Move QB Desktop to QBO

Some features will move and won't be transferred from QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) to QuickBooks Online (QBO), Thassell1963.

When you switch to QBO, please note that certain specific features, such as custom templates and custom fields, will not carry over from the desktop version. As a result, you will need to recreate any custom templates you’ve made in QBDT once you transition to QBO Advanced.

Regarding the issues you should be aware of or prepare for during the transition to QBO, please ensure that you export your reports as Excel files and back up your company file to avoid data loss. This will help ensure a smoother transition.

For further details on the features that can and cannot be transferred from QBDT to QBO, as well as the terminology used in QBO, please refer to this article: Learn how features and data move from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online.

Switching from QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) to QuickBooks Online (QBO) can be easy with QuickBooks Live Assisted! Our friendly experts are here to help you every step of the way. We'll make sure your important data is transferred smoothly and guide you through setting up your new QBO account.

Additionally, you have the option to reduce the file size of the file you need to import while migrating to QBO. For more information, please check this article: Condense your QuickBooks Desktop file for import to QuickBooks Online.

If you have any more questions about transferring from QBDT to QBO, don’t hesitate to reply to this thread. We are here to help you.

@Thassell1963  RE: We are moving to QBO Advanced and wondering about our templates we've created. 

No, they won't be converted. And you won't be able to re-create them because QuickBooks Online is missing so much functionality compared to Desktop. Online customers say the invoices and other sales forms printed from Online look cartoonish and unprofessional, as if they're designed by children who don't know how business works.

Most Desktop users who convert to Online aren't happy with Online. It's far less capable in many ways. I'd avoid it if at all possible.

If you still decide to switch to Online, you can use the Desktop trial version to access your historical data for good.