The usage limit is something for which users are always pathetic. Earlier it used to be QuickBooks Desktop where we used to get the message like “you have exceeded the limits of the software, you need to upgrade to the next level” But the same approach is now taking effect in QuickBooks Online. In the very beginning of 2019, this usage limit was introduced in QBO. Now, here we will discuss the QuickBooks Online Usage Limits. Go through the article to know all the facts and relevant information. For More Info contact our QuickBooks ProAdvisor toll-free: +1-844-405-0904
These limits determined how many users, classes, locations, and charts of account elements you have. You will be able to stay in your plan, even if you have exceeded your plan usage limit till six months after introducing these limits. And this will happen till only October 2019, after this QuickBooks Online will not support those accounts whose plan usage limitations are exceeded.
If you exceed the limits of your usage limits, then you have to upgrade your account to the next level. The rules related to usage limits were started from April 10, 2019, and it will impact QuickBooks Online Plus, Essentials, and Simple Start.
There are Usage Limits in every version of the QuickBooks Online except QuickBooks Online Advanced.
Table of Contents
Finding Your QuickBooks Online Usage Limits
If your usage limits are over then take action before October 2019, and after finding your usage limit make sure that you will able to access your account after October month.
QuickBooks users can see their limits from their Usage Limits Dashboard in the account and settings in your usage tab
- First, you have to sign up for your QuickBooks Online Account.
- Then select the Gear icon
- Select Account and setting from the left head column
- Select the usage tab from left-hand options.
From the starting of Monday, October 2019, accounts that are over a limit will be suspended on the next renewal date. Just take an example, if you are using QuickBooks Online Plus and you have 251 charts of accounts, you will need to upgrade it to matches to usage limit or you have to reduce your data to be within the limit of your plan.
QuickBooks Online Usage Limits Plan
| Plans | Simple Start | Essentials | Plus | Advanced |
| Classes and Locations (Combined) | 0 | 0 | 40 | No Limits |
| Chart Of Account | 250 | 250 | 250 | No Limits |
| Billable Users | 1 | 3 | 5 | 25 |
Other user types (Unbilled)
| Accountant | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Reports-only | 0 | 0 | No Limits | No Limits |
| Time tracking only | 0 | No Limits | No Limits | No Limits |
There are some points to note:
- If you subscribe through your accountants, so contact them to change in the plan.
- If you have so many companies, need to check usage for each of the company.
- Only active accounts, classes, and locations count under the usage limit.
- The user’s limits also count pending invites you have sent until they are removed in 90days.
Here are the four steps to manage usage limits
Usage Limit
You should check the usage tab periodically. By the way, monitoring usage limit is very good practice to stay under the usage limit. Follow the below steps to check the usage limit.
- Click on the Gear icon on the Toolbar.
- Look for the Account & Settings, later click on the Usage.
- Here, you can view precisely where your client stands with regard to Billable User, Chart of Accounts and Classes, and Locations limits.
Managing Billable Users
The user list is likely to be one of the first boundaries to reach the customers. Only “billable” users are allowed to count the usage limits. QBO Plus offers the five-user limit that helps to make this list very manageable. Below are the steps
- First, go to the Gear icon on the Toolbar.
- Next, look for the Company, click on the Manage Users.
- Now, here you are able to add or delete users.
Steps to delete a user
- Here, you have to look the name of the user that you desire to delete.
- Now, go to the Action drop-down, click on Delete.
Steps to add a new user
- Look at upper right of the screen, and click on Add user.
Managing the Chart of Accounts
Here are the steps to manage the chart of accounts. Check it out below.
- Go to the Gear icon on the Toolbar.
- Click on the Chart of Accounts.
- Now, here you are able to do accounts inactive and merge duplicate accounts
Steps to make an account inactive:
- Now here you have to look for the account that you wish to delete.
- Next, go to the Action column, click on the drop-down, and choose Make inactive.
- Click on Yes to confirm.
Steps to merge duplicate account
- Now here you have to look for the account that you wish to merge.
- Next, go to the Action column, and go to the drop-down, and click on Edit.
- Click on the Account Type field, choose the type that is a match to the account you need to merge.
- Go to the Name field, here you need to change the text to match the account you want to merge with.
- Now, here you need to check the Detail Type is identical to the account you want to merge with.
- Click on Save and close.
Managing Classes & Locations
Here are the steps to manage the chart of accounts. Check it out below.
- Go to the Gear icon on the Toolbar.
- Click on the Lists, and next select All Lists.
- Click on Classes or Locations
- Here, you can edit or merge duplicate classes and locations. You can also make classes and locations inactive.
Edit a class or location:
- Go to the drop-down below the Action column, and click on Edit.
- Now, you have Edit the desired information, and click on Save. Now, the location and class will be removed from the Classes or Locations list or updated with the desired information.
Steps to merge duplicate classes or locations:
- Go to the drop-down below the Action column, click on Edit.
- Go to the “Name” field, edit the name to the name you want to merge, next click on Save. The location or class will now be removed and activity merged to the remaining name.
Steps to make a class or location inactive:
- Go to the drop-down menu, below the Action column, click on Make inactive.
How do you get to know if your QuickBooks Online Usage Limits are over?
There are some points that can help you to find out that you are below or above the limits:
List view
This helps you to find out which items count under the limit, there is a new filter that helps you to view lists for a chart of accounts, classes, and locations. This will show you a list of items that counts in the list of limits:
- Select either Chart of accounts, Classes, and Locations
- Besides the filter by the name field, select the drop-down
- Choose counts toward limits
Limit indicator banner
If you are in the Chart of Accounts, Classes and Locations page any of the one’s pages, an indicator banner at the top of the page will help you by indicating that you are below or exceeded the limits.
Usage limits dashboard
How many items you have for each usage limit, Usage limits dashboard will tell you. How can you open the dashboard:
- Sign in to QuickBooks Online and select the setting icon
- Select account and settings
- Select the usage tab
If the usage tab is not available in your dashboard. Then contact your admin user regarding this.
What happens if your account is suspended?
Unfortunately, if your account is suspended then you have to reactivate it. If your account is suspended, then:
- You will be able to see your transactions or your QuickBooks data but you would not be able to add new transactions or do any change.
- You will not be able to reduce your usage.
- You can export data to excel or a desktop version of QuickBooks.
- If you signed up for a QuickBooks Online Payroll through your QuickBooks subscription, your payroll subscriptions will also be suspended.
How do you get below the limits?
- You can manage classes and locations.
- Make an account inactive for the charts of accounts
- You can also manage account users.
What are the new Usage Limits:
In the January 23 article, there are specific usages for a specific version. Usage limits are specified in the article for QuickBooks Online.
Classes and Locations
- QuickBooks Online Advanced: No limit
- All other versions: 40 (Combined)
Accounts in your Chart of Accounts
- QuickBooks Online Advanced: No limit
- All other versions: 250
Billable Users
Here Billable Users: Admin, Standard, and Custom users.
- QuickBooks Online Advanced: 25
- QuickBooks Online Plus: 5
- QuickBooks Online Essentials: 3
- QuickBooks Online Simple Start: 1
Other User Types (Unbilled)
- QuickBooks Online Advanced and Plus: 2 accountant users, unlimited reports only, and time tracking only users
- QuickBooks Online Essentials: 2 accountant users, Unlimited time tracking only users, no reports only users
- QuickBooks Online Simple Start: 2 accountant users, no reports only, or time tracking only users.
Beyond the Usage Limits, third-party apps can continue to add to your chart of accounts. But manually you will not be able to add anything in your Chart of Accounts, Classes, and Locations after above the Usage Limit. And you have to upgrade to your QuickBooks Online Advanced and have to reduce lists from these areas.
Hope, after the detailed discussion on QuickBooks Online usage limits, you definitely got a good idea of usage limits. But if you have still any issue and query regarding the same, please feel free to contact our ProAdvisor support team by dialing +1-844-405-0904.