QuickBooks 2020 R4 – An Interesting Release
Intuit tends to hold their cards close to their chest with release notes, but the release of QuickBooks 2020 R4 really has me scratching my head. What does it include?
Here is the complete statement about what has changed in this release: “All changes in this release are to internal systems and have no impact on the user experience.”
That certainly is cryptic. Sure, it tells us that we don’t have any new features, there won’t be any changes in what we have to do to operate any function, but I certainly would like to know what is going on!
Is it a bug fix? Do I have to worry about installing this quickly due to some big problem? Are they just making changes in how they display advertising, or how this works with features like QuickBooks Capital? We just don’t know what is going on.
Over the past several years Intuit has been doing a slightly better job than in the past as far as telling us about bugs that are fixed in a release. However, I’m certain that they have never given us a full picture of all of the changes in a release. That has always annoyed me, as I really want to know exactly what is going on, so that I can give good advice to my QuickBooks-using clients.
In any case, this update should be available via automatic updates soon, if it isn’t already. You can also go to the QuickBooks Update site to download the patch.
Should you get this update?
- If you are using QuickBooks 2020, I’m going to have to say that you definitely SHOULD. I’m nervous about the release, but if you have started the 2020 product already, we know that these early revisions are mostly fixing bugs. So you probably should update.
- If you are are using an older version of QuickBooks, I’m going to stick with my normal recommendation early releases of a new year of QuickBooks. Wait until next year. These early revisions need to get more “experience” in the field, and Intuit engineers are very likely still working on fixing problems that people are finding. Let someone else be the field tester. Besides, do you really want to do an upgrade in your essential accounting system at the end of a year? I like to wait until the dust has settled (with bug fixes) AND until after I’ve finished my essential year-end processes. Note that I don’t know of any problems with the current 2020 revision, I’m just a very cautious person.
Category: QuickBooks 2020
About the Author (Author Profile)
Charlie Russell is the founder of CCRSoftware. He’s been involved with the small business software industry since the mid 70’s, focusing on inventory and accounting software for small businesses. Charlie is a Certified Advanced QuickBooks ProAdvisor.
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I hope that they have fixed bug with backdated inventory related transactions. It has been pain for me and my customers using QuickBooks Enterprise since two years. Only recommendation from Intuit was sorry but don’t go back and edit bill or invoice, build assembly etc,that has inventory items!!!!
I’m not sure that I understand exactly what you are referring to. If you go back to a bill or invoice and edit it, as in changing costs or quantities, that is going to have a cascading effect on subsequent transactions (probably), and that isn’t a bug.
In any case, that kind of fix most likely isn’t what is going on here, or they would have (most likely) spelled out the change in their release notes.
I use QBs online version… not sure if this is affected, but already see visual changes to the screen and selections down the left side. and a constant pop up of “create anything new here” … QBs is annoying as always.
R:)
This article (in fact, everything in this website) applies to the desktop version of QuickBooks, not QuickBooks Online. For QBO, I have to say that it is very annoying that they change things there almost monthly, sometimes without advance warning. I’m not a fan of how they organize some aspects of that program.