Moving to QuickBooks
Switching accounting software without losing your history
Whether your books live in a spreadsheet, retiring desktop software or a tool that stopped fitting, we move them over with opening balances that tie out.
Gold tier in Intuit's ProAdvisor program. See my Intuit listing
Matthew Coleman, QuickBooks ProAdvisor, accounting and finance degree. Cranford, NJ. Start with a free health check of your books. You get a quote after we review your books, before any work starts.
Keeping your own books? Tallyfinch does invoices, bank import and reports on your computer. See Tallyfinch
What a good migration includes
A chart of accounts that fits your business, correct opening balances, customer and vendor lists, open invoices and bills, bank feeds connected and reconciled, and a final check that old and new reports agree.
What we ask you for
Your most recent reports and a trial balance from the old system, access to your bank and card accounts, and a list of the apps that connect to your books.
Training
We show you or your staff how to do the day-to-day parts, and what to leave to us.
Common moves
QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks to Xero, spreadsheets to either, or from an older package that is being retired. Each path has different limits on what carries over, such as history, attachments and custom reports.
A safe migration order
Back up the old file and keep it. Clean the data before moving it. Decide the cut-over date, usually the start of a month or year. Move opening balances and open invoices and bills, then compare a trial balance in both systems. Keep the old file read-only for reference.
What to check afterwards
Bank feeds connected, balances match statements, tax and payroll settings carried over, reports you rely on rebuilt, and users have the right access. We hand you a short checklist of what we confirmed.
Related
- Books that won't reconcile
- Years behind on books
- Bookkeeping health check
- Bookkeeping guides
- Accounting software
- Monthly reporting
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with the agency, lender or your professional. Updated October 2026.
FAQ
Common questions
Do you work with QuickBooks?
Yes. We're a QuickBooks ProAdvisor.
Do I lose my history?
No. We bring balances forward and can keep detail as needed.
How long does it take?
It depends on the size and condition of the old books. We scope it first.
Do I need to move all my history?
Not always. Many owners move one or two years and keep the old file archived.
Which software should I choose?
It depends on your business and your accountant. See our <a href="/bookkeeping/software">software guides</a>.
Tallyfinch
Books you keep on your own computer
Tallyfinch does invoices, bills, bank import, reconciliation and the main reports, in a file you own. $99 once, then $5 a month for updates; the app keeps working if you stop the plan. It does not do payroll or sales tax filing. The free download records up to 60 entries.
See Tallyfinch Download it free Compare the three apps