How to Send Back an Accountant's Copy of QuickBooks

You’ve reconciled the accounts, made the year-end journal entries, and finalized the financial statements. Now, the last step is to get those changes back into your client's live QuickBooks file. This article provides a clear, step-by-step guide for both you and your client on how to correctly send and import the accountant's copy changes, ensuring a smooth and error-free update to their books.

First, A Quick Refresher on the Accountant's Copy

The Accountant's Copy feature in QuickBooks Desktop is a specialized workflow designed for collaboration between a business owner and their accountant. It allows the accountant to work on a client's books for a specific period (like month-end or year-end) while the client continues their day-to-day operations in their own file.

Here’s how the file types work in this process:

• Client Sends You a `.QBX` File: The client creates an "Accountant's Copy," which generates a transfer file with a `.qbx` extension. This file contains the company data up to a "dividing date" that the client sets.
• You Work with a `.QBA` File: When you open the client's `.qbx` file, QuickBooks creates a working accountant's copy with a `.qba` extension. This is the file where you make all your adjustments, reclassifications, and other journal entries.
• You Send Back a `.QBY` File: Once your work is complete, you export only your changes into an accountant's copy export file, which has a `.qby` extension. This file is much smaller than the original company file because it only contains the adjusting entries.

Your client then imports this `.qby` file into their main company file (`.qbw`), which applies your changes and removes the Accountant's Copy restrictions.

The Accountant's Role: Exporting the Completed Changes

Once you are finished making adjustments in the accountant's copy (`.qba` file), it’s time to create the export file to send back to your client. Follow these steps precisely.

Step 1: Start the Export Process

Open the accountant’s copy file (`.qba`) where you made your changes. With that file open, navigate to the top menu:

1. Go to File.
2. Select Send Company File.
3. Choose Accountant's Copy.
4. Click on View/Export Changes for Client...

Step 2: Review Your Changes

QuickBooks will display a window listing every single change you made, from journal entries to account reclassifications. This is your opportunity to give everything a final check. More importantly, you can create a record for your client.

At the top of this window, you’ll see an option to Print or Save as PDF. It is highly recommended to save this list of changes as a PDF. Send this PDF to your client along with the export file so they have a clear record of the adjustments you made. This small step helps build trust and transparency.

Step 3: Create the Export File

After reviewing the changes, click Create a New File or a similarly-phrased button at the bottom of the window (the wording may vary slightly by QuickBooks version).

You have two primary methods for getting the file to your client: sending it through Intuit’s server or saving it locally to send manually.

Method 1: Use the Accountant's Copy File Transfer Service (Recommended)

This is the simplest and most integrated method. QuickBooks will prompt you to create the file and send it directly through Intuit’s secure service.

• QuickBooks will generate the `.qby` file.
• A sending window will appear. Carefully enter your name, your email address, your client's name, and your client's email address.
• Click Send.

Your client will receive an automated email from Intuit with a secure link to download the `.qby` file. The server automatically deletes the file after a few weeks, so instruct your client to download it as soon as possible.

Method 2: Save the File Locally and Send it Manually

If you prefer to send the file yourself, you can save it to your computer.

• When prompted, QuickBooks will open a "Save As" window.
• Choose a memorable location on your computer to save the `.qby` file. By default, QuickBooks suggests a file name like `[Client Company Name] Accountant Changes.qby`. It's best to keep this name so your client can easily identify it.
• Click Save.

A note on security: because this file contains sensitive financial data, do not send it as a regular email attachment. Use a secure client portal or an encrypted file-sharing service to transmit the file to your client.

The Client's Role: Importing Your Changes

Now the ball is in your client's court. To avoid any issues, they need to follow the import instructions exactly. You might consider sending them this section of the article to guide them through the process.

Important client prep work:

• Back Up First! Before doing anything else, they must create a full backup of their QuickBooks company file (`.qbw`). If anything goes wrong, they can restore from this point.
• Log in as the company file administrator.
• Switch the company file to Single-user mode (File > Switch to Single-user Mode).
• Close all open windows within QuickBooks (e.g., reports, invoices, bills).

Step 1: Locate and Download the File

The client needs the `.qby` file you sent. If you used the Accountant's Copy File Transfer service, they should use the link in the email from Intuit to download the file. Tell them to save it somewhere they can easily find it, like their Desktop.

Step 2: Begin the Import

In their main QuickBooks company file, they will navigate to:

1. Go to File.
2. Select Send Company File.
3. Choose Accountant's Copy.
4. Click on Import Accountant's Changes from File...

Step 3: Select the Accountant's Changes File

A window will open, asking them to locate the file. They need to browse to where they saved the `.qby` file, select it, and click Open.

Note: If they try to import an incorrect file type (like a `.qba` or `.qbx`), QuickBooks will give them an error. They must select the `.qby` file.

Step 4: Review and Incorporate

QuickBooks will now display the list of changes you provided. This is where the PDF you sent them comes in handy—they can compare the on-screen list to the PDF to ensure everything matches.

Once they're ready, they should click the Incorporate Accountant's Changes button. A success message will appear once the import is complete. QuickBooks will then notify them that the accountant’s changes have been integrated and the restrictions have been removed from the company file.

Step 5: Create a Final Backup and Verify

QuickBooks will prompt the client to back up the company file again. They should do this. This new backup includes all the freshly incorporated changes.

Finally, they should check a few key reports, like the Profit & Loss or Balance Sheet, to see that your adjustments have been properly applied. Once confirmed, they can switch back to Multi-user mode and continue their work.

Troubleshooting Common Snags

Sometimes things don't go as planned. Here are a few common issues and their solutions:

• Error: "The changes could not be found." This usually means the client saved the `.qby` file in a different location than where they are looking. They should use their computer’s search function to find any files ending in `.qby`.
• Error: "You are trying to import changes into a different company file." The client has opened the wrong company file (`.qbw`) or is trying to import changes into a backup file. They must open the exact same `qbw` file from which they originally created the Accountant's Copy.
• Error: "Import failed." A generic failure can be caused by a corrupted `.qby` file or data integrity issues in the client's live file. The first step is for the client to restore the backup they made before attempting the import. The second step is for you, the accountant, to re-create and re-send the `.qby` export file.

Final Thoughts

Sending and receiving an Accountant's Copy in QuickBooks might seem technical, but it’s a well-defined process that ensures data integrity and smooth collaboration. By following these steps for exporting on your end and coaching your client through a proper import, you can finalize year-end adjustments without interrupting business operations.

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