Quickly Import Accountant’s Changes in QuickBooks

Are you struggling to import your Accountant’s Changes into your company file in QuickBooks?

Failing to import the Accountant’s Changes in a QuickBooks company file can hinder smooth collaboration with your accountant, and we comprehend that it makes you concerned about the precision of your financial records.

Well, here’s a blog defining all the prerequisites you need to take and the proper procedure to import accountant changes into the QuickBooks company file. Just read the blog’s content thoroughly and execute the approaches as described in the blog. Towards the end, you’ll be aware of the entire method to Import Accountant’s Changes in QuickBooks, the challenges you might face, and some aspects to avoid stumbling upon a complication while importing accountants changes in QuickBooks file. Let’s begin!

Factors to Assess Before you Restore an Accountant’s Copy in QuickBooks Desktop

QuickBooks Desktop helps you directly import the Accountant’s Changes in your company file more securely than any other way. However, you should also take some precautionary measures on your side to ensure seamless and accurate data import in the company file:

• Create a backup: Backing up your data must be a priority before QuickBooks accountant data import to ensure you have a recovery point in case anything goes wrong. There are rare chances of data getting damaged, but you should still have a backup to restore your company file in case discrepancies occur in the financial records or the file gets damaged.

Here’s a precise and quickest way to back up your QuickBooks company file.

• Check user permissions and verify you have proper access: Your QuickBooks might fail to open an Accountant’s Copy file (.QBY) in case it doesn’t have admin rights or access to the location of the .qby file on your system. We recommend using your Windows admin account as well as run QuickBooks in admin mode while importing the Accountant’s Changes. Here’s how:

• Sign in as Windows Admin:

1. Go to the Windows Start button on the taskbar and click the Power option.
2. Click the Restart option in the popup and wait until your system reboots to the sign-in screen.
3. Select your admin account (if mentioned) or fill in the admin credentials to sign in as an admin.

• Assign admin rights to QB Desktop:

1. Find the executable file for your QuickBooks Desktop (QuickBooks.exe).
2. Right-click on the QB application file and select Properties.
3. Mark the Run this program as an administrator checkbox given in the Compatibility tab.

If you still face problems accessing the QuickBooks Accountant’s Changes file (.qby), check out our detailed article on folder permissions for QB Desktop and use the procedure to configure the Windows permissions.

• Check the .qby file version: You must ensure that the QuickBooks Desktop or Enterprise version you have on your system matches your accountant’s QB version. For e.g., if you create an Accountant’s Copy in QuickBooks Desktop Premier 2022, your accountant must have QuickBooks Desktop Accountant 2022 to open the Accountant’s Copy (.qbx) file you sent. Also, if you use QuickBooks Desktop or Enterprise 2023 version or older, your accountant can’t update the company file changes in QuickBooks Desktop 2024. Either the accountant will have to use an older QB version, or you must update the file to QuickBooks Desktop 2024 before sending the .qbx file.
• Check the Internet connection stability: You must ensure an active internet connection with a decent speed while sending or importing changes via Accountant File Transfer Service (ACFT). Data loss will trouble you in case the connection to the server is lost due to poor internet connectivity.
• Check for new updates in QB Desktop: Download and install any new updates available for your QB Desktop. Using an updated QB Desktop reduces the chances of compatibility issues while importing or exporting the Accountant’s Copy file.

Use this article to download & install latest QuickBooks Desktop updates.

• Check your company file name and size before sending the Accountant’s Copy: We know you are trying to import Accountant’s Changes QuickBooks instead of sending your company file to the accountant. Still, you must know that you can’t send an Accountant’s Copy if your company file has:

• • Special characters in the .qbw file name: Ensure there are no special characters like , , @, #, $, %, |, etc. when you send the company file or receive a .qby file from your accountant.
  • File size greater than 200 MB: Open your QuickBooks company file and press the F2 key to open the Company Information Window. Check the file size below File Information. It must be less than 2,00,000 KB or 200 MB. If your file size exceeds this limit, try creating a portable copy of your company file to reduce the file size.

Once all the above factors are thoroughly checked, you can now open an accountant’s transfer file in QuickBooks, as discussed in the next section of your blog.

