How to move an HOA's books off QuickBooks

Updated Oct 20, 2026 · steps checked against QuickBooks Online help

Moving an HOA off QuickBooks Online takes about two hours: export the customer list and A/R Aging report, turn each customer into a home, and match opening balances to the bank. QuickBooks keeps cancelled paid accounts readable for one year, so the old books stay available while the CPA files the 1120-H.

Kahoa makes Kahoa. The steps work for any HOA software; where they name Kahoa, they describe Kahoa's setup screens.

What moves, and what stays behind?

Record	From QuickBooks Online	Into Kahoa
Owners and homes	Reports → Customer Contact List, CSV	Roster import, one row per home
What each home owes	Reports → A/R Aging Summary, CSV	Opening balances
Prepaid credits	Negative balances on A/R Aging	Opening balances, as credits
Vendors	Reports → Vendor Contact List	Vendor import, saved as CSV
Bank activity	Not needed	24 months via bank connection
Past journal entries	Settings → Export data, Excel zip	Keep the zip; books start from opening balances
Attachments	Settings → Attachments → Export	Document upload
Autopay enrollments	Can't be exported	Homeowners enroll again

QuickBooks has no homes or units, so add the property address to each customer row before importing the roster.

How do you switch, step by step?

6 steps · about 2 hours

01
Pick the cutover date
Choose the day after a dues cycle posts, so every balance in the export is final.
Time5 minutes
02
Export everything
Export the Customer Contact List, A/R Aging Summary and Vendor Contact List, then run Settings → Export data for the full set of reports as an Excel zip.
WhereQuickBooks: Reports, and Settings → Export data
Time30 minutes
03
Connect the bank
Link the operating and reserve accounts. Kahoa pulls 24 months of history for the treasurer to sort.
In KahoaSetup → Bank
Time15 minutes
04
Import owners and opening balances
Turn each customer into a home with its address, save as CSV and upload, then upload the A/R Aging export. Check the total against QuickBooks to the cent.
In KahoaSetup → Upload directory, then Enter opening balances
Time45 minutes
05
Tell homeowners
Send homeowners the new payment link. Pause or delete the recurring invoices in QuickBooks so autopay stops.
Autopay offBoard: Settings → Recurring Transactions → Pause or Delete
Time30 minutes
06
Run one cycle, then cancel
Collect one month in the new tool, then cancel under Settings → Subscriptions and billing. Paid plans stay read-only for a year.
TimeOne dues cycle

Before you cancel QuickBooks

Keep these five files

The Export data zip for every open year
The last A/R Aging Summary
The balance sheet and profit and loss
The last bank reconciliation
Attachments, exported as a zip

Not the right time?

Wait to switch if

Dues are due within the next two weeks.
An audit or reserve study is in progress.
The treasurer seat is changing hands this month.

What else do boards ask about leaving QuickBooks?

What happens to our QuickBooks data after we cancel?

Intuit keeps cancelled paid accounts read-only for one year, with export still available. After that the data can't be viewed or downloaded.

Who can export and cancel?

Only the primary admin. Move primary admin to a current board member before the switch if a former treasurer still holds it.

Can QuickBooks Payments autopay move to another system?

No. Intuit says stored cards can't be transferred to another processor, so homeowners enter payment details again.

Does QuickBooks charge to cancel?

No cancellation fee, but no refunds for partial periods. Annual plans carry a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Ready to move?

Bring your QuickBooks export

Thirty days, no card. The bank connection fills in two years of history.

Start a 30-day trial See pricing

$50a month, flat, at any size. The 1120-H is included.