What's new in QuickBooks: Fall 2026 release features for accountants

For your clients who are just starting up to those scaling up, QuickBooks with Intuit Intelligence¹ is the unified platform where you can work together with them to see a complete view of their finances all in one place, without needing to export or reconcile data across several disconnected apps. Every time QuickBooks simplifies a workflow for your clients, it translates into cleaner books and faster reconciliations, giving you more time back to focus on the advisory work clients value most.

Intuit Intelligence isn't just an AI feature added on top of QuickBooks. It's the financial system of intelligence that powers the entire unified Intuit platform, drawing on 40 years of Intuit's accounting data, the patterns of 10 million businesses, and your clients' secure business data. It matches each financial task to the right AI, automation, or human expert, including a network of more than 650,000 accountants on the platform.

Here's what's new in QuickBooks this fall, and what it means for your clients and your firm.

Read more about our updates to Intuit Accountant Suite and Intuit Enterprise Suite. 

Intelligence that works for you: Same-day bill pay, mobile payroll, and faster payments, all in one place

For growing firms, client-side friction directly cuts into firm capacity. Every delayed bill, uncollected deposit, and manual payroll entry eventually becomes manual tracking and post-close reconciliation on your desk. In the latest release, QuickBooks with Intuit Intelligence takes on more of the work that keeps money moving through your clients' businesses, so cleaner records land in your workspace automatically.

Automate client bill payments and reduce busywork

Manual processes are one of the top reasons small businesses report paying bills late. It's also where businesses say AI would help most: almost 2 in 5 (38%) want AI reminders for paying bills specifically.²

New Intuit Intelligence Bill Pay features turn vendor emails into bills ready to approve, keep recurring bills on track, and post each payment to the books so reconciliation stays current. (Available in QuickBooks Simple Start through Advanced)

Help clients pay eligible bills the same day with Vendor Direct

For clients with a Bill Pay subscription, Vendor Direct pays eligible bills the same day the money leaves the bank account, at no extra cost.³ Today, free ACH bill payments take 3 to 5 business days, checks can take up to two weeks, and same-day alternatives cost about $10 per payment.⁴ (Available in QuickBooks Simple Start through Advanced with Bill Pay Basic, Premium, Elite)

• Nothing changes about how your clients work: They upload or email the bill as usual. If it qualifies, Vendor Direct is selected automatically.
• Built-in backup: If a Vendor Direct payment can't go through, it automatically falls back to the payment method last used for that vendor, and your client gets an email explaining what happened and what action to take.
• Easier matching: Vendor Direct makes it simpler to match payments to bills in the books.

Run and edit client payroll on the go, wherever you are

Now you and your clients can run payroll in the QuickBooks mobile app. Ask Intuit Intelligence to prepare a pay run, add hours or reimbursements, and explain what changed in an employee’s pay. Review the draft, submit it, and if something needs fixing after you submit, ask to edit or void the run. (Available in QuickBooks Workforce⁵: Payroll, Premium, Elite)

Resolve client payroll tax notices with less stress

A payroll tax notice is stressful for clients, which can result in a call to you, and time you have to spend on a resolution. With this release, clients can upload a payroll tax notice to Intuit Intelligence in QuickBooks Online and get a plain-language explanation of what it's about. Then a Payroll Tax Expert researches and resolves it.⁶ Clients can also ask follow-up questions about the payroll tax setup, payments, and filings to understand what caused the notice and how to avoid it next time. (Available in QuickBooks Workforce: Payroll, Premium, Elite)

Switch client payroll from ADP, Gusto, or Paychex to QuickBooks Workforce without data re-entry

Switching payroll providers usually means rekeying a year of history. Not anymore. Clients can move to Payroll in QuickBooks Workforce from ADP or Gusto, and (coming soon*) Paychex, without re-entering their payroll data. Simply upload reports from the current provider. Intuit Intelligence extracts employee data, pay items, deductions, taxes, and year-to-date pay history, and an Intuit Payroll Expert reviews every import before it reaches the account. Most migrations complete within a day.⁷ (Available in QuickBooks Workforce: Payroll, Premium, Elite)

• Only fix what's flagged: You focus on the items that need your input, speeding up setup and time to first payroll.
• Using another provider? A guided spreadsheet import is available.

