Is QuickBooks API QBD V3 Really Deprecated?

Question

I just started developing an Intuit App yesterday and was really getting going on integrating with QuickBooks Desktop. Then today I logged in to continue work and was greeted by several missing pages on Intuit's IPP site and a link that says "Deprecated QBO V2 and QBD V2,V3". The only API that appears to not be deprecated is QBO V3.

I cannot find any announcement from Intuit about any upcoming deprecation. Does anybody have any info on whether I am safe to continue developing my app to connect to QBD or do I need to talk to our accountant to move over to QBO instead?

EDIT: I have marked Jarred's answer as the accepted answer because he associated with Intuit and answers my specific situation. Also check Charlie's answer for additional details specific to other scenarios.

Sequestration

I have been working with QBD V2 for 6 months now trying to develop my app, and was planning on finishing up this month and actually launching. As you can imagine, I am a little freaked out by this as well. I'm on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what has happened... I pray it's just a technical glitch... 6 months of my life wasted if it's not. – Scurvy

Just subscribing so that I get notified when this gets answered... – Adjudication

[Edit: Sorry, Tuesday, not tomorrow]There's a webinar tomorrow, 11/12/13 to go over some news re: the SDK and API. Register here: developer.intuit.com/blog/2013/11/01/ipp-webinar-tuesday-111213 – Hindbrain

Answer 1

Intuit will not prevent you from going live with your application that you have spent the last 6 months working on. We have a set of guidelines for grandfathering in developers who have invested in using the v2 REST API for QuickBooks Desktop.

feel free to contact me directly if you have more questions.

@Charlie if you could correct your statement regarding if you are NOT published then you need to use the QBXML SDK. That is too generic, we will evaluate each developer on a case by case basis.

regards,
Jarred

Dehorn

Jarred, thank you! I've been reaching out through every channel I can find since Friday morning, this is the first response I've received from anyone who actually works for Intuit. I am VERY interested in hearing more about your grandfathering guidelines, and would love to contact you directly, but I'm not sure how. Please let me know how to contact you. – Scurvy

I just received a response from a ticket I submitted on Friday saying that I will be grandfathered, but I must upgrade to v3. The reason I had not done this previously is because v3 does not support features that I need, such as Payroll Items and Time Activity. Will I be forced to upgrade to v3? If so, how will I be able to pay my employees? – Scurvy

Blair, they are available now developer.intuit.com/docs/0025_quickbooksapi/0050_data_services/… – Dehorn

Jarred, that is a link for the ONLINE API v3, I am working with DESKTOP API. The documentation for the desktop version does not seem to include those two: developer.intuit.com/docs/95_deprecated/qbd_v3/qbd_v3_reference/…. Am I missing something? – Scurvy

Blair you can email me at firstname underscore lastname at intuit dot com. – Dehorn

@JarredKeneally Can you clarify about DESKTOP V3? Is DESKTOP V3 deprecated now (e.g. IPP for DESKTOP is no longer an option?)? – Adjudication

Keith, I'm pretty sure that is correct, IPP for desktop is no longer an option. Unless you have already been developing with it for some time, they seem to be offering an option to grandfather you in, but I have not gotten any details about that yet. – Scurvy

For any new developments QBSDK will be the only option for desktop unless you are a premier partner-developer.intuit.com/docs/0250_qb Any existing/in development granfatheres V2 QBD apps will have to move over to V3 QBD – Midwinter

@JarredKeneally So if we are developing a new Saas app and want to be listed in apps.com, and connect to Quickbooks Desktop, do we use SDK + Web Connector? – Bilbe

@Chad, unless you integrate with QBO via the v3 REST API you cannot me listed on apps.com. We are looking into expanding the QuickBooks Marketplace again for QuickBooks desktop applications. – Dehorn

Answer 2

I interviewed several people from Intuit at the Sleeter Accounting Solutions Conference this week, including (amongst others) Dan Wernikoff, Senior VP.

I'll have an article in my blog on this (http://www.sleeter.com/blog/) next week - I'm transcribing my recordings and clarifying points.

There are a LOT of points here, but to address what you are looking at -

If you are writing an IPP app using V3 for QBO - no problem (and in fact, some good news there).

If you are already published with IPP using V3 and Sync Manager for the Desktop, you will get continued support but don't expect any advancement there (unless you are someone big like American Express).

If you are NOT already published with IPP for the Desktop - the SDK is your option. And there is a lot more info about this coming out

MINOR EDIT AT A LATER DATE: If you have been working with IPP for the desktop you MIGHT get approved to continue - no guarantees on that (but it seems they might be lenient). But In my opinion you can't expect any significant new features (as in, more data access) moving forward unless you are a significant partner with a contract with them (such as, American Express).

Outlaw

Am I the only one here who is astounded by the utter lack of communication from Intiut? I mean, I can understand if they want to pull the plug on an API and move toward something different, but to pull the plug, and then decide a week later that hey, maybe we should tell people about that... I just don't understand how Intuit thinks this is a good way to run a business. This experience will very likely make me as developer NEVER integrate with an Intuit product again, and has caused our business to start looking to an alternative to QuickBooks. – Scurvy

More to the point, I suppose, is some wording pulled directly from Intuit's IPP website: "Although the IPP QuickBooks API is the preferred approach for integrating SaaS and mobile apps with QuickBooks data, we continue to support the QuickBooks Software Development Kit (QBSDK) for desktop applications and customer integrations." So if they just pulled the plug on their preferred method of connecting to a QB desktop file, then why should I assume that I will have better luck using the SDK? Why should I have any faith that they won't pull the plug on that next week? – Scurvy

@CharlieRussell So if we are developing a new Saas app and want to be listed in apps.com, and connect to Quickbooks Desktop, do we use SDK + Web Connector? – Bilbe

Answer 3

My writeup on this subject is available at http://www.sleeter.com/blog/2013/11/quickbooks-software-integration/

Note that Dan Wernikoff, Senior VP at Intuit, has been leaving comments in several of my articles in the blog.

Blair, you have a reasonable concern. However, given the REASONS that they made this change, I would SPECULATE that Intuit won't be pulling the SDK. What isn't clear, at this time, is HOW MUCH support they will give the SDK moving forward.

And, as we have seen for several years now, things can change...

Outlaw