Converting QuickBooks Desktop Customer Types to QuickBooks Online

by

This week during a conversation with my friend, Ingrid Edstrom, she asked me “if I had imported a QuickBooks Desktop file with Customer Types and if so, did they import?” Since, I had not yet had a company file to convert with Customer Types I thought this would be a fun test. Remember this new QuickBooks Online feature is in Beta and to access Customer Types you must turn on Price Rules which includes Customer Types.

As a quick refresher of how to turn on QBO Price Rules with Customer Types, go to:

  • Company Gear, then
  • Account and Setting, then
  • Sales, then
  • Products and Services, and finally
  • Turn on Price Rules

My Test & Results

For my test, I opened an existing QuickBooks Desktop test file and added Customer Types with a few sales receipts which would allow me to test if Customer Types imported and to also compare reports. Next, I created a new QuickBooks Online Plus trial account and imported the QuickBooks Desktop file into it.

At first glance, Customer Types were not visible in my QuickBooks Online Company, but once I turned on the Price Rules which also automatically turned on Customer Types, I was able to see Customer Types in QuickBooks Online. This fun experiment resulted in super exciting news!

Customer Types do import from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online. 

I decided to try the import again under a slightly different series of steps, so this time I created a new QuickBooks Online Plus trail account and then turned on Price Rules in the new QBO file. I did all of this before importing the QuickBooks Desktop file, but when I did i was immediately able to see the Customer Types as soon as the import was completed.

I am very encouraged and excited by this experiment! Many companies track Customer Types and the ability to import them from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online is valuable.

At present, the only report that uses Customer Types in QuickBooks Online is the Customer Contact List Report. In order to make use of Customer Types in this report you must add them as a column by selecting the:

  • Report Center on the Navigation Bar, then
  • choose Sales and Customers, then
  • select Customer Contact List, next
  • edit the report with the Report Gear Display, and then
  • add Customer Type

Reports - "On the horizon"

Reports are the real difference in terms of how this new setting will change things. The current Customer Contact List Report with Customers Types has little value when wanting to see income by Customer Type or total profitability.  But… we have to remember Intuit has stated Price Rules and Customer Types are in beta testing and they are listening to our feedback.

As a result of user feedback Intuit is working on building more Customer Type reports.

More complex reports are coming.

I thoroughly expect to see reports in QuickBooks Online similar to Sales By Customer Type Detail like in QuickBooks Desktop...

or Profitability by Customer Type.

So if you are considering the move to QuickBooks Online but Customer Types has been the thing holding you back… you will soon be able to have the benefits of both.

But for now, the win is clear, Customer Types import into QuickBooks Online from QuickBooks Desktop.