Versions vs. