To begin the conversion process, you need to undertake some preliminary tasks. You may wish to print this page and the Extract Data page as a handy reference. The following tasks must be performed on the client's machine (this could be achieved by directing the client over the phone):
Check which version of QuickBooks the client is using by selecting About QuickBooks from the Help menu.
Ask for the client's QuickBooks Administrator Username and Password. These are required when you want to edit Preferences or transactions, or Rebuild the datafile at your office.
Make sure that all the client's QuickBooks accounts are numbered, including inactive accounts. This is required for the conversion and will make the account mapping process easier. It only needs to be done once when performed on the client's machine.
Close all windows within QuickBooks by selecting Close All from the Window menu (next to the Help menu). Next Verify the integrity of the client's data by selecting File > Utilities > Verify Data. If the data has lost integrity, select File > Utilities > Rebuild Data to try to fix the problem. Verify again, and if still unsuccessful call Reckon Technical support, or check qbwin.log if you are familiar with this file.
When the datafile Verifies successfully obtain a backup or Portable copy of the client's datafile by selecting File > Save Copy or Backup. A Portable company file backup will be much smaller than a normal backup but takes longer to create and restore.
Alternately, you can ask the client to send an Accountant's Copy file. If you are going to do this and you are not using an Accountant edition of QBi 2011-12, see the help Index topic 'QuickBooks:Accountant's Copy' for steps to import the ADT Journal report into the client's file.