Intuit Discontinues QuickBooks Desktop Advanced ProAdvisor Certification

September 28, 2018

3:00 PM

Intuit has just announced the discontinuation of the QuickBooks ProAdvisor Desktop Advanced Certification effective December 31, 2018. They cited a 'declining number of certifications' over the last several years as the basis for this decision.

Persons currently certified as QuickBooks Desktop Advanced ProAdvisors will continue to maintain their benefits for a period of three (3) years starting January 1, 2019, including their listing on the Find-A-ProAdvisor site, and support status.

Persons pursuing the certification must complete and pass the examination my December 31, 2018 in order to gain certification and commence their 3 years of benefits.

As a part of this discontinuation of the Advanced (Desktop) Certification for ProAdvisors, the ACE (Advanced Continuing Education) requirement is being eliminated immediately. Persons currently certified as QuickBooks Desktop Advanced ProAdvisors do not need to acquire any additional ACE credits to keep their certification.

Comments (18)

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If it doesn't make sense, follow the money...

Adopting a subscription model means an almost-assured consistent, and steadily growing, revenue stream for Intuit. It's the way of the future and, while people complain, they all adapt at the end. A true revolt involves dropping QuickBooks and getting something else that will not end up doing the same thing. Are you willing to drop QuickBooks? QuickBooks is betting that you will not. They are right. With some luck we'll find open-source software that can do the job, but those require higher technical skills to implement, integrate and use. (And don't get me started on the power to increase the subscription price--what are you going to do? drop 'em in the middle of your work? No, you will not. You'll bite the bullet)

On a darker note, they'll have access to data that will help them sell more products and services (of course, that's private data that they would never touch...wink, wink). That huge database is more appealing than anything else to these companies. Apply some data analytics to it and they can now manipulate businesses. A subscription-only version of the software is a great way to grow that database. Whoever has that data wins!

Adobe did the same thing. It started with desktop design software, followed by a period where they supported both desktop and cloud-based (while they were trying to move you to the cloud), and now it's only subscription based. You pay them forever. Many people complained. I take it they all stayed put because Adobe keeps making money. If you stop paying, you can't work with your files and must find a way to convert them or recreate them in the new software (a nightmare). Basically, you keep paying.

That's my two cents, hoping I'm very wrong and we do have an option that will not go to the cloud.

Margarita more than 6 years ago

Advanced Desktop Certification

Dropping the Advanced Desktop Certification from the Find-a-ProAdvisor web site and the loss of Diamond Level Support for Desktop will mean the close of my business in three years. I only have 2 clients on QBO. I have moved clients from QBO to desktop at their request. QBO is not for every client and it is very expensive. QBO software plus add-ons can almost cost as much in a month as QBD cost for using for three years. My clients are SMALL business owners who cannot afford the growing price of QBO. The employee's at Intuit seem to be getting younger and bringing in new ideas without understanding that most businesses are long term and older. Desktop ads great new options every year but the main accounting options stay about the same. The look of QBO changes constantly. Thinking that it is time to find a new desktop software for my clients.

Sandra Lee Purvis more than 6 years ago

Advanced Desktop Cert

Yeah. One less certification to keep in compliance!

Christy Bertani more than 6 years ago

Quit all Intuit products; they still won't see the light

The original focus of QuickBooks, the elimination of unnecessary accountants from business overhead, was what made the product soar.

That is still winning sell. That is no longer the Intuit focus--now it is selling parts of their spreadsheet interface on subscription only basis. The usability and consumers' need are no longer a focus for this poorly run company.

In 2002 Universities were considering dropping various accountant training programs because of QuickBooks simplicity. Now business owners are looking for a new helpful software that focuses on them, not the manufacturer's bulging pockets. As corporate secretary, I oversee accounting for 11 small companies. All have said clearly, "Find an alternative."

Then there is the security issue--no Microsoft OS written to date is secure. Despite the myriad of exploits already exposed, there is a fundament coding problem with services allocation coding which cannot be secured or patched ("bloat the code" Microsoft's answer to everything, rather than coding correctly). I have heard there are other basic problems with the code but this one cannot, for sure, be rectified without a whole new operating system--not bloating the code of old poorly written software with huge patches. Patches cannot fix a fundamental flaw.

Then there is the fact that nothing online is secure. True people who do not want to steal are securely outside, those who do can always get to the online code and then to the data. It is too easy to steal keystrokes and bypass security to make the idea of online storage a reality for anything that is not disposable--like the porn you don't want your wife or boyfriend to find. Everything else has no business being attached to the Internet.

