When you upgrade your QuickBooks® Desktop program to a newer version year, you will also need to upgrade your QuickBooks company file. This will allow the file to be opened in your new version of QuickBooks® Desktop. You will only need to upgrade the file once, and since Qbox will sync the file, your upgraded file will be shared with all Shared Users and Team Members who have access. Please note that when your company file is upgraded to a newer version year, users sharing the file will also need to have the new (same) version year of QuickBooks® Desktop installed on their computer to open the file; the edition (Pro, Premier, Contractor, etc.) within the same year can be different.
Enterprise Edition is the only exception to this rule. If you upgrade the file to a newer version year with your Enterprise Edition, then all users who access the file after the upgrade will need the same year of Quickbooks as well as the Enterprise Edition to open the file.
The following instructions are only for upgrading your company file that is located in your Qbox folder. You must install the new version of QuickBooks® Desktop before upgrading your file. In addition, QuickBooks recommends that you prepare each company file for the upgrade. For more information on installing the new QuickBooks version and prepping your file before the upgrade, click the following link to view an Intuit QuickBooks support help document: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/install-or-update-products/upgrade-your-company-files-after-switching-to-a-new-version-of/00/203424
How to upgrade a QuickBooks company file:
- Make sure all users log out of your company file and it is synced and unlocked in Qbox.
- Open the new version of the QuickBooks® Desktop program by selecting the icon on your desktop.
- Select ‘Open or Restore Company’ if you don't have a company file open. You can also go to the ‘File’ menu and select ‘Open or Restore Company’. If you have a company file open, first click the ‘File’ button and select ‘Close Company’.
- Select ‘Open a company file’, then ‘Next’.
- Browse your computer for your company file. The company file (QBW) will be located in your Qbox folder. The Qbox folder location will show at the top of the Qbox Client/Explorer just under the File, Settings, and Preferences buttons. Locate the file, select it, and then select ‘Open’.
- Sign in to your company file as an admin user.
- Wait for Qbox to provide the lock prompt and select yes to lock the file.
- Select ‘Update Now’ to start the upgrade.
- When QuickBooks finishes, select ‘Done’.
- Close the file to let Qbox perform the sync and release the file lock.
The company file should now open in the new version of QuickBooks® Desktop when you double click the file name in the Qbox Client/Explorer.