AI-powered invoices that manage themselves (beta)

Intuit Intelligence drafts invoices in QuickBooks for your client’s review and, with approval, sends prioritized payment reminders for anything unpaid. Businesses get paid 4 days sooner on average.⁸ (Available in QuickBooks Essentials through Advanced)

Intelligence that works where you are: Connect QuickBooks to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Muse

Ask questions in plain language, forecast cash flow, model decisions before clients make them, and bring QuickBooks into the AI tools you and your clients already use. Answers come from live client data, so you can spend less time pulling reports and more time advising.

Connect your clients' secure QuickBooks financial data in the top AI platforms

QuickBooks powers financial intelligence in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini in Google Workspace, Perplexity, and Muse, from Meta⁹, so your clients can check business health, see performance and cash flow at a glance, and draft invoices in plain language. Everything is reviewed and approved before it sends.

Examples of questions your clients can ask:

• "Summarize cash flow and performance for [client] this quarter."
• "Create invoices for the latest completed jobs from the email threads in my inbox."
• "Show me the details of the latest payroll run."
• "What options for loans do I have?"¹⁰

(Available connectors (beta; ChatGPT and Claude invoicing are GA): ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Muse, from Meta. Available in QuickBooks Simple Start through Advanced.)

Forecast cash flow and plan budgets with live data

Forecast cash positions and plan budgets in QuickBooks using custom reports and a forward-looking view of cash flow¹¹ that combines ledger history, bank activity, and predictive intelligence. Unlike general-purpose AI, these forecasts are grounded in live client data and the patterns of 10 million businesses. (Available in QuickBooks Free through Advanced. Saving a forecast as a budget requires QuickBooks Plus or Advanced.)

Model a client's business decision with "what-if" scenario planning

One in three owners (34%) see AI as a tool that helps level the playing field against larger competitors, according to the Intuit QuickBooks 2026 Business Owner Report.¹² Scenario planning shows what a price change, a new hire, or a big purchase would do to a client's cash flow, revenue, and net income before they commit.¹¹ Run "what-if" scenarios together to pressure-test their options. (Available in QuickBooks Plus, Advanced)

Check your clients' business health with Intuit Intelligence

Review client performance across profit and loss, cash flow, and sales with real-time metrics, so you both understand where the business stands, including its readiness for financing.¹⁰ QuickBooks Capital¹³ shows what a client can borrow, what it may cost, and what to do next before they ever apply, with no impact to their personal credit score. (Available in QuickBooks Free through Advanced)

A stronger foundation: Cleaner books and improved core everyday workflows

This release strengthens everyday workflows for your clients, such as keeping books clean as transactions come in and making it easier to win new jobs with estimate e-signatures.

We are also always listening to accountant feedback. You’ve been telling us what gets in your way in product feedback and the QuickBooks community. This release closes gaps in many of the workflows you touch most. You will see improved bank connection reliability, AI-powered reconciliation, and customizable reports.

Cleaner books from day one with Intuit Intelligence

New clients can tell Intuit Intelligence about their business, and it customizes their books for their industry. Plans include one-on-one coaching with a setup expert through the first 90 days or until onboarding is complete, whichever comes first. After setup, automated categorization keeps running as transactions come in, so ledgers stay current between closes instead of needing a cleanup before every close. The longer it runs, the more it learns your firm's coding preferences. (Onboarding available in QuickBooks Simple Start and up. Continuous categorization is available in Plus and Advanced.) 

Learn more about onboarding.

Help clients win more jobs with estimate e-signatures, deposits, and Affirm pay-over-time on estimates

In this release, QuickBooks now connects your client’s entire quote-to-cash process into one seamless, end-to-end workflow. It starts with a single estimate link that allows your client’s customers to sign, pay a deposit, and explore flexible pay-over-time options with Affirm.¹⁴ The signed agreement attaches automatically as a PDF, and collected deposits are recorded as liabilities until the estimate converts. Once approved, the estimate seamlessly converts to an invoice, automatically applying the collected deposit so your client gets paid faster without manual re-entry. (Available in QuickBooks Simple Start through Advanced. Collecting deposits requires QuickBooks Payments.)