Then we have "the Privilege Aspect." Anything in the hands of a third party is not privileged, not protected. Ergo, no one should never store anything online--no matter what the level of encryption. It will be used against your client without your permission.

Given these factors and the likelihood QuickBooks is based on Microsoft code and stored on servers not owned not by the user, the Inuit plan is fatally flawed. It should not be incorporated by any professional keeping client data. There is no answer to these major problems. Nor are they likely to change in the future.

Don't toss your abacuses--they can't be hacked. Or ...
use Intuit's bad idea and be the next NewEgg incident pasted all over the Hacker News. ©2018

PS. This comment if read with an open unbiased mind should get you looking elsewhere for an accounting program. "Intuit, just big enough to fail." You read it here first.

Doktor Thomas more than 6 years ago

WOW! Lots of nerves touched here

I was a bit stunned when I saw the notice from Intuit that the Advanced Cert for QB-DT was being terminated. The argument put forth - continual decline in number of (new?) advanced cert-holders seemed pretty weak. I'll bet if we saw the entire story and all the numbers it would look different. IOW - I suspect someone cherry-picked the stats to push the party-line.
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And so the Intuit love-hate soap opera plays on.
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They kiss us, and then they diss us.
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And then they send us flowers and trinkets to get back into our good favor.
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If we had not seen this movie before it might be different.
But there are a lot of highly-trained individuals who are (again) essentially being told that they don't match up with all the generic cookie-cutter QB worker bees.
Hey Intuit - do you "eat your own cookin' "? I recall all the training that advises us to specialize in the things that our client want. Now you seem to be telling us that we should only specialize in what Intuit thinks is important.
I am slightly hopeful that someone at HQ will realize how the entire situation was badly misread, and the decision to pull the plug will be reversed.

Bill Rogers more than 6 years ago

Intuit Changes affecting Accounting Professionals

Just another stab at loyal customers and product advocates. Over half of Intuit customers are on desktop, but executive management at Intuit does not seem to care. Its all about pushing everyone into a single product (QBO), which is in NO WAY a good choice for everyone. It is not a once size fits all for customers. I guess if they don't care that they will lose half their client base to other more robust products, then I guess we should all be looking at how we can start supporting those clients elsewhere. Enterprise level clients will not migrate to QBO anytime soon. Also, Intuit is cutting us out of offering discounts to existing clients via our wholesale billing for QBO. Why do they only care about acquiring new QBO clients via discounts, but exclude existing ones from those same benefits. Makes no sense!

Lisa MCCarthy more than 6 years ago

A TERRIBLE decision for all concerned

Often, short-term expedient advantage does not provide lasting long-term gain. Even if Intuit does decide not to offer Advanced Desktop certification after December 31, there is no compelling reason to drop (in late 2021, or at any other time) those ProAdvisors who have already earned this designation. Keeping such ProAdvisors on the Find-a-ProAdvisor web site would benefit Intuit in at least two ways:
1. Intuit would not need to edit and test that site’s code, saving them time and money and, much more importantly,
2. Current customers and future prospects would see a greater commitment from Intuit to the Desktop line than they would otherwise see. Customers, both current and future, may well look for other accounting packages if they do not wish to migrate to QBO, and if they see Intuit’s support of Desktop to be weakening. Intuit could lose a great deal of money when current customers abandon them and future prospects look elsewhere for a solution they feel to be better supported.

While the elimination of Advanced Certification (Desktop) exams after December 31 may be defensible, eliminating Advanced-Certified (Desktop) benefits after 12/31/2021 (or at any other foreseeable time) can not be justified under the laws of reason or of good business practices.

Intuit, save yourself, your valued ProAdvisors, and your future customers/prospects this unnecessary and very preventable loss. Do NOT drop Find-a-ProAdvisor listings, or eliminate Desktop Diamond-Level support. You will be much happier with the results. So will your valued Advanced ProAdvisors who often make the difference between happy Intuit customers and those who are much less happy, or who are not at all happy.

J. Brian Dreger more than 6 years ago

Decision made for Intuit and not users

Users need to know who is a brand new ProAdvisor and who has been around for years and has advanced knowledge on the ProAdvisor listing. Taking away the Desktop Advanced Certification will not differentiate us from others. This does appear to be a push to QBO which is not always a good fit for a client. What will happen with Diamond Tech Support? If we also have Online Advanced will we still receive Diamond Support for Desktop? Did Intuit ask the ProAdvisor's before making this decision? This is very disappointing to have one of the tools in our toolbox taken away when we have been so loyal to Intuit for many years. What will they take away next? Intuit, please reconsider!

