You can overwrite unwanted data in “Your Books”, and import new data into QuickBooks Online Accountant, by following the simple steps outlined below. While purging data in a QuickBooks Online client file is the way to remove unwanted data, purging in your QuickBooks Online Accountant can have the unwanted effect of removing linked client accounts. ProAdvisors can safely, quickly and successfully overwrite data by importing new data to replace the old "Your Books" data in their QBOA.
I wrote an article a few weeks ago discussing the importance of testing apps and processes for a client before we, as ProAdvisors, train them how to use their client QuickBooks Online. If you are using "Your Books" for this reason, or if you would just like to remove the information in Your Books, you can remove this unwanted data safely by importing new data and overwriting the old data.
Removing data and overwriting the Your Books data can be done at any time since one of the perks to the Your Books is that there is no expiration as when you can overwrite data, unlike the data in our client’s QBO which can only be overwritten for 90 days. Another bonus is there is no limit as to the number of times the Your Books data can be overwritten. This is wonderful since there are a number of reasons you might want to start over in the Your Books of QuickBooks Online Accountant.
The steps for overwriting the data in Your Books are first start with a QuickBooks Desktop Company File (aka: "on the ground" as opposed to 'in the cloud".) When I want to overwrite data in my Your Books I use QuickBooks Desktop and create an empty company file which has no customers or vendors and just a very basic Chart of Accounts. For purposes of testing, I use the same empty desktop file to upload and overwrite the Your Books. Any QuickBooks Desktop Company file can be uploaded using these steps, so if instead of using a blank desktop file, you can upload a Company file with real content, using these same steps.
The steps to upload and overwrite your "My Books" in QuickBooks Online Accountant are:
Step 1 - Open QuickBooks Desktop located on the C drive of your computer. (Note: Hosted QuickBooks Desktops will need to be brought down to a C drive in order for the automated upload process to work.)
Step 2 - Open your preferred Company file, or a Create a Company file with minimal content.
Step 3 - From the Home screen, Select Company, then choose Export Company file to QuickBooks Online
QBD to QBOA
Step 4 - Use your User ID to Sign In to QuickBooks Online Accountant
Sign-in to QBOA
Step 5 - Choose Your Books company name to Overwrite
Select Your Books to Overwrite
Step 6 - Sit back and watch the magic of the upload
QBD to QBOA Data Upload
Step 7 - To see the results log into your QuickBooks Online Accountant and select Your Books
My Books Company file
Step 8 - My Company is called Test so I can quickly recall what I have uploaded into the Your Books
My Books Test Company
As outlined above, Overwriting the Your Books inside of QuickBooks Online Accountant is safe, meaning you will not lose client data when overwriting data, and quick so the process can be performed any number of times without any expiration and with great success for removing the old, and replacing with new, your data no matter how your are using Your Books.
Editor's Note: This article describes a method to 'overwrite' the Your Books data of your QuickBooks Online Accountant. Make absolutely certain that it is your intent to do so, before undertaking these steps. You CAN NOT reverse the process once you have proceeded with the Overwrite process (Step 5) above.