Better, more confident decisions: Increased controls, security, and expert support

QuickBooks with Intuit Intelligence is one trusted platform where you and your clients are always in control, making better, more confident decisions based on secure client data.

Collaborate with your clients in QuickBooks

In QuickBooks, you and your clients work in the same system with the same real-time numbers, so there's no trading files back and forth or duplicating each other's work. The more day-to-day work QuickBooks handles for your clients, the cleaner the books you receive, so you can spend your time on risk, planning, and advice. Your collective expertise, across a network of more than 650,000 accountants, also helps shape how QuickBooks categorizes, flags, and recommends. (Available in Simple Start and above. QuickBooks Free and Lite do not have accountant access.)

Intuit Intelligence suggests, you decide: Review and undo AI actions in QuickBooks

Intuit Intelligence explains each recommendation before anyone acts, and every action is reviewable, reversible, and yours to approve. Exceptions go to you or your client for review. You set the guardrails for what runs on its own and who can access what, based on their role. Any action can be undone, and original records stay intact, with a history of what changed and when. (Available in all plans. QuickBooks Free and Lite do not have accountant access. Preset roles in Essentials and Plus. Custom roles in Advanced.)

Be there for clients when they need you

Some things shouldn't just be handled by AI: a payroll tax notice, a year of payroll history that has to be added correctly, or a decision with financial consequences. For these big decisions, clients can connect with you and share materials directly from QuickBooks. (Available in Simple Start and above. Accountants cannot be attached to Free or Lite.)

Control your clients' data privacy and security

Client financial data lives securely in QuickBooks and is shared only where your clients decide. AI gets more done while you and your clients stay in control.

• Any action taken in the books is reviewable, reversible, and yours to approve.
• QuickBooks uses anonymized data points from 10 million businesses, plus your clients' data, to produce accurate insights while protecting privacy and security.

QuickBooks workflow updates: Reliable bank connections, faster reconciliation, and customizable reports

Reliable bank connections 

Bank connections sync more reliably, even when the same connection is used across multiple client companies, and stay authorized through data refreshes. Proactive notifications flag anything that needs attention before transactions stop flowing in.

Faster AI-powered reconciliation for bank transactions and books

Intuit Intelligence automatically matches bank transactions and flags discrepancies between a client's books and bank. Deposits and bank transactions match to the invoices they belong to.

Reports built to save you time

Reports keep their customizations, automatically pick the right prior period for comparisons, and show budget reports that match what you expect. Turn on debit and credit columns, get a prompt to refresh a report that hasn't caught up with a recent change, and expand or collapse accounts and subaccounts when you export a Balance Sheet or P&L to Excel.

Refunds now default to the original payment method

Refunds are easier to complete and default to the original payment method automatically.

Payroll that posts accurately

Payroll in QuickBooks Workforce now posts correctly to the books without extra manual fixes, and you can process a paycheck or tax payment for a prior pay period with no workarounds.

A faster home screen and mobile app

The homepage has a more personalized layout, cleaner widgets, enhanced bookmarks for important reports, and a new global panel. The mobile app is faster and more reliable, with fixes for bank connections, trip and mileage tracking, invoicing, and receipt capture.

See the running list of new features, fixes, and improvements in the QuickBooks changelog. Each entry is dated, permalinked, and written in plain language.

From start-up to enterprise: A QuickBooks plan for all stages of your clients' growth

Every QuickBooks plan, from QuickBooks Free¹⁵ to Intuit Enterprise Suite, runs on the same platform. Upgrading a client isn't a migration: their books, history, and complete financial picture come with them, so nothing has to be rebuilt or re-entered as the business grows. See plans and pricing.

What's new in QuickBooks Free and QuickBooks Lite

In this release, QuickBooks Free and QuickBooks Lite now include Intuit Intelligence assistance, so sole proprietors can get set up easily, get product questions answered, and unlock AI-powered insights on their business.

QuickBooks Online Advanced adds additional industry solutions and the workflows your Desktop clients have been waiting for

QuickBooks Online Advanced adds purpose-built industry workflows and is bringing the most-requested Desktop workflows online. See what’s new in QuickBooks Online Advanced.

