QuickBooks Desktop is changing. Intuit no longer sells QuickBooks Desktop Pro or Premier to new customers. QuickBooks Desktop is losing support in phases, and the main deadlines depend on your version. QuickBooks Desktop 2023 support ends May 31, 2026, and QuickBooks Desktop 2024 support ends September 30, 2027.
If your company is using a QuickBooks Desktop product, now is a good time to consider what comes next. Rather than simply moving to Intuit's cloud subscription, consider moving to a complete accounting and ERP system, like Connected, which offers both local desktop (no subscriptions) and cloud subscription options.
Connected brings important aspects of the business into a single location. Access to all aspects of the business in a single system makes moving easier than you think.
What to expect if your business is considering moving from QuickBooks Desktop to Connected?
 | Posted Means Posted - With a Clear Correction Trail |
QuickBooks Desktop lets you edit or delete transactions. Edits can be done even months after a period is "closed", with admin permission. Connected locks posted transactions into a permanent audit trail, so corrections are always documented, never quietly erased, and your team will always know who made an adjustment and when, thanks to Connected's record info and audit trail.
| ✗ QUICKBOOKS DESKTOP | ✓ CONNECTED |
| Closed-period transactions can be modified by authorized users with closing-date access. Changes are available through exception reporting. | Posted transactions are preserved within Connected's audit trail, with corrections handled through documented reversing/voiding procedures. |
 | Customer and Vendor Records with Unique IDs |
QuickBooks lets customer or vendor records be created with nothing but a name, so duplicate records can pile up fast. Connected uses dedicated customer and vendor identification numbers, providing a more structured approach to maintaining accounts.
| ✗ QUICKBOOKS DESKTOP | ✓ CONNECTED |
| Customer and Vendor IDs are optional, so records can be created without them, which can make consistent record management more difficult as the database grows. | Required customer and vendor identification numbers provide a consistent structure for organizing, identifying, and maintaining account records. |
 | Every Account Gets a Number |
QuickBooks doesn't require General Ledger account numbers, so a chart of accounts can often end up messy and half-numbered. Connected requires a number on every account, turning a chart of accounts into an organized map that's easy to navigate, sort, and hand off to an external accountant.
| ✗ QUICKBOOKS DESKTOP | ✓ CONNECTED |
| Account numbers are optional, often resulting in partial numbering or no numbers at all. | Account numbering is built into the account structure, helping maintain an organized chart of accounts. |
 | Keep Orders, Shipments, and Back Orders in Connected |
QuickBooks Desktop Pro does not include complete order management or back order tracking. Partial shipments and back orders often require duplicate entries and/or manual back order creation. Connected tracks order confirmation, quantity ordered, quantity shipped, and quantity back ordered, on a single Sales Order row for each item.
| ✗ QUICKBOOKS DESKTOP PRO | ✓ CONNECTED |
| Complete order management is not available, making partial shipment and back order tracking a very manual process. | A single Sales Order tracks ordered, shipped, allocated, and back ordered quantities throughout the order process. |
 | What About Payroll? |
Connected doesn't process payroll directly, and that's by design. Dedicated payroll providers stay on top of tax tables, remittances, and ever-changing legislation so you don't have to. Your business is free to choose the provider that fits and switch anytime without touching the rest of your ERP.
| “Connected doesn't process payroll directly, and that's intentional. We focus on accounting and ERP and work with dedicated payroll providers whose specialty is payroll. They're responsible for keeping up with changing tax tables, remittances and payroll legislation, while Connected focuses on business financials and operations. It also gives you the flexibility to change payroll providers in the future without having to change your entire ERP system.” |
Why Growing Businesses Choose Connected
None of this is friction for its own sake. It's exactly what a growing business needs from its accounting system: posting discipline, clean records, organized accounts, real order tracking, and the freedom to choose your own payroll provider.
QuickBooks Desktop was never built to answer these needs, while Connected was.
About Connected
The Connected Accounting and ERP platform, by Accountek Solutions Inc., has been helping SMBs manage their businesses for over 35 years. With our best-in-class Connected on Demand cloud (subscription) and trusted Desktop application for macOS and PC (perpetual license), Connected offers the choices businesses demand. The Connected platform is offered in both Connected Enterprise and a scaled-down Connected Core Financials configuration.
To learn which Connected product and platform is best for your business, complete our software Needs Analysis or Download a Free Trial today. If you have questions, call us today @ (888) 678-5856.
Connected Accounting and ERP by Accountek Solutions Inc.
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