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Switch from QuickBooks to LedgerBarn

Moving your books off QuickBooks Desktop or QuickBooks Online: pick the day the books start here, enter opening balances straight off your statements, run both side by side for a month, then turn QuickBooks off. The Dashboard keeps a dated checklist so no step slips.

1. Pick your two datesOpen Chart of Accounts and click the Preferences chip. Under "Switching from QuickBooks," fill in "Books go live here" and "QuickBooks turned off," then Save. Leave the second date blank and it assumes a month after go-live. The first day of a month is the cleanest place to start; January 1 is cleanest of all, because payroll starts the year at zero.
2. Follow the checklist on the DashboardOnce the dates are saved, the Dashboard shows a "Switching from QuickBooks" card with six dated steps: approve a lean chart of accounts, hide and merge unused categories, get every account's closing statement, enter opening balances, run both systems side by side, and turn QuickBooks off. Each step shows as done, due soon, or late. Tick them off as you go.
3. Tidy the chart of accountsIn Chart of Accounts, "Balance sheet accounts" holds your bank accounts, cards, and loans, and "Income & expense accounts" holds the categories you use on every check and deposit. Aim for a short list that matches the lines on your tax return. "Hide unused" clears out any category nothing points at.
4. Enter opening balancesClick the "Opening balances" chip. Set "Books start on" to your go-live date, then type each account's balance from its statement for the day before: what you HAVE for bank accounts, what you OWE for cards and loans. Click "Save opening balances." Re-entering a number replaces it; it never adds a second one.
5. Add your customers, vendors, and employeesAdd Customer is under Customers, Add Vendor under Vendors, and Add Employee under Employees. Long lists in QuickBooks Desktop? In Chart of Accounts, the "From QuickBooks" chip brings your chart of accounts, customers, vendors and items across from QuickBooks' own exports, with each account's opening balance and every invoice and bill still open; it checks each balance against QuickBooks before anything is saved, and it can be undone. Employees are entered fresh. Want your transaction history brought across too? That is done for you: send the files from the same screen, or email support before go-live.
6. Bring in the bankUnder Banking, Match Transactions takes the file your bank lets you download (CSV, OFX, QFX, or QBO), or press "Connect your bank" there to sign in to the bank once and have new lines come in with one click. Lines already in the register match up, you add the ones that are missing, and saved rules categorize the regulars for you. Reconcile against each statement the way you did in QuickBooks.
7. Run both side by sideUntil your QuickBooks-off date, enter the month in both systems. At month end, open Reports and compare the Profit & Loss and the Balance Sheet. They are laid out the way QuickBooks prints them, so a difference is easy to spot.
8. Turn QuickBooks offWhen the month ties out, keep a final backup of your QuickBooks file and a PDF of last year's reports for your records, then tick the last step. From here on the books live in one place.