How to Import .QBY File into QuickBooks Desktop

The procedure to upload accountant changes in QuickBooks Desktop is easy to execute. Additionally, we have classified it into steps to make QuickBooks Accountant data import convenient for you. Apply these steps carefully as described below:

Step 1 : Disable Advanced Inventory Features (If you use any)

This step is only to be executed if you use Advanced Inventory Features in your QB Desktop. The features may include FIFO Costing, Barcode Scanning, Bin or Lot Tracking, Serial or Lot Numbers, Multiple Location Inventory or Sales Order Fulfillment Process (Site Operations). Here’s how to turn off Advanced Inventory Features before you accept accountant changes in QuickBooks:

1. Start your QB Desktop and go to the Edit menu at the top.
2. Select Preferences in the list of options, and then choose Items & Inventory.
3. Go to the Company Preferences tab and ensure the Advanced Inventory Settings button is selected.
4. Turn off all the features you have on your QB Desktop:

• Multiple Inventory Locations: Ensure the checkbox beside Multiple Inventory Sites is enabled is unmarked.
• Serial/Lot Numbers: Go to the Serial/Lot No. & expiration  tab and unmark the Enable Lot or Serial Numbers checkbox.
• FIFO: Navigate to the FIFO tab and clear the checkbox for Use FIFO starting.
• Barcode Scanning: Go to the Barcodes tab and unmark the Enable Barcode Scanning checkbox.

Note: Even after the barcode scanning is disabled, QuickBooks stores all the barcodes existing in the current company file, and you will get them back in the company file as soon as you turn on barcode scanning later.

1. Tap OK in the Advanced Inventory Settings and the Preferences window.
2. If you see any warning window on the screen, click OK.

All the Advanced Inventory Features will be disabled, and you are now ready to import accountant adjustments for multiple years in QuickBooks Desktop.

Step 2: Begin .QBY File Import in QuickBooks Desktop

You might be aware that there are two ways you can send or receive Accountant’s Copy files in QuickBooks Desktop. The procedures for both of them are mentioned below:

If you Import Accountant Changes via .QBY File

1. Open your QuickBooks Desktop after turning off the Advanced Inventory Features and go to the File menu.
2. Select the Send Company File option and choose the Accountant’s Copy option.
3. Select the Client Activities option and tap Import Accountant Changes from File and locate your file on your system.

Tip: Enter the location of the .qby file you recently moved to your system using a USB drive or any other storage device. If you still haven’t, move it to an easily accessible location like Desktop on your system to locate it quickly.

If you Import Accountant’s Changes in QuickBooks using Accountant’s Copy File Transfer (ACFT) Service

1. Launch your QB Desktop and access the File menu at the top.
2. Choose the Send Company File option in the dropdown and select Accountant’s Copy.
3. Hover over Client Activities and select Import Accountant’s Changes from web.

Info: When you use the ACFT to transfer the Accountant’s Copy file in QuickBooks, it is done through the Intuit servers. The file you or your accountant sends is first stored in the Intuit servers, and then you or your accountant can access it from there securely.

Step 3: Verify Imported Accountant Changes in QuickBooks

You must cross-verify all the changes made by your accountant in the company file. As we know, QuickBooks automatically adds the changes to the company file, which can sometimes raise a conflict with the data that you entered after sending the Accountant’s Copy. 

To avoid any data discrepancies, we’ll advise reconciling your accounts both before and after the changes have been made. If all the data is precise and ready to be added, use the following steps:

1. Click Incorporate Accountant’s Changes or tap Close if you find any issue and do not want to import the Accountant’s Changes to your company file. Consider consulting your accountant before moving on, as you always have the option to resend your Accountant’s Copy file (.qbx).
2. Select OK to confirm the import and ensure none of the windows are open.
3. Tap OK and Close again to make another backup of your company file (automatic).

Step 4: Update the Closing Date & Password in QuickBooks Desktop

You must assign a closing date and password to ensure no entries are made before the selected date. This prevents overwriting and changes in the reports that can raise issues during tax submission. Here’s how to do it in both QB for Windows & Mac OS:

QuickBooks Desktop for Windows

Apply these steps to set a closing date in QuickBooks Desktop for Windows OS:

1. Launch your QuickBooks Desktop and sign in to your data file as an admin.
2. Move to the Company option and click Set Closing Date.
3. Fill in a Closing Date of your choice and assign a Closing Password.
4. Tap OK.