Annie Kendrick more than 6 years ago

Intuit has to stop this game

Intuit has to stop this unilateral decision to do away with this certification. Pro Advisors have worked hard to achieve this and dropping it is certainly not fair. This would drop the rankings and the Diamond support is something we rely on many a times. I agree with all those who have commented earlier. It is time Intuit thought about Pro Advisors - especially the seasoned ones who have been out there since 1995 / 1996. We have supported Intuit all these years - and we get this ??. Unfair - absolutely unfair. !!

Business Brains more than 6 years ago

Intuit Please Reconsider

Ditto to everyone else's comments. The Advanced Certification came about as a way to differentiate the "cream of the crop" from the average advisor who doesn't have the same level of expertise and experience that some of us do. I too have converted more clients from QBO to QBD then the reverse. Although I'm embracing QBO it is not always a good fit for every client and the business owners that are older than the 20 something's like and want to stay on Desktop. We need and want Diamond Tech Support in Tuscon and Florida. We even sometimes stump them. Intuit please reconsider this decision and at the very least allow those that have worked hard to maintain this status the ability to continue.

Sharon Vetsch more than 6 years ago

Why not discontinue the exam, but grandfather the benefits?

I'm quite disappointed to have received this e-mail. I, like all others who passed this exam worked quite hard in order to do so. It is something of which we are proud and something that helps distinguish us and show our specialization in QB Desktop. How would a CPA feel that worked so hard to pass the CPA exam if they heard that they were doing away with the CPA certification and the governing body which issued the certification would no longer acknowledge that certification after 3 years?

I understand the advanced certification exam has had a decline in interest for people to pursue this certification. It is understandable considering the push of QB Online. Nonetheless, I don't believe those who earned the certification should have it dropped off their ProAdvisor profiles. Stop offering the exam, but don't remove the certification from all those who earned it.

I was disappointed when they decided to no longer show all our past certifications. This took away the ability for the customers searching through the ProAdvisor site to be able to view all our years of experience working with the product.

Now I do wonder about what will happen to our listing rankings once the advanced certification is gone. As I understood it, being advanced certified had a big impact on appearing higher in the listings. Some of us even worked hard to get advanced certified in both desktop and online. Will we now drop in the listings as a result of having this certification taken away?

If maintaining the certification exam for newcomers is no longer financially feasible, why not grandfather the benefits for all those ProAdvisors that dedicated themselves so much to QuickBooks that they spent all the extra time it took to be able to pass this exam in order to have this distinction?

Mario Hernandez more than 6 years ago

QuickBooks certification

Will they continue having the regular QuickBooks Professional Advisor membership? If not what is the point of paying for A ProAdvisor membership? It is very expensive for only 1 help question per year.

Joyce Jones more than 6 years ago

Disappointing

Seems like a strategic way to push more ProAdvisors to QBO advanced certification. Wish we could have some sort of 'legacy" tag for having once been and advanced proadvisor on desktop. That would be something, at least. Might make this pill easier to swallow.

Kimberly A Moore more than 6 years ago

Intuit should not get rid of the QBD Advanced Cert

I do not think that this is a good decision on Intuit's part. Those of us that have taken the time to take this certification it separates us from the pack as an Advanced Desktop Certified ProAdvisor. Now they are going to take this away?! I for one am not happy about this.

Jacqueline L. Dailey more than 6 years ago

Advanced Certification Discontinued

Most of my clients are on Desktop. Without the Advanced Certification, I will loose my Diamond level with ProAdvisor support, listing on the Find-A-ProAdvisor site, and much more. This is really going to impact my business in 3 years. Does this mean that the end of Desktop is coming? I have clients that want to be moved from OnLine to Desktop now. Will I need to move them back in 3 years. Not all clients and ProAdvisors like or use OnLine.

Sandra Lee Purvis more than 6 years ago

NO QBO

I know. Everyone I know and work with absolutely detest QuickBooks Online. We love QB Desktop. What is wrong with Intuit? I have been a QuickBooks user for over 14 years (my whole career) and I can't stand QBO. I wish there was a software company that could mimic QBD. I would switch all of my clients from Intuit software in a heartbeat.

Amanda Peterson, CPA more than 5 years ago

Discontinue

I think this is really a mistake. I clean up after "certified" PAs all the time. The current certification test is so lame and doesn't test much of anything!

Vicki Borror more than 6 years ago

Discontinuation of Advanced

Does this mean disbanding Tuscon support crew? What will be left for good tech support?

Robert C Johnson more than 6 years ago