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 and customizations will need to be redone from scratch or copied and modified to account for the differences between Desktop and Online. |
🔄 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. |