By now you have likely heard of changes to Intuit’s QuickBooks product offerings. If you are a QuickBooks Desktop 2021 user, you should have already received a notice from Intuit stating that the software will be unsupported as of May 31, 2024. QuickBooks Desktop 2021 (and older) users can still upgrade to a newer supported version of QuickBooks - but must do so before July 31, 2024. Intuit has also announced a stop sell of some Desktop products to new customers as of this date. Therefore, those currently using QuickBooks Desktop Pro or Premier 2021 really need to read this article and understand the impact to their use of Intuit products!
What you need to know: Users will need to upgrade to a supported ‘Plus’ version before July 31, 2024. The ‘Plus’ version is subscription based and charges an annual subscription. The subscription price includes an annual upgrade to the newest version of QuickBooks Pro or Premier Plus.
- Active desktop subscriptions support the three most recent years of QuickBooks Desktop software.
- Those already using QuickBooks Desktop Pro or Premier 2022 and newer are already paying this annual fee. When the 2025 version becomes available, users of QuickBooks Desktop Pro/Premier 2022 will need to upgrade to 2023, 2024, or 2025. This upgrade is included in the annual fee they are already paying.
- After July 31, 2024, unsupported users will be unable to upgrade their current QuickBooks product.
- If users do not upgrade their product before July 31, 2024, only QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise or QuickBooks Online will be available for purchase.
After July 31, 2024, customers without an active QuickBooks subscription will no longer be able to purchase QuickBooks Desktop Pro or Premier, QuickBooks Desktop Mac, and QuickBooks Desktop Enhanced Payroll. This change will not impact the following QuickBooks subscribers:
- Existing QuickBooks Desktop Plus and Desktop Payroll subscribers can continue to renew their subscriptions after July 31, 2024.
- QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise products are also not impacted by this change, and customers can continue to purchase Enterprise subscriptions after July 31, 2024.
- QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus, Premier Plus, Mac Plus, and Desktop Enhanced Payroll will not be discontinued. This is a stop sell only for new purchases, not a discontinuation (sunset) of this product line. Existing subscribers of these products can continue to renew their subscriptions after July 31, 2024.
Many of you may not like this recommendation, but Intuit is encouraging those that are new to QuickBooks to consider QuickBooks Online. Intuit has expressed that QuickBooks Online provides many great benefits over Desktop, including remote access, enhanced flexibility, and real-time collaboration. Intuit has also made migration from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online easier than ever.
Watch out for QuickBooks scams and “deals”: If you see a deal for QuickBooks on eBay or elsewhere for a “three-year license,” be aware that all QuickBooks Desktop software is now subscription-based, and these marketing tactics are misleading. Some QuickBooks resellers offer very good pricing due to the volume discounts they receive, but there are also many scams online. Please proceed cautiously and only purchase QuickBooks from Intuit directly or from a trusted QuickBooks reseller.
Next steps: It’s extremely important to remain on a supported version of QuickBooks Desktop to maintain access to live technical support, to access any of the other Intuit add-on services that can be integrated with QuickBooks Desktop, and to receive security patches and updates to protect your valuable employer and financial information included in your QuickBooks software.
If you are a user of QuickBooks Desktop 2021 or before and do not have a subscription and you’d like to continue using QuickBooks Desktop you MUST renew your license soon. The deadline is July 31, 2024, but we recommend that you do it by May 31, 2024. For more information, refer to Intuit’s Frequently Asked Questions about the stop sell.
GreenStone’s tax and accounting department is available to answer questions about QuickBooks if you want to contact your local branch. GreenStone offers a full array of accounting services for farmers and other business owners and are ready to assist you with your financial service needs!
