Intuit Experts and accountant controls: Your questions answered

Intuit leadership recently shared some significant decisions about QuickBooks, Intuit Experts, and where the company is headed with our accountant relationships. We know it's been a lot to sit with. This article is meant to answer the questions you're likely asking right now, specifically around the role of Intuit Experts services and the controls that remain in your hands as an accountant.

What you can expect from Intuit

We made three commitments to you at the recent Intuit Connect ON:

• You are also our customers. Accountants are our customers that Intuit will serve directly, not simply a sell-through pathway to reach your clients. In practice, this means Intuit will stop marketing bookkeeping or similar services to any business that already works with an accountant, whether that business is client-billed or firm-billed. If a business is working with you, we step back.
• You are the human intelligence. You belong at the center of the relationship when a business chooses you as their accountant. In practice, this means Intuit-employed experts will focus on onboarding new, early-stage businesses that don't yet have an accountant, helping them get set up on the Intuit platform and overseeing verification work in the background. This is a meaningfully narrower scope than the previous QuickBooks Live offering, built around being a bridge to a deeper engagement with an accountant. 
• We will invest in your growth. Intuit annually invests billions in accountant-specific software development fueling your firm’s growth. In practice, this means co-building a matching network with firms: the tens of thousands of new, non-accountant attached businesses joining the platform every month will have the opportunity to be connected with firms in the Intuit ProPartner Accountants program who are positioned to serve them on an ongoing basis.

Here’s what Intuit Expert Services can do

Starting July 29, Intuit-employed experts offering a set of key services will be integrated directly into QuickBooks Online subscriptions Simple Start and above, as a native feature rather than standalone add-on.

For every client connected to an accountant, these services are disabled by default.

Which specific services are offered?

If you and your client agree to use an Intuit Expert service included in their QuickBooks Online plan, here is a breakdown of the work they can do:

• Books check-in: A once-a-year scheduled check-in between an Intuit bookkeeping expert and your client. The Intuit Expert will review the current state of your client's books with them, walk through AI-flagged anomalies, and help clean up the Chart of Accounts. This is included in QuickBooks Online Essentials and Plus. 
• Smart Expert categorization: Combines AI-assisted transaction categorization with expert verification in the background to keep the books up to date between your engagements. This is included in QuickBooks Online Plus, and also a part of the Expert Books Upkeep offering in QuickBooks Online Advanced.
• Expert Books upkeep: This service combines Books Check-In and Smart Expert Categorization, and provides continuous, automated bookkeeping combined with expert support. Building upon Smart Expert Categorization, it delivers a more comprehensive solution by integrating AI transaction matching, expert validation and posting, regular accuracy checks, and quarterly review meetings. This is Included in QuickBooks Online Advanced.

For every customer connected to an accountant in QuickBooks, these services are disabled by default. No action is taken without your explicit consent, or for client-billed subscriptions, a conscious choice by your client. If a client attempts to proceed with these services, they will be instructed to consult with you first, seeing a prompt that states: “Your accountant may already provide similar bookkeeping services as part of your agreement. Double-check with them before using Intuit Experts.”

What does expert-led onboarding actually include in the first 90 days?

Intelligent Onboarding combines AI and Intuit Experts to help a new customer get set up successfully on the platform. It includes access to expert-led onboarding for the customer’s first 90 days, with support across multiple calls as needed. This is distinct from the ongoing services described elsewhere in this FAQ, including Books Check-In or Smart Expert Categorization, for which access is determined by accountant-attach status. Intelligent Onboarding is about getting a new client's platform foundation right, and is available for every new customer. 

Who are Intuit Experts?

Intuit Experts are Intuit-employed professionals who are knowledgeable experts on the Intuit platform, are QuickBooks certified, and average 10 years of bookkeeping experience. Embedded Experts primarily focus on two key functions: client onboarding and verifying AI-driven auto-categorization. During the onboarding process, Intuit Experts make sure the client is set up correctly, with all products like Payments, Bill Pay, and Workforce configured and ready to go.

