QuickBooks Online frequently asked questions

Featured question

Does QuickBooks Online work on Macs?
Yes, absolutely! You access QuickBooks Online on the internet, so it works with pretty much any internet-connected Mac or PC. You can also access key features using many mobile phones. See below for full system requirements.

Introducing QuickBooks Online

What is QuickBooks Online?
It's financial management software for your business that you access over the internet. It slashes the time you spend managing your business finances, by helping you with tasks like:

• Creating invoices and estimates
• Tracking sales and cash flow
• Managing your customers and suppliers
• Monitoring your VAT and making VAT returns much easier
• Understanding your company's performance
• Planning ahead and budgeting

You don't have to install QuickBooks Online on your own computer. You can log in from any internet-connected PC or Mac, which means you're not tied to using it on one computer or in a particular location. You can also access key features using many mobile phones.

All your data is stored safely on our servers (we take security very seriously) and we back it up for you. This means your data's safe, even if your computer gets lost or stolen.

Is QuickBooks Online right for me?
QuickBooks Online is suitable for most businesses, unless you:

• Already use QuickBooks software
• Need software for more than five people
• Want time tracking or forecasting
• Are looking for a payroll system
• Require stock control

If your business fits any of those categories, you might want to try QuickBooks desktop, which is accounting software you install on your own computer. You can find out which edition of QuickBooks is best for you by answering a few simple questions.

Are there any restrictions on the kind of businesses which can use QuickBooks Online?
QuickBooks Online is only for businesses based in the UK, and is not designed for companies based on the Isle of Man or the Channel Island Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. QuickBooks Online is also not suitable for businesses in the Republic of Ireland.

Does QuickBooks Online work on Macs?
Yes, absolutely! You access QuickBooks Online on the internet, so it works with pretty much any internet-connected Mac or PC. You can also access key features using many mobile phones. See below for full system requirements.

What are the minimum system requirements?
On Windows PCs:

• Processor speed: 450MHz or greater (recommended: 1GHz or greater)
• RAM: 128MB or more (recommended: 256MB or more)
• Windows 2000, 7, Vista or XP (recommended: Windows XP or later)
• Screen resolution: 1024 x 768
• Internet connection
• Internet Explorer 8 or later, or
• Firefox 3.6 or later, or
• Safari 5.1 or later, or
• Google Chrome
• Adobe Reader 6.0 or later (to print invoices and other items - you can download it free)

On Apple Macs:

• Processor speed: 450MHz or greater (recommended: 1GHz or greater)
• RAM: 128MB or more (recommended: 256MB or more)
• Mac OS X 10.4 or later
• Screen resolution: 1024 x 768
• Internet connection
• Safari 4.1 or later, or
• Firefox 3.6 or later, or
• Google Chrome
• Adobe Reader 6.0 or higher (to print invoices and other items - you can download it free)

On mobile devices:

• QuickBooks Online will work on most mobile devices which have a web browser
• The service is optimised for iOS (iPhone, iPad, etc) and Android devices
• QuickBooks Online does not work with BlackBerry devices

QuickBooks Online works best with a fast broadband internet connection. Things will take longer if you access it via a dial-up or other slow connection.

Security and data storage

Where is my data stored?
We store your data on our secure servers. They're kept locked up tight in a very safe location. When you log in to QuickBooks Online, the data is transferred across the internet and displayed on your computer.

All your financial details are scrambled with encryption while stored on our servers, and when transferred over the internet. This means that even if someone did manage to intercept the data, they wouldn't be able to make sense of it.

How do you keep my financial data safe?
We use the same security as internet banks to protect it, and we back it up every day so it'll be safe - even in the (very unlikely event) of a problem with our server. All your data is stored and transferred in an encrypted form, so nobody else can read it.

Full details about our online security >

What happens to my data if I cancel?
If you decide to cancel during your free trial period, we'll delete all traces of your data from our servers immediately. When it's gone, it's gone - so before you cancel, make sure you've saved all the reports you want to keep.

If you're a paying QuickBooks Online subscriber, after you cancel we'll give you read-only access to all your data. This will last for 365 days, after which we'll delete all your data from our servers.

How often is my data backed up?
We automatically back your data up every day. Backups are stored safely away from our main copy of your data, to keep them safe. Read more about how we take backup copies.

