If you are looking for a tool to support your clients and accountants, then QuickBooks Desktop offers you a copy of QuickBooks Accountant. This allows you and your Accountant to work on the same file and make changes without affecting each other’s work. Creating a QuickBooks accountant’s copy is essential in making the collaboration process smooth between your businesses and their accounts.
Creating an accountant’s copy in QuickBooks desktop enables efficient sharing of your business financial data while allowing accountants to make the required changes. Your Accountant can import the changes they made into your company file. This aids you in managing your time efficiently and helps you avoid the hassle of sending emails now and then.
What is an Accountant’s Copy in QuickBooks desktop?
QuickBooks Desktop Accountant’s copy enables you to send your company file to your Accountant so that they can clean up while you are still working in the system. When the Accountant is done, their changes will require the Client to import them back into the company file. It is similar to a portable or a backup company file, but one difference is that it allows you to select a dividing date. The Accountant can work before the dividing date, and after the dividing date, you can work on the file.
How do you open an accountant’s copy in QuickBooks Desktop?
You can create a QuickBooks desktop Accountant’s copy in two ways. The first method is creating a physical file ready for transfer. You can follow the steps below to create a QuickBooks desktop Accountant’s copy;
- Navigate to the ‘File’ menu and hover your cursor over ‘Send Company File.’
- Select ‘Accountant’s copy’ and then click ‘Client activities.’
- Now click ‘Save file’ and tap ‘Next.’
- Then select ‘Accountant’s copy’ and click ‘Next.’
- Key in the QuickBooks Accountant copy dividing date and then now click on ‘Next’ to finish
You have now opened a QuickBooks Desktop Accountant Copy, which will have a ‘.qbx’ extension at the very end of the name of your file. You can now transfer the file to your Accountant.
The second way to create a QuickBooks desktop Accountant’s copy is using the Accountant Copy File Service in QuickBooks desktop. Use the instructions below;
- Navigate to the ‘File’ section and select ‘Send Company File.’
- Tap ‘Accountant’s Copy’ and then click ‘Client activities.’
- Now click ‘Send to Accountant’ and tap ‘Next.’
- Then select ‘Accountant’s copy’ and click ‘Next.’
- Key in the dividing date for the QuickBooks Accountant’s copy
- Then click on ‘Next’ and key in your email address and your Accountant’s email address
- Now, create a password for the QuickBooks Accountant’s copy file. This will be used when logging in to open the file.
- Once you are done, click ‘Send,’ and QuickBooks desktop will close all open windows.
Transferring QuickBooks desktop Accountant’s copy
Once you are done creating an Accountant’s copy in QuickBooks desktop, knowing how to share the file with your Accountant is essential. You can send it by email, using Inuit web services, or on a storage device such as a USB. You can follow the steps below to learn how to transfer your QuickBooks desktop Accountant’s copy;
- Go to the ‘File’ Menu
- Select ‘Accountant’s copy’ and then pick the ‘Client’s activities’ option.
- Now tap on ‘Send to Accountant’ and confirm when prompted, then click ‘Next.’
- Select a dividing date, and then tap on ‘Next.’
- The key is in your Accountant’s email address. Click on ‘Next.’
- Set a password for a safe and secure transfer
- Give the created password to your Accountant for easy file access
- Lastly, select ‘Send’ to transfer the Accountant’s copy file to your Accountant
Once you complete the transfer, QuickBooks desktop will show you a message ‘Accountant’s Changes Pending’ in the title bar. This indicates the status of the changes that the Accountant is making.
How to import QuickBooks desktop Accountant’s copy?
When your Accountant is done with the changes, he will provide you with the Accountant’s change file (.qby). Importing this file into your QuickBooks desktop is essential for effortless collaboration. To import this, you should ensure you are logged in to QuickBooks desktop as an Admin. You can import your file in two ways: using the Web or from a file. Here is the procedure to help you do that;
How do you import an Accountant’s copy through the file in QuickBooks Desktop?
- Start your QuickBooks desktop application and navigate to the ‘File’ menu
- Then select ‘Open or Restore Company’ and then click on ‘Open a company file.’
- Now tap on ‘Browse’ and select the company file, then tap on ‘Open’
- Key in your login details and go back to the ‘File’ menu
- Now select ‘Accountant’s copy’ and then pick ‘Import Accountant’s changes from the file.’
- Then check your Accountant’s copy in the .qby file extension and open your file.
How to Import Accountant’s Copy using the Web?
- Launch your QuickBooks desktop application and navigate to the ‘File’ menu
- Then choose ‘Open or Restore Company’ and then tap on ‘Open a company file.’
- Next, click on ‘Browse’ and select the company file
- Then tap on ‘Open’ and then key in your login details, and go back to the ‘File’ section
- Now select ‘Accountant’s copy’ and then tap ‘Import Accountant’s changes from the file’ to select it
- Lastly, save the current Accountant’s copy once you are done importing the changes
Getting rid of Restrictions in the Accountant’s copy
After the dividing date, the Accountant cannot make any changes. This prompts you to remove restrictions from the Accountant’s copy in QuickBooks desktop to allow the Accountant to make changes. Use the following steps to remove restrictions;
- Select the ‘File’ menu on your QuickBooks desktop application
- Then click on ‘Send Company file’ and pick the ‘Accountant’s copy’ option
- Then select ‘Client Activities’ and pick ‘Remove Restriction.’
- A box will display showing ‘I want to remove the Accountant’s copy Restrictions.’ Click the ‘Yes’ button.
- To finish, tap on the ‘OK’ button.
When you remove restrictions from the Accountant’s copy, you cannot reverse the process.
Conclusion
A QuickBooks desktop Accountant’s copy is a copy of all the financial data of your account in QuickBooks desktop that you can share /transfer to your Accountant. QuickBooks desktop allows you to create an accountant’s copy effortlessly. Using the proper steps as guided, you can create, transfer, and import the Accountant’s copy on your QuickBooks Desktop account.
