QBO Essentials is too complex for my needs. How can I keep/store my QB online past client & financial records on my desktop and start over with Quicken instead?

You can convert your data to QB Desktop file and use the trial version to access your historical data for good.

I've got steps to ensure you can convert your QuickBooks Online (QBO) data to QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT), johnmelnychuk.

Before converting your data, check out this article to review the export limitations or what will happen to your data after the process: Limitations when you convert from QuickBooks Online to QuickBooks Desktop.

To export your data seamlessly, download and install QBDT on your computer if you haven't already. Then, follow these steps to proceed:

1. Select the URL and replace anything after /app/ with exportqbodatatoqbdt. The URL should say https://app.qbo.intuit.com/app/exportqbodatatoqbdt. Then select Enter on your keyboard.
2. You'll see Export Overview and tap Get Started.
3. Click the Download tool to download the QBDT migration tool.
4. Once you download the tool, launch it to install and select Next.
5. Accept the terms in the license agreement and tap Next.
6. Choose Complete as the type of setup, then Next.
7. Tap Install, then Finish.

Once done, follow Steps 3-5 of this article for the detailed process to continue exporting your data: Move your QuickBooks Online data to QuickBooks Desktop.

Alternatively, you may visit these resources for another option to move your QBO data to the QBDT program: 

• Export Data out of QuickBooks Online 
• Import and export data in QuickBooks Desktop 

If you want to bring the data to Quicken, we can export the files to Excel, starting with your Chart of Accounts and Vendor lists.

1. Go to the Vendors menu, then choose the Vendor Center.
2. From the Excel drop-down, tap Export Vendor List.
3. On the Export window, select Create a new worksheet in a new workbook, and then click Export.
4. Save the Excel sheet.

After that, you can now import the details to Quicken. Here's how:

1. From the File menu, choose Import.
2. Pick Addresses, then click Tab.
3. If the file name did not automatically populate, select Browse, then locate your file. Choose Next.
4. Hit Quicken Field, then Add.
5. Repeat step 4 until you have selected all the fields you want to import, then select Done.

For more details, check this link: How do I import data from Excel to Quicken?

Furthermore, you may want to convert your Quicken data to QuickBooks Desktop. Refer to this article for the detailed steps: How to convert Quicken data to QBDT?

Let me know if you need more help converting data in QuickBooks. I'm always here to help. Take care.