Can I back my own data up too?
Yes. You can save all your reports to your own computer as Excel spreadsheets. Save the general journal report to get a copy of all your transactions.

Do you share my data with anyone?
No, never. In fact, our systems don't even let us see the password you use to access your data. And although it's stored on our servers, all your data belongs to you. Read more about how we handle and process your data.

Is it safe to access my data over the internet?
Yes. We scramble all data using encryption, so nobody can understand it when it's sent across the internet - even if they do manage to intercept it.

We use the same type and strength of encryption as most online banks (128-bit SSL).

Choosing the right edition

I already use QuickBooks on my computer. Can I switch to QuickBooks Online?
It's not currently possible to transfer data from another QuickBooks package into QuickBooks Online. So if you have a copy of QuickBooks installed on your computer, we recommend you stick with that for now. Maybe you need to upgrade to the latest version.

I use another accounting system. Can I switch to QuickBooks Online?
Yes, but you won't be able to import details of previous transactions into QuickBooks Online. This means you'll be starting with a blank company file.

However, you will be able to import your customer details, as long as they're saved as a .CSV file. This is a very common type of file, so you will be able to import customer details from Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Hotmail, Google Mail, Yahoo Mail and many other services and pieces of software.

Can I switch to another edition of QuickBooks Online once I've started using it?
You can upgrade your QuickBooks Online package whenever you like - we'll just start charging you the new monthly price. However, please note that it's not currently possible to downgrade your package. In any case, it's best to choose which edition you want carefully. Our comparison chart shows the main differences between each edition.

Buying and getting started

Is there a minimum contract period?
No. QuickBooks Online is a pay as you go service. You pay a month at a time, and you can cancel whenever you like. You'll also get a 30 day trial to work out whether our accounting software is right for you.

If you cancel part way through a month, we'll even give you a pro-rata refund to cover the rest of the month you've already paid for.

How do I cancel QuickBooks Online if I decide it isn't right for me?
It's really easy - there's a cancellation option within the software, so you don't even have to pick up the phone.

When you're logged into QuickBooks Online, go to the My account section. Then choose Account activities, and select the Cancel option.

Is there a trial period?
Yes - although we take payment details when you sign up, we won't charge you anything for 30 days¹.

Can I import data from another accounting package?
You can import your customer and supplier details, as long as they're saved as a .CSV file. This is a very common type of file, so you will be able to import details from Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Hotmail, Google Mail, Yahoo Mail and many other services and pieces of software.

However, it's not possible to import figures or transaction details from other accounting software.

What information do I need to sign up?
It should take you less than ten minutes to sign up for QuickBooks Online. Make sure you have the following details to hand:

• Your name, email address and choice of username and password
• Your business name, phone number and industry sector
• The word you use to refer to customers (like 'customers' or 'clients')
• Your billing address and credit card details
  

What payment methods do you accept?
You can pay using most credit and debit cards. You can also pay by Direct Debit.

Will I get instructions to help me get started?
Of course! In fact, you can download our getting started guide (PDF, 1.2MB) right now.

Using QuickBooks Online

Can I access QuickBooks Online on my mobile phone?
Yes. You can access QuickBooks Online from many mobile devices (like an iPhone, Android phone or iPad). When you log in you'll see a special version of QuickBooks designed just for mobile use. This gives you access to a cut-down set of features to help you perform key tasks, like:

• Creating invoices and emailing them to your customers
• Adding new customers and suppliers
• Viewing your balance sheet and profit and loss
• Checking who owes you money - and what you owe others

Read more about QuickBooks for mobile >

Can I move from one QuickBooks Online package to another?
Yes, you can upgrade your QuickBooks Online package whenever you like. We'll just charge you the new monthly fee. However, it's not currently possible to downgrade from one package to another.

How often does QuickBooks Online get updated?
We regularly update QuickBooks Online, both to add new features and to take any legislation changes into account.

Updates happen automatically and won't affect your data in the slightest. If the software has been updated, you'll see a message when you log in.

What sort of support is included with QuickBooks Online?
QuickBooks Online includes full telephone support. You can call our support team for help, 8am - 8pm on working days.

We'll do our best to help you with any aspect of QuickBooks Online - from signing up and getting started to running reports and solving problems.