Latest Desktop Release Updates: "Mass Migration"

Perhaps you have been prompted to install a Release (R) Update to any of the QuickBooks Desktop 2022, 2023 or 2024 product lines (Pro or Premier Plus, or Enterprise (v22, v23 or v24).  You've wondered what's in these updates?

For the most part, the updates are based on another push toward migration of desktop users to QuickBooks Online. 

The feature is known as DTM Bulk Migration (Desktop Migration Bulk Migration), and the updates add a feature set aimed at enabling multiple-file migration from desktop by generating export files known as QuickBooks Migration (.QM) file-types.

The update also includes a new 'automated environment' that enables the ability to perform migrations and changes the user experience for generating export file for bulk migration by producing a cycling so that the export files cycle through the process in sequence.

Bulk Migration of Desktop file (up to 50) to QBO was something briefly announced at QuickBooks Connect and while it was 'on the exhibit floor' I personally never witnessed it.  I think I, like a lot of ProAdvisors at QBC, even questioned why 'anyone' would ever try to migrate 50 files at once.

In the first place, who has fifty (50) Desktop files in their possession to migrate at one time.  Perhaps only a few large 'Client Accounting & Advisory Services' Accounting Firms who are still using Desktop to manage their clients files and who decide that the time has come to move them to the cloud. 

I can't imagine any company, with fifty subsidiaries, that they are going to try to migrate their own entire set of files at one time.

Migration is a long process at best, there are countless things to do ahead of moving even a single QuickBooks Desktop file.  From a ProAdvisor perspective, Intuit has published a document they call 'Ensuring Success in Your Client Migration.' This guide is designed to take a ProAdvisor through all the various steps they should perform to simply migrate a single file from Desktop to QBO.

Then there is Intuit's 'Tactical Guide to Migration for Accountants', which represents best practices for moving clients online. It includes pre-conversion preparation, data checking  (verification), test migration, conversion (the actual migration), and then post-conversion follow-up. 

When it comes to the actual migration (conversion as they call it), Intuit even has a guide titled "10 Ways made easier to Migrate to QuickBooks Online'.

Intuit certainly does make it sound simple to just up and migrate fifty (50) QuickBooks Desktop files to QuickBooks Online with the click of the new Batch Migration tool feature within the latest Desktop release. 

• The Batch Migration tool has step-by-step instructions to help you move up to 50 of your clients’ company files to QuickBooks Online.
• The new Batch Migration our clients’ files are QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Premier, or QuickBooks Desktop for Mac company files.
• The instructions say that QuickBooks Enterprise company files aren't supported, yet the update is installing these features in QuickBooks Enterprise Accountant.
• Clients can have no more than fifty (50) employees in QuickBooks Desktop Payroll for the migration to work.
• Client files are still limited to clients’ files no more than 750,000 targets and 5 GB or smaller for the migration to work.
• Client files must be stored locally, they can not be hosted. 
• Client files must be installed on the same local computer as the QuickBooks application running the Batch Migration if the files contain QuickBooks Desktop Payroll data.
• Client files from desktop can not be migrated into QuickBooks Online files with existing payroll data.
• The individual performing the migration must have a QuickBooks Online Accountant subscription.
• The individual performing the migration must have an accountant/Intuit account admin role in each of the client's new QuickBooks Online company file(s).
• Once each QuickBooks Desktop file is converted to QuickBooks Migration (.QM) file, they are uploaded to the migration environment.
• They are then mapped to match each Desktop .QM related file to the proper QuickBooks Online company, and finally the actual migration of each company file into QBO occurs.
• Of course, then all the post migration steps must occur, for each company migrated.

Sounds simple.... right?

This new tool makes everyone a 'Desktop to Online Migration Mogul' (or give you mogul mania headache).

And if you believe that, I've got some lovely desert property located in central Death Valley I'd like to sell you. 

If you're not ready to convert fifty (50) QuickBooks Desktop files to QBO, nor are you ready to by some of my desert property, you might be looking for help even converting a single Desktop file to Online. 

If so, have I got a deal for you.  Insightful Accountant has teamed up with Out-of-the-Box Technologies to provide expert migration for your QuickBooks Desktop files.  They've done thousands of these conversions, are experienced in the before, during and after migration process, and can ensure that each of their conversions are done properly.  

Pro, Premier, Mac or Enterprise,  Out-of-the-Box Technologies can help you get your client's QuickBooks file migrated, without 'the mogul mania headaches.'