Once a client is onboarded, Intuit Experts can review and validate the AI-powered work happening in the background, including checking that auto-categorized and matched transactions are accurate (for Plus and Advanced subscribers only). It’s our intention that when you sit down with a client, the foundational work is already done, and you can focus on the higher-value conversations only you can have.

Do Intuit Experts compete with accounting firms?

Moving forward, Intuit will not market bookkeeping or similar services to businesses that already work with an accountant, whether that client is client-billed or firm-billed. We’ve heard the concerns regarding past commitments, and this new operating model prioritizes you and your clients’ experience in all future decisions. This includes suppressing all marketing, including testing intended to raise awareness of these new embedded services, such as in-product prompt, emails, banner and web ads, dashboard messages, and proactive outbound sales.

For businesses that need support and are not yet connected to an accountant, Intuit Experts will continue to provide bookkeeping and compliance support. Set to launch in January 2027, the Intuit ProPartner Accountants program will offer the opportunity to pair these businesses with participating firms and give you the chance to enlarge your client base.

What happens if Intuit doesn't yet know whether a new client has an accountant?

We take the conservative path. Intuit will hold off on marketing Intuit Expert services that could overlap with accountant work until we can confirm that an accountant is attached or that the customer isn't working with one. This is designed to protect the accountant relationship by default when there is uncertainty, rather than risk marketing services to a client who's already being served by a firm.

This suppression applies specifically to marketing of overlapping services. Onboarding support as detailed above is available to every new customer from day one, regardless of whether their accountant status is known.

How long does Intuit wait before marketing Intuit Expert services to a new client of unknown status?

When a new customer joins, Intuit's first priority is helping them get set up and successful on the platform, which includes Intuit expert-led onboarding. That's true whether they have an accountant. For an initial period after a new client signs up, we hold off on offering Intuit Expert services that overlap with accountant services, until an accountant is confirmed attached, or until we can confirm the client isn't working with one. We'll continue to prioritize getting attach status confirmed as quickly as possible so standard marketing or continued suppression can follow accordingly.

If you have questions about timing for a specific client situation, reach out to your Intuit contact directly.

Does onboarding support stop if a client's accountant status is unknown?

No. Intelligent Onboarding is separate from the marketing suppression described above, and it is not affected by whether we know a client's accountant status. Every Intuit customer has access to expert-led onboarding from day one, regardless of accountant-attach status. Intelligent Onboarding is designed to make sure a client is configured correctly to optimize their QuickBooks experience, including Payments, Bill Pay, and Workforce from the start.

You're in charge: How controls work

Where do the controls live, and who can access them?

On July 29, 2026, for all accountant-attached Intuit customers, Intuit Expert services will be switched off by default. Marketing and in-product prompts for these services will be suppressed throughout QuickBooks. Nothing will be enacted without a deliberate decision from you or, on client-billed accounts, from your client.

The controls live in Account Settings inside each client’s QuickBooks Online file. Who can access them depends on how the client’s QuickBooks subscription is billed:

• Client-billed accounts: Both you and your client have the ability to enable services from Account Settings. Your client can also enable these services independently, but only after receiving a message that explicitly asks them to check with you first.
• Firm-billed accounts: Only you can enable services. Your client sees a locked state directing them to contact you. There is no self-serve path available to your clients. If you enable a service, your client will receive a notification directing them to the Expert Hub to activate it.

You will receive an email notification when a client on a client-billed account enables Books Check-in, Smart Expert Categorization, or Expert Books Upkeep.

How do the controls work?

It’s one control per client, covering all three services: Books Check-In, Smart Expert Categorization, and Expert Books Upkeep. One clear decision per client, no per-service juggling.

Once a service is activated by my client, can I turn it off?

If a client was already mid-service using an Intuit Expert Service when they engaged with your firm, that access carries over. If at any point, you and your client want to discontinue a service, your client has the option to opt-out of either Smart Expert Categorization or Expert Books Upkeep, or not schedule calls for Books check-in.

What if my client has more than one accountant connected?

For clients with more than one accountant on file, the billing status determines who can enable the service. For client-billed, any accountant can enable Intuit Expert services. For firm-billed, the billing accountant can enable the services. 

Are there planned changes to this permission model?

