One consideration if you’re using QuickBooks Online is that you are storing your company’s mission-critical data on Intuit’s server. They insist that it’s stored in multiple locations, with backups, and that all are encrypted. So I’m not really concerned about someone breaking into my file, but what I AM concerned about is that there is no way to go back in time, if something unexpected happens with my transactions (read: I make a big fat mistakebut I’m a ProAdvisor so that never happens to me). If I were using QuickBooks Desktop, I could always go into a backup file from a few days ago and restore it. But with QuickBooks Online, you don’t have that option, because it doesn’t make local backups. Here’s what you CAN do!

QuickBooks Desktop for Mac is back, and better than ever, with more ease and productivity on the platform you love. QuickBooks for Mac helps small businesses get organized to save time while managing their finances.

Periodically, in QBO go to the Gear > Tools > Export Data. This procedure will create a version of your financial data that you can view on a Desktop copy of QuickBooks. If you’re on a Mac, you can also use QuickBooks Desktop’s utility to convert the file for viewing on a Mac. This won’t allow you to change your data and then re-upload it, but at least you can sleep soundly knowing that if anything happens to Intuit, your company is not lost. An issue, though: When I tried this for the first time, it didn’t work, and I had to call QuickBooks Online support. Internet Explorer has several security settings that prevent the download and conversion from working. Here are the steps I had to take.

• You do need to be on a PC using Internet Explorer to make this happen. • Press and hold ALT+T to get to the Tools Menu and then go to Security and uncheck Enable Protected Mode. • Add to the Trusted Sites.

• Go to Privacy then click on Advanced button. On Advanced Privacy Settings window, check the boxes for Override automatic cookie handling and Always allow session cookies. • On the Privacy tab, click the checkbox for Turn On Pop-up Blocker then add qbo.intuit.com.

Make sure to uncheck the checkbox for Turn On Pop-up Blocker afterwards. • From Tools in IE, go to Compatibility View Settings then add and check the checkbox for Display All Websites in Compatibility View. • On the Advanced tab in Internet Options, unclick the checkbox for Enable Enhanced Protected Mode.

• Close then re-open IE. • From the Tools in IE, go to Internet Options then Security tab. Click on Custom Level then disable the Enable XSS Filter and Scripting of Java Applets. • Continue with the download but please make sure that the desktop version is open to the No Company Open screen. When you’re done with the download, don’t forget to put back steps 3, 4, 6, and 8 or you will open your PC to viruses. Alicia, I have QBO and am trying to convert over to PRO 2017. My company has outgrown QBO.

I have been trying to export this file now for a few weeks and ive tried a million different things, but it will not convert over. I am on a windows 7 machine and have IE11. Ive went though all the above mentioned steps.

If I do the compatibility mode step my screen goes white. (I can’t see anything on the web page). When I hit convert with pro open to the no company selected page it gets to about 6 percent every time and completely crashes and asks me to try it again.

I have calls into support but constantly get the run around. Is there any light you can shed on my situation? Have you head of this issue before?

Alicia, I have followed all the steps and it appears that my desktop version is not finding the file, it will say there is an open window of Quickbooks running and it will use that one but nothing happens. I have ensured all company files all closed on Desktop version. I am running a QB Accountant Desktop 2015. I pretty much can get through all the steps of downloaded, converting, picking the file location of where I want it saved and thats as far as it goes. Any help would be great! Thank you Tisha. I have sucessfuly conducted the export functions from Quicbooks Online (QBO) and upload to Quickbooks Premire.

But when i look at my P&L and Balance sheet, I notice that only 5 of my 6 customers data have been exported. I have redone the export function several times and QBO keeps omitting this 6th customer. I go back and make sure all is in line to allow for proper export where this customer is “active” and all task for this customer is “active”. This is my longest serving customer with the most data so without this customer the exported information is useless as the P&L and Balance sheet are off-wrong in QB premier with this customers data missing. I am going out-of-my-witts trying to figure out why theQBO system won’t inlcude this customer in my exports from QBO each time I re-do the export.