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USE THE ACCOUNTANT'S COPY

SOLVED•by QuickBooks•QuickBooks Desktop Payroll•13•Updated April 22, 2021


Learn how to use the Accountant's Copy and know more about its limitations in
QuickBooks Desktop.

Creating an Accountant's Copy is the way to go if you need your accountant to
review your books and continue working on your company file at the same time.
And with the Accountant's Copy file transfer feature, the file is saved in
Intuit server, where you can start secured data exchange with your accountant.

Important:
 * Ensure Accountant's Copy and QuickBooks Desktop versions are compatible.
   If an accountant makes changes using features that aren't available in the
   client's version of QuickBooks Desktop, changes will not import to the
   client's file. That's why you need to upgrade your file when you open an
   Accountant's Copy in newer version of QuickBooks Desktop.
   Ideally, the client and accountant using the Accountant's Copy feature should
   use the same version or year of QuickBooks Desktop. But don't worry, you can
   still work on the Accountant's Copy using a different version as long as the
   gap between the versions is just one year, and the accountant has a more
   recent version.
   
   For example:
   
   * Client: QuickBooks Desktop Pro or Premier 2020
     Accountant: QuickBooks Desktop Premier Accountant Edition 2020
   * Client: QuickBooks Desktop Pro or Premier 2019
     Accountant: QuickBooks Desktop Premier Accountant Edition 2019 or 2020
   * Client: QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise 2020
     Accountant: QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise Accountant Edition 2020
   * Client: QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise 2019
     Accountant: QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise Accountant Edition 2019 or 2020
 * Set the dividing date to define the fiscal period the accountant can work on.
   * Accountants can only modify transactions that fall on or before the
     dividing date.
   * While clients can only modify transactions in their working file that fall
     after the dividing date, to prevent conflict or the possibility of
     overwriting changes.

Note: If you need to void Accountant's Copy, remove the accountant's copy
restriction.


ACCOUNTANT'S COPY WORKFLOW

There are two workflows you can follow:

 * Accountant's Copy manual workflow - If accountant uses QuickBooks Accountant
   Edition but not an active ProAdvisor.
   You and your accountant can exchange Accountant's Copy file on a USB, attach
   it on email, or share it through cloud service like Box. You can send back
   the updated version in the same way. Check out on how to create an
   Accountant's Copy for specific details.
 * Accountant's Copy file transfer (ACFT) workflow -If accountant has an active
   ProAdvisor membership.
   The ACFT feature lets you and your accountant exchange Accountant's Copy
   files through Intuit's secure server. Check out on how the accountant's file
   transfer works to learn more.

Here's how Accountant's Copy with file transfer feature works:


STEP 1: FOR CLIENT

 1. Create Accountant's Copy to send to accountant.
 2. You can continue to work on current items in the working file (.QBW).

Here, QuickBooks Desktop saves the Accountant's Copy as an export file (.QBX) to
the Intuit server, which triggers the system to send an email with a download
link to the accountant.


STEP 2: FOR ACCOUNTANT

 1. Access and open the file to create working file (.QBA).
 2. Save your changes and corrections, creating an import file (.QBY), which is
    saved to the Intuit server.

The client can now open this import file to apply the accountant's changes to
the company file.


ACCOUNTANT'S COPY LIMITATIONS

Here's what you can and can't do in Accountant's Copy.


FOR CLIENTS


WHILE ACCOUNTANT CHANGES ARE PENDING

You can work in the .QBW working file to make changes to transactions in the
current period, after the dividing date. Here's what you can do:

 * Add new entries to any of your lists
 * Create, edit, and delete transactions
 * Edit the list information
 * Turn on Payroll

However, while accountant's changes are pending, you can't make these changes:

 * Edit or delete existing accounts
 * Send Assisted Payroll Data or Direct Deposits to Intuit


RECONCILIATION

It's possible to reconcile your accounts with a pending Accountant's Copy.
However, your reconciliation may be rolled back if you clear transactions dated
on or before the dividing date, or if your accountant reconciles the
Accountant's Copy and undoes your reconciliation.Verify with your accountant
whether they plan to reconcile the Accountant’s Copy before you reconcile your
accounts in your working file.




Reconciliations performed in an Accountant's Copy are limited to 800
transactions. If the number of transactions reconciled is more than 800, then
the reconciliation won't import into the client file.


