I Run Quickbooks on one Computer and want to Run Turbotax Business on Another

[TheOldGuy]

One employee in the company does the normal accounting tasks but I do the company's taxes.  I have a different computer.  Under the "old" Quickbooks I'd just have installed QB on my computer, imported a backkup of the company file, and then run Turbotax and imported the data.  With the new setup I can't do that without paying for a license.  How do I make it work?  I think I heard that I could install a trial version but that would mean getting through the taxes in 30 days, Right?

[fanfare]

Your business computers should be accessible on your business network.

@TheOldGuy 

[TheOldGuy]

Are you saying that having the Quickbooks file on a network drive, then selecting it when I import from Turbotax would work?  That isn't how imports worked in last year's version.  I had to actually have Quickbooks available to run, and I don't think it will run on my system just because the data file is available on a network drive. @fanfare 

[Critter-3]

And the option to just use that other computer long enough to complete and file the return is just not possible ? 

[TheOldGuy]

No, the other system has to be used by the regular accounting person.  @Critter-3 

[Critter-3]

Seems like they cannot possibly use the computer 24/7 ... no way to share for a bit ?    If not then simply have them print off a P&L, a balance sheet & an asset listing report ... that is what I get from my clients to complete their tax returns without access to their QB program.  If you cannot complete it with those items seek local professional assistance. 

[TheOldGuy]

@Critter-3 If worse comes to worse I can do that, but there used to be a tip that said that you could install a trial version on the "tax" computer and import a backup into it, as long as you could be done by the end of the trial period.  Is that still an option?

[Critter-3]

I have no idea ... that is a QB question.  

But in the time it will take you to do all this manuvering to get a program loaded so the info can be transferred  you could  just  do  the return  using the QB reports ... it is really very  easy to do.  

[TheOldGuy · Accepted solution]

@Critter-3 @fanfare I believe I've found a reasonable way to do this.  I loaded Turbotax Business on both computers (which is valid under the license).  Then I used the "tax computer" to start a return, and progressed to the point where it was asking for an import from Quickbooks, then saved and closed.  I then used a zip drive to move the return to the "Quickbooks" computer.  I "resumed" the return there, and did the import from Qickbooks, then saved the return and moved it back to the tax computer.  It "resumed" there fine with the import in place, and it took only a minute on the Quickbooks computer to do what was needed there.

[Critter-3]

Well there you go. I would have told you that trick (since I use it myself) but I had the impression you could not do so for some reason.   Just remember any changes either of you make after transferring the data will not be reflected in the other system automatically  so make sure all of the year end adjustments and entries have been completed before you move the year end file.