Intuit Enterprise Suite adds inventory management, new construction capabilities (beta), multi-entity dimensions, multi-currency (beta), and the most-requested Desktop workflows. See what's new in Intuit Enterprise Suite.

See what's new in Intuit Accountant Suite

In this release, Intuit Accountant Suite adds new AI-powered tools for month-end close (pilot), cross-client analysis (beta), and standardized client onboarding. Designed alongside accounting professionals through thousands of hours of feedback, Intuit Accountant Suite is built to deliver real impact in both directions. See what’s new in Intuit Accountant Suite.

Frequently asked questions about the QuickBooks fall 2026 release

Does QuickBooks work with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Muse?

Yes. With connectors (beta), QuickBooks connects to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini in Google Workspace, Perplexity, and Muse, from Meta⁹, so you can ask about a business in plain language and draft invoices without opening QuickBooks.

If a client connects QuickBooks to an AI tool, can it send invoices or reminders without the client's knowledge?

No. The client can ask the connected AI tool to draft an invoice or a payment reminder in plain language, but the AI only drafts it. The client has to approve before anything sends, and QuickBooks records the action automatically once approved.

How does the ADP and Gusto payroll migration work, and how long does it take?

Export reports from the client's current payroll provider and upload them. Intuit Intelligence extracts employee data, pay items, deductions, taxes, and year-to-date history, and an Intuit Payroll Expert reviews every import before it reaches the account. Most migrations complete within a day.⁷ Paychex support is coming soon.

What is Vendor Direct?

Vendor Direct pays eligible bills the same day the money leaves the bank account, at no extra cost,³ for QuickBooks Bill Pay customers. If a bill doesn't qualify, it's paid with the usual method. If a Vendor Direct payment fails, it falls back to the previous payment method, and the standard delivery fee for that method applies.

How do I work with my clients in QuickBooks?

On QuickBooks Simple Start and above, clients can invite you to their books for free. Simple Start, Essentials, and Plus include access for two accountants, and Advanced includes three. You both work in the same system with the same real-time numbers, while Intuit Intelligence handles more of the day-to-day work.

Is Intuit Intelligence included in my clients' QuickBooks plans?

Intuit Intelligence is available to admin users on plans from QuickBooks Free through QuickBooks Online Advanced. Capacity is limited by plan.

Do clients need to migrate their data to upgrade their QuickBooks plan?

No. Every QuickBooks plan, from Free through QuickBooks Advanced and Intuit Enterprise Suite, runs on the same platform, so clients can move up without migrating their data.

Disclaimers

Money movement services are provided by Intuit Payments Inc., licensed as a Money Transmitter by the New York State Department of Financial Services. For details about our money transmission licenses, or for Texas customers with complaints about our service, visit https://www.intuit.com/legal/licenses/payment-licenses/.

QuickBooks Payments and QuickBooks Bill Pay accounts are subject to eligibility criteria, credit, and approval prior to first payment. Subscription to QuickBooks Online required. Not available in U.S. territories or outside the U.S. Bill Pay Basic is included with QuickBooks Online when purchased directly from QuickBooks.com or QuickBooks Sales. Limits may apply on total number and amount of payments. Transaction-based fees apply based on usage.

*Feature release dates and availability will vary by product. Not all features will be available on October 26, 2026.

This information is intended to outline our general product direction, but represents no obligation and should not be relied on when making a purchasing decision. Additional terms, conditions, and fees may apply with certain features and functionality. Eligibility criteria may apply. Product offers, features, and functionality are subject to change without notice. Feature availability varies by product.

QuickBooks Term Loan and QuickBooks Line of Credit loans are issued by WebBank.

¹ Intuit Intelligence is currently available as a beta release. Features, availability, and capacity are subject to change. Intuit Intelligence chat is only available to admin users at this time. Each account gets limited capacity each month; capacity varies by plan. Intuit Intelligence can make mistakes. Intuit protects privacy and adheres to responsible AI principles. Learn how we use AI.

² Based on the Intuit QuickBooks Quarterly Insights Survey (July 2026).