FOR ACCOUNTANTS


WORKING ON ACCOUNTANT'S COPY FROM CLIENT

QuickBooks Desktop prevents you from editing information or transactions that
may conflict with your client's work. It also prevents your client from editing
the information before the dividing date to avoid conflict with any changes you
make.

When working in an Accountant's Copy (the .QBA working file), you may encounter
disabled or sometimes highlighted areas in a client's file:

 * Highlighted background: Information entered in these fields is included in
   the change file that you send back to your client
 * Non-highlighted background: You can change the information in non-highlighted
   fields, if necessary, but the changes aren't included in the change file you
   send back to your client




There are also some specific limitations of the type of changes you can make.

The following sections provide details about the specific changes you can and
can't make in an Accountant's Copy.


LISTS

When working with Lists, you can make the following changes in an Accountant's
Copy:

 * Add an item to the Class List, Customer List, Employee List, Fixed Asset
   Item, Item List, Other Names List, Vendor List, and Sales Tax Code List
   Note: You can't edit or make items on the Sales Tax Code List inactive
 * Edit items on the Vendor List and the Item List
   Note: You can't change an item to another type on the Item List

You can't make the following changes:

 * Add, edit, void, or delete build assemblies
 * Change the type of an item
 * Delete and merge existing accounts
 * Enter vehicle mileage


TRANSACTIONS

When working on transactions, you can make the following changes in an
Accountant's Copy:

 * Add, edit, and delete most types of transactions dated on or before the
   dividing date
 * Add new transactions dated after the dividing date
 * Edit account and tax information for existing items (tax line mapping can't
   be sent back to the client)
 * Temporarily change preferences
 * Make adjusting entries
 * Add a new account

You can't make the following changes:

 * Add, delete, and edit (but not void) payments received
 * Add, edit, void, or delete sales tax payments
 * Add or use credit card processing
 * Create non-posting transactions such as estimates and sales orders
 * Edit or void bill payments by credit card
 * Transfer funds between accounts
 * Add or edit the routing number


PAYROLL

When working on payroll-related items, you are generally restricted from making
changes in the Accountant's Copy. Although you can still process payroll tax
forms.

You can't make the following payroll-related changes in an Accountant's Copy:

 * Add, edit, or delete payroll items
 * Create, edit, delete, or void paychecks
 * Enter, edit, or delete time sheet data

 * Create, edit, delete, or void Direct Deposit checks for 1099 vendors
 * Send Assisted Payroll Data or Direct Deposits to Intuit


WHAT ELSE YOU CAN (AND CAN'T) DO

When working in an Accountant's Copy, you can make the following changes:

 * Print 1099 and 1096 forms in the historical period
 * Create, adjust, and print 941, 940, and W-2 forms
   (You can't send adjustments back to the client)
 * Create new reports
 * Add new customers, vendors, employees, and items
   (Exceptions are identified as disabled fields in the Accountant's Copy)
 * Add accounts

You can't make the following changes in an Accountant's Copy:

 * Import data from Excel, Web Connect, and QuickBooks timer files
 * Manage service keys (buy additional licenses)
 * Use planning and budgeting tools
 * Use online banking services
 * Add routing number

Additionally, you can't send the following changes back to the client:

 * User or password changes
 * Changes to memorized reports
 * Changes to preferences


RESET THE ACCOUNTANT'S COPY PASSWORD

By default, the Automated Password Reset Tool displays working company files
(with the file extension .QBW).

For the detailed steps to use the tool, see Automated Password Reset Tool

To reset the password for an Accountant's Copy (.QBA) file, after you select
your version:

 1. Enter *.* in the File Name field to view all files in the selected
    directory.
 2. Select the Accountant's Copy (.QBA) file.
    
    
 3. Enter and confirm your New Password and select Reset Password to complete
    the process.


THE ESSENTIAL ACCOUNTANT'S COPY GUIDE

This article is part of a series about Accountant's Copy in QuickBooks. To learn
more about this feature, check the following articles:

 * Create an accountant's copy to send to your accountant
 * Convert the accountant's copy to an accountant's working file
 * Export accountant's changes
 * Import accountant's changes
 * Remove the accountant's copy restriction
 * Convert an accountant's copy or an accountant's working file to a regular
   company file

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