I had the privilege of presenting on this topic at Intuit Connect 2024 alongside my colleague, Dana Jones. With the recent announcement that certain QuickBooks Desktop products will no longer be available to new US subscribers, now is the perfect time to discuss transitioning to QuickBooks Online with your clients.
Transitioning clients from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online can seem daunting, but with a strategic plan, your firm can handle the process efficiently and enjoy the numerous benefits that come with it. Let's explore how you can successfully launch a high-volume Desktop to Online conversion initiative.
Find your why: Understanding the benefits
ProTip: Don’t propose or execute this initiative until you have identified a compelling reason that brings value to your firm.
Before starting, it's crucial to understand the benefits for your firm. Each firm likely has varying infrastructures to support QuickBooks Desktop, so a compelling reason for one firm may not resonate with another. Consider these two areas:
- Total cost to the firm: Factor in licenses, file storage and backup, IT infrastructure, and support costs.
- Efficiency gains: Evaluate the potential for significant efficiency improvements. For example, are accountants passing .qba files back and forth each month? How much extra time is spent on file sharing vs simply logging into QuickBooks Online to find the latest numbers?
Securing leadership buy-in
ProTip: Prosci research shows that projects with “extremely effective sponsors” are 79% more likely to meet their objectives compared to just 27% with “extremely ineffective sponsors.”
Securing executive sponsors who are committed to the initiative can significantly impact its success. Leadership on board ensures that you have the necessary resources and support. Find a sponsor who will:
- Actively and visibly participate throughout the project.
- Build a coalition of sponsorship.
- Communicate, support, and promote the change to impacted groups.
Planning and managing the project
Start by defining the scope of your project. Determine how many clients you aim to convert and consider the complexity of these clients. Understanding this will help you allocate resources effectively and set realistic timelines.
Next, gather all the necessary data, including client details, their current use of QuickBooks Desktop, specific needs such as inventory management or multi-currency transactions, and any custom integrations. This data collection is critical to ensure a smooth conversion.
Finally, create a structured pipeline to manage the conversion process. Standardize how you collect information from clients, outline the conversion steps, and implement a review and approval process for each conversion. Don't forget to leverage Intuit’s assistance with the conversion process!
Managing change effectively
Even the best project plan will fail without considering human factors; people can be unpredictable and may resist change. To manage change effectively:
- Engage with your team: Communicate early and often. Provide reasons for switching to QuickBooks Online and answer the question, “What’s in it for me?”
- Encourage adoption: Offer comprehensive training and support through Intuit certifications and training sessions. Identify and empower champions in your firm to advocate for the new system.
- Provide ongoing support: Ensure your team does not feel isolated once they switch to QuickBooks online. Leverage your champions or a dedicated team of power users that people can approach with questions.
Overcoming common challenges
People naturally resist change, so it's important to address concerns openly. Not all features and data will transfer seamlessly from Desktop to Online. Clients using inventory management or job-costing might need additional needs analysis to determine the best path forward. Some data, such as recurring transactions, templates, and audit logs, does not convert, and large files may need condensing before conversion.
Most important: Ensure a positive experience from the start for accounting teams and clients by understanding the features of each QuickBooks Online subscription to ensure clients are moved to the best fitting option.
Defining success
Success in this initiative hinges on clear, predefined metrics. Measure client and accountant satisfaction through surveys and feedback. Track efficiency gains by noting time savings and reduced errors. Monitor adoption rates to see how many clients and staff are actively using QuickBooks Online. Finally, compare the total cost of ownership before and after the conversion to evaluate cost savings.
By following these steps, your firm can quickly transition from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online effectively. This ensures a smoother process for your team and your clients, leading to a more efficient, secure, and future-proof accounting solution that significantly enhances your firm's services.