³ Vendor Direct is available to QuickBooks Bill Pay Basic, Premium, and Elite customers for eligible bills. To be eligible, a bill must be a one-time payment under $25,000, the vendor's invoice must include a payment portal link that accepts credit cards, and you must have made at least one prior successful Bill Pay payment to that vendor with unchanged payment details. Same-day issuance applies to payments scheduled on business days before the cutoff time (3:00 PM PT for vendors paid through QuickBooks Payments; 5:00 PM PT for all others). Deposit timing varies by the vendor's bank. If a Vendor Direct payment can't be completed, it is sent using the payment method you last used for that vendor, and the standard delivery fee for that method applies. U.S. and USD only. Available on web and mobile browser.

⁴ Timing and costs vary by provider.

⁵ QuickBooks Workforce subscription sold separately. QuickBooks Workforce features and functionality vary by plan, which are subject to change. Certain features are available only with Workforce Premium or Elite, or may require additional fees. For details, see quickbooks.com/workforce.

⁶ Payroll tax notice support is available to QuickBooks Workforce customers for payroll taxes paid and filed by Intuit. A Payroll Tax Expert will help research the notice and work with the applicable tax agency to resolve it. Outcomes are determined by the tax agency. You are responsible for paying any additional tax liability you may owe. Does not include legal or tax advice. Additional terms apply.

⁷ Importing employee info and pay history from provider reports is only available to QuickBooks Workforce customers switching from ADP or Gusto who import their team during initial onboarding setup. Paychex support is coming soon. Most migrations complete within a day; complex payroll histories can take longer. Based on internal data as of Sept 2026 of the median time from initial data import to data migration completion, including expert review. Data excludes Paychex. Recommended maximum of 250 employees per migration.

⁸ AI-powered invoicing is currently available as a beta release. Each account gets limited capacity each month. Beta features have limited availability and are subject to change. “Get paid 4 days sooner” is based on US Intuit Intelligence customers using outstanding invoice notifications and AI-drafted invoice reminder features, compared to customers sending standard invoice reminders to the same customers, from March 2025 to March 2026.

⁹ Connecting QuickBooks to a third-party AI platform requires an account with that platform, which may require a paid subscription. Third-party terms, conditions, and fees apply. Availability and supported features vary by platform.

¹⁰ Business health factors are available on the QuickBooks Lending Overview page and in Intuit Intelligence chat. Results are based on your QuickBooks business data and are for informational purposes only. Checking your insights does not affect your personal credit score. Insights are not an eligibility or approval decision. Applying for a loan is a separate step, and all loans are subject to eligibility, credit, and approval. QuickBooks Term Loan and Line of Credit loans are issued by WebBank.

¹¹ Cash flow planning is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only. Actual results may vary. Saving a forecast as a budget requires QuickBooks Online Plus or Advanced.

¹² Based on the Intuit QuickBooks 2026 Business Owner Report.

¹³ QuickBooks Capital is licensed as Intuit Financing Inc. (NMLS #1136148), a subsidiary of Intuit Inc.

¹⁴ E-signatures and online deposits on estimates are available with QuickBooks Online Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, and Advanced. Collecting deposits online requires an approved QuickBooks Payments account; standard processing fees apply. One signer per estimate. Clients can review, sign, and pay from a desktop or mobile browser; signing and paying a deposit from the QuickBooks mobile app is not supported at this time. Payment options through Affirm are subject to an eligibility check and are provided by these lending partners: affirm.com/lenders. For example, a $1,000 purchase might cost $90.26/mo over 12 months at 15% APR. Options depend on the purchase amount, and a down payment may be required. Checking eligibility does not guarantee approval or lock in a rate, term, or down payment. Affirm availability and eligibility may vary. Restrictions apply. See affirm.com/terms#use. For licenses and disclosures, see affirm.com/licenses.

¹⁵ QuickBooks Free is 100% free and requires no credit card to sign up. QuickBooks Online and Intuit Enterprise Suite require a persistent internet connection (a high-speed connection is recommended) and a computer with a supported internet browser or a mobile phone with a supported operating system (see System Requirements). Network fees may apply.