The year 2024 brings an exciting new release of QuickBooks featuring major improvements and handy features for small businesses. Upgrading allows you to take advantage of the latest that QuickBooks has to offer. In this guide, we’ll walk through the steps to seamlessly upgrade to QuickBooks 2024.
Back Up Your QuickBooks Data
The first step before any major software change is to back up your data. This ensures you have a safe copy of your QuickBooks file should anything go wrong during the upgrade.
To backup in QuickBooks Desktop, go to File > Create Backup. Choose a location like an external hard drive or cloud storage to save the backup file. For QuickBooks Online, your data is regularly backed up automatically.
Check Hardware and Software Compatibility
QuickBooks 2024 will require a newer version of Windows compared to older releases. Check that your computer’s operating system meets the minimum requirements for QuickBooks Upgrade 2024 to ensure everything will function properly after the upgrade.
You should also confirm that any other software, plugins, or integrations you use with QuickBooks will be compatible with version 2024. Check the vendor websites for details. Disconnect any unsupported addons before upgrading.
Update Your QuickBooks Software
Once your data is backed up and you’ve verified system compatibility, you are ready to update your QuickBooks Desktop software. Open QuickBooks and go to Help > Update QuickBooks Desktop. Follow the onscreen instructions to download the latest installer and proceed through the upgrade steps.
For QuickBooks Online, there is no action required! The web version will be automatically updated to the newest release. Simply sign in as normal after the 2024 release date.
Verify Your Company File
When updating to a major new version, it’s a good idea to let QuickBooks verify your company file to make sure everything transitioned smoothly.
In QuickBooks Desktop, go to File > Utilities > Verify Data. QuickBooks will check for any issues and prompt you to run Easy Clean Up to fix problems. For QuickBooks Online, you can run the validate utility under the company settings gear icon.
Review New Features
Once the upgrade is complete, take some time to explore all the great new features in QuickBooks 2024! Review the new user interface, reports, and menus. Set up any new capabilities like bank feeds, improved search, or enhanced integrations that will benefit your company file.
Familiarize yourself with changes so you can use the latest QuickBooks edition to its full potential. Refer to the QuickBooks guides and community forums if you need help understanding something.
Clean Up Old Lists and Data
When upgrading to a new version, it’s a good opportunity to clean up your QuickBooks file. Delete old unused lists, accounts, items, and records that you no longer need. Archive previous year’s transaction data that you can remove from your active company file.
This cleanup helps to optimize QuickBooks performance and prevent your company file from becoming cluttered over time. A streamlined file will be easier to manage with the new capabilities in QuickBooks 2024.
Upgrade with Confidence
Following these steps will make for a smooth, headache-free upgrade to the latest and greatest that QuickBooks has to offer. Be sure to backup your data, check for compatibility issues, install the new software, verify your file, learn the new features, and clean up old data.
Upgrading to QuickBooks 2024 will give your business a more powerful accounting and financial management tool. With exciting improvements like faster bank feeds, better reporting and more seamless integrations, QuickBooks 2024 takes small business accounting to the next level. Upgrade today to see the benefits firsthand!