QuickBooks Desktop for Mac

Here’s how to set a closing date & password in QuickBooks Desktop for Mac OS:

1. Access the Company option in your QB Desktop and select Users and Passwords.
2. Choose the Set Closing Date option and fill in a Closing Date as well as the Closing Date Password.
3. Tap OK.

Step 5: Enable Advanced Inventory Features

We disabled the Advanced Inventory Features in Step 1 to avoid data discrepancies while importing the Accountant’s Changes in QB Desktop. You must turn them back on using the following method:

1. Go to the Edit menu of your QuickBooks Desktop and select Preferences.
2. Select Items & Inventory on the left panel and choose Items & Inventory.
3. Move to the Company Preferences tab and mark the Inventory and Purchase Orders are active checkbox.
4. Choose the Advanced Inventory Settings option and mark the Multiple Inventory Sites is enabled checkbox.
5. Go to the Serial/Lot no. & Expiration tab and mark the Activate serial or lot numbers checkbox.
6. Same way, go to FIFO, Barcodes, Site Operations, and Landed Cost tabs to enable their checkboxes.

Error: If the Advanced Inventory Settings option is unavailable, you need to sync your QB license as shown below:

• Access your QB Desktop’s Help menu and select Manage my license.

• Tap Sync License Data Online and check the Advanced Inventory Settings option again.

• Close and relaunch your QuickBooks Desktop to resume the operations.

Use the Quick Fix My Program Tool from the QuickBooks Tool Hub (reference article) if you can’t sync your license or the Advanced Inventory Settings option is still grayed out.

Summary

This blog highlights a straightforward method to Import Accountant’s Changes in QuickBooks for seamless collaboration with your accountant. We have also covered the setbacks you might face when importing Accountant’s Copy QuickBooks along with the countermeasures that need to be set in place. By following the blog thoroughly, you can keep up with your accountant to make your financial records precise without disrupting the business operations.

FAQs

How do I undo an Accountant’s Copy in QuickBooks?

You’ll have to remove the QuickBooks Accountant’s Copy restrictions to undo/cancel the file you sent to your accountant. Simply select the Send Company file option in QuickBooks File menu and hover over the Accountant’s Copy option. Next, you have to go to the Client Activities option and select Remove Restrictions.

Click Yes, I want to remove the Accountant’s Copy restrictions, and tap OK. The Accountant’s Copy you sent earlier will be cancelled, and you can now send a fresh Accountant’s Copy from your QuickBooks.

What is a .QBY file in QuickBooks?

The .QBY file in QuickBooks is an Accountant’s Copy file, which your accountant sends back to you after making the changes. You can transfer the file using email, a hosting service, a USB flash drive, or another storage device that seems fit. You have to then import the .qby file in QuickBooks to add the Accountant’s Changes to your company file.

Check this article to find out more about other file extensions used in QB Desktop.

How do I ensure data accuracy after importing accountant changes? 

We’ll advise you to save the file locally on your system’s hard drive to ensure there are no issues while importing it. In between the import, you must review the changes made by your accountant before clicking the Incorporate Accountant’s Changes option.

Also, we’ll advise you to run the Verify & Rebuild Utility to ensure the company file is intact and hasn’t taken any damage during the import. 

Where do I find the Accountant’s Copy file?

If you use the Accountant Copy File Transfer (ACFT) service, then the Accountant’s Copy file is saved on the Intuit servers, and you or the accountant can access it from there. However, if you create the file on your system to be shared via USB or email, then you’ll be asked to enter a location to save your file. If you aren’t able to retain the correct location, just run a search for the.QBX extension (Accountant Copy file you send) or .QBY extension (Accountant Copy you receive after changes) for the exact location on your system.

How do I know if the Accountant Changes were imported successfully?

You need to review your company file after importing the Accountant’s Changes, which includes reconciling accounts, checking transaction history, and generating financial reports (balance sheets, profit & loss statements, trial balance sheets, etc.) to ensure your financial data is flawless.

You must ensure that your company file has a Accountant’s Changes Pending message in parenthesis ‘( ).’ If you are sure that you have opened the correct company file, but it doesn’t display Accountant’s Changes Pending, then you’ll have to enter the changes manually.