years of the current version.

QuickBooks® Enterprise Subscription users must be on an active account every year.  Enterprise Subscription users must be renewed on their renewal date each year or the Enterprise product will stop working.  

 

Our Recommendation

As QuickBooks ProAdvisors, our recommendation is that it is important to upgrade QuickBooks® software as technology changes. Incompatibilities with operating systems will eventually emerge forcing the QuickBooks® user of old versions to pay for professional conversion services which negate the savings.

We recommend upgrading every three years. Remember, May 31st is when you will need to upgrade your product to continue using the services above without a glitch.  However, if you cannot, then at least every 5 years. Any longer and you seriously risk major compatibility issues that will cost you more in the long run.

Give QBALANCE a call 800-216-0763 and speak with one of our experts.  We can answer your questions and provide you a quote on the QuickBooks® product you are interested in.  Need help with setup and installation? Let us know.