Here's a comprehensive list of considerations when switching from QuickBooks Desktop (Desktop) to QuickBooks Online (Online) specifically in the context of how that impacts your account and workflows in Method.
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‼️ Important Considerations
Consideration | Notes |
Data Loss | Migrating from Desktop → Online does not carry over all data cleanly (e.g. attachments, memorized reports, some tables and fields). |
Customizations | A new Method account will be required. Any customized screen which does not cleanly map between the QuickBooks Desktop version and the QuickBooks Online version will need to be redone from scratch or copied and modified to account for the differences between the two. |
🔄 General Sync Differences
Feature | QuickBooks Desktop | QuickBooks Online | Impact on Method |
Two-way Sync | ✅ Full 2-way sync | ⚠️ Full 2-way sync, but missing tables | In Online, a few tables are missing (i.e. Sales Orders, Sales Rep) or do not sync (i.e. Journal Entry), reducing sync capabilities. |
Custom Fields | ✅ Available | ⚠️ Limited support | More custom fields can be synced with Desktop. In Online, custom field sync is limited. |
Transaction History | ✅ Full detail | ⚠️ Missing detail | Transaction-level syncing may be reduced (e.g. not all line item details come through from Online). |
🧾 Transactions
Feature | Desktop | Online | Impact on Method |
Sales Orders | ✅ Supported | ❌ Not Available | Method supports Sales Orders but cannot sync Sales Orders with Online. |
Estimates | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | Supported in both with slight field mapping differences. Sales workflows (Estimate > Sales Order > Invoice) may differ when Sales Orders are missing. |
Invoices | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | Supported in both with slight field mapping differences. |
Sales Receipts | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | Supported in both with slight field mapping differences. |
Receive Payments | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | Supported in both with slight field mapping differences. |
Purchase Orders (POs) | ✅ Full Detail | ⚠️ Limited | Online does not sync “Received Quantity” or “Is Fully Received” to Method, which means inventory tracking is limited in Method when using Online. |
Credit Memos / Refunds | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | Supported, but some Refund workflows may require workarounds in Online. |
🧑💼 Contacts, Customers, and Sales Reps
Feature | Desktop | Online | Impact on Method |
Customers / Contacts | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | Supported in both with slight field mapping differences. |
Sales Reps | ✅ Native Field | ❌ Not Available | Online uses Assigned User instead of the Sales Rep field, so any workflows involving sales reps would need to be revisited. |
📦 Inventory and Items
Feature | Desktop | Online | Impact on Method |
Inventory Items | ✅ Full tracking | ⚠️ Limited tracking | Method supports inventory better with Desktop. Online lacks received quantity tracking, affecting PO workflows. Workarounds possible with customization. |
Non-Inventory / Service Items | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | Supported in both. |
Assemblies / BOMs | ✅ Supported | ❌ Not Available | No assembly items in Online. |
Item Custom Fields | ✅ Supported | ❌ Not Available | Online does not support item-level custom fields; impacts advanced quoting workflows. |
🧾 Accounting & List Records
Feature | Desktop | Online | Impact on Method:CRM |
Terms, Classes, Locations | ✅ Full support | ✅ Partial | Online supports Classes & Locations (not all plans), but mapping may be limited. Terms sync correctly in both. |
Chart of Accounts | ✅ Full | ✅ Full | Supported in both. |
Payment Methods | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | Syncs fine in both. |
Shipping Methods | ✅ Native field | ❌ Not Available | Method cannot sync shipping methods from Online. Requires a custom field workaround. |
Price Levels | ✅ Supported | ❌ Not Available | Online does not support Price Levels, so this would require a custom workflow in Method. |
📅 Time Tracking / Projects / Classes
Feature | Desktop | Online | Impact on Method |
Time Tracking | ✅ Integrated | ✅ Supported (QuickBooks Online Plus or Advanced) | Time activities sync fine but reporting and job costing is weaker in Online |
Projects | ❌ Not native | ✅ Native | Projects do not sync to Method. QuickBooks Projects are isolated and don’t link to Method entities. |
Classes | ✅ Job/Class hierarchy | ✅ Available | Both support Classes, but hierarchy is shallower in Online. |
📈 Reports & Advanced Features
Feature | Desktop | Online | Impact on Method |
Advanced Reporting | ✅ Robust (Custom Reports) | ⚠️ Limited | Online reports are more restricted. Method reporting unaffected but may require custom fields to compensate. |
Multi-Currency | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | Supported in both; must be enabled in Online. |
Multi-Location Inventory | ✅ Add-on | ⚠️ QuickBooks Online Advanced only | Limited support unless using Online Advanced with workflows. Method does not sync inventory location directly. |