Starting July 29, 2026, for all  accountant-attached Intuit customers, Intuit Expert services will be switched off by default. Coming soon, accountants will have additional formal, role-based controls at the firm, service, and client level with full transparency over which Intuit services are active within their client relationships. 

Will I lose access to my client’s books if they activate a service?

No. Activating any Intuit Expert service does not affect your access to a client’s books in any way. Your visibility, your accountant privileges, and your working relationship with the client all remain intact.

The Expert Hub: Access point for you and your clients

What is the Expert Hub?

The Expert Hub is the designated location within QuickBooks where clients can discover Intuit Expert services. For accountant-attached clients, upsell sections and in-product discovery prompts elsewhere in QuickBooks Online are suppressed, and when you or your client arrive at a service card, the call-to-action leads to the settings and control flow rather than directly to activation.

Do I have visibility into what’s happening in the Expert Hub for my clients?

Yes. Accountants have read-only visibility into the Expert Hub for their clients. You can see service progress, upcoming call schedules, and summaries but cannot schedule calls or initiate contact on your client's behalf. 

What is the status of Intuit QuickBooks Live?

What happened to QuickBooks Live?

QuickBooks Live as a brand has been discontinued. The bookkeeping services that operated under that name are being restructured with a clearer strategic framework around the role those experts play and the boundaries around where and how they’re offered.

Why is Intuit making these changes now?

QuickBooks Live created friction between Intuit and accounting firms, and between firms and their clients. Accountants told us QuickBooks Live created confusion with clients and impacted the relationships built with their clients. The decision to discontinue the brand and restructure the role experts play with QuickBooks customers are a direct response to that feedback.

Intuit Experts will continue to exist and play an important role in helping customers get the most out of QuickBooks, but that role is being redefined to complement accountants rather than compete with them.

3 Intuit Expert service scenarios to understand

What are the three scenarios related to Intuit Expert services to understand before July 29?

Starting July 29, 2026, the accessibility of Intuit Expert services depends on whether your clients are accountant-billed or client-billed. See the chart below to understand what these scenarios are.

For client-billed, you will receive a notification when a client self-enables on a client-billed account.

What to do before July 29

What actions should I take before the launch date?

1. Review your client list. Identify which clients are client-billed versus firm-billed. The controls available to you and to them differ by billing arrangement. Your client list in QuickBooks Online and in Intuit Accountant Suite will show the relevant details.
2. Decide for each client. Consider whether you’re comfortable with QuickBooks handling routine categorization and check-ins between your engagements. If yes, you can proactively enable the service. If not, no action is required. The default is off.
3. Have the conversation with active clients. If clients frequently ask about bookkeeping support between your check-ins, now is a good moment to let them know these services are available and that you can help advise on the best options. 
4. Check for multi-accountant situations and determine who holds the billing relationship. Coordinate with the other accountants and your client.

ProPartner, Accountant Suite, and What's Coming Next

What are Intuit ProPartner Accountants?

The Intuit ProPartner Accountants program, launching in early 2027, is the reinvention of the Intuit QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program. It includes a stronger focus on firm growth, matched client leads, and tier-based benefits spanning product access, support, financial incentives, and client acquisition. Your current ProAdvisor Preferred Pricing rates and revenue share terms stay in place through the transition.

The client-acquisition piece is significant: Intuit acquires thousands of new businesses every week that don’t yet have an accountant. The ProPartner Program is how Intuit will connect those businesses to firms, turning the platform into a client pipeline for your practice.

What is Intuit Accountant Suite?

Intuit Accountant Suite gives you a firm-wide intelligence layer across QuickBooks and Intuit Enterprise Suite so instead of managing one client at a time, you have a portfolio view that surfaces risks, highlights opportunities, and lets you monitor custom KPIs. The Core plan is free; Accelerate is in beta at no cost until January 20, 2027, giving you time to explore its capabilities before pricing kicks in. Get a checklist to help you switch from QuickBooks Online Accountant to Intuit Accountant Suite.

With these new controls and commitments in place, we’re looking forward to strengthening our partnership and continuing to invest in your firm’s growth.