"To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose...
A time to be born, and a time to die...
A time to keep, and a time to cast away...1"
Intuit will sunset all QuickBooks Desktop 2021 software as of May 31, 2024.
This product sunset includes all 2021 versions of QuickBooks Desktop Pro, QuickBooks Desktop Premier, QuickBooks Desktop for Mac, as well as QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions v21.
Intuit will no longer provide live technical support for any issues associated with this 2021 software after that date. This also means you won't receive critical security patches and product updates in relationship to the 2021 software beginning June 1, 2024.
Specific products impacted by the May 31, 2024 sunset date include:
- QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2021
- QuickBooks Desktop Premier 2021 (General Business, Contractor, Manufacturing & Wholesale, Nonprofit, Professional Services, and Retail)
- QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 21
- QuickBooks Premier Accountant Edition 2021
- QuickBooks Enterprise Accountant 21
- QuickBooks Desktop for Mac 2021
Product Sunset Likely to Impact Your Use of QuickBooks Desktop 2021 after May 31, 2024.
Other Intuit products you may be using can be affected by the sunset of the 2021 software. For example, you won't have access to any of the Intuit services that can be integrated with QuickBooks Desktop if you don't upgrade your QuickBooks Desktop 2021 by May 31, 2024.
Services or software that will be impacted include, but are not necessarily limited to, QuickBooks Desktop Payroll (all versions), QuickBooks Desktop Payments (all versions), and online bank feeds. Other connected services (such as those below) that are based on or through Intuit servers may be impacted by the product sunset.
- Workers' Comp Payment Service
- QuickBooks Workforce (formerly ViewMyPaycheck)
- Credit Card Payment Processing
- Merchant Service Deposit (reconciliation)
- Recurring Payments
- eInvoices
- Payment Processing
- Accountant Copy Transfer Service
- Contributed Reports
- Multi-currency/Exchange Rate
- QuickBooks Time
While Intuit has historically made, whenever possible, customer support for product registration and licensing of sunset QuickBooks Desktop software under Intuit's standard terms and conditions, it does not guarantee it registers, provides key codes, or offers data and password recovery for such versions of QuickBooks.
On or before May 31, 2024, you have two options for transitioning from QuickBooks Desktop 2021.
If you use QuickBooks Desktop 2021 and are using any of the above-mentioned Intuit services, or you subscribe to live technical support, you need to transition to a newer version or alternative product prior to May 31, 2023, if you plan on continuing to use those Intuit services.
- QuickBooks Desktop 2021 users can transition to the 2024 version of QuickBooks Desktop (Pro, or Premier) Plus* or QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise 24.0 depending on your requirements.
- QuickBooks Desktop 2021 users can alternatively migrate to QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Online Advanced depending on needs. If you plan on migrating from Desktop to Online, you can learn more about making the move at this official Intuit website, which includes a short video on migrating your company file(s).
* - You won't find a webpage for these products by searching the Intuit QuickBooks website. For access to these products prior to July 31, 20242 you have a couple of choices:
- Contact a QuickBooks Solution Provider (QSP) who still offers subscriptions to these products. Some of these QSPs still offer them, some do not. Unfortunately, there is no way to 'filter' the providers in the list of QSPs provided here for 'QuickBooks Desktop' as that option has been dropped from the Product Focus. Many of the small firms or individual ProAdvisors on this list can still get you the current 2024 Pro/Premier (Plus) products through the May 31, 2024 sunset date (and possibly through July 31, 2024).
- Another alternative is to contact Intuit QuickBooks Sales at 1-844-324-4881 and specifically "insist" that you want to acquire/subscribe to the 2024 version of QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus or Premier Plus software.
Don't Wait to Make a Necessary Change
Now is the time to plan for this sunset. Do NOT wait until May 31, 2024 to try to make a change. You can count on the fact that Intuit sales will be packed with last-minute users who need to make a change. You can also expect that those QSPs who still market the software will also be busy and that the orders they place on your behalf with Intuit may be delayed due to the last-minute rush.
Best of luck on whatever path you choose.
Footnotes and Disclosures:
1 - Adapted from Ecclesiastes 3, King James Version translation of the Bible (within public domain).
2 - Note: Intuit will stop selling QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus or Premier Plus 'to new US customers' after July 31, 2024; however, they have announced they will provide renewals to existing customers after July 31, 2024.
Feature content was adapted from Intuit source content and other QuickBooks resources. Content adapted by Insightful Accountant from Intuit sources is furnished for educational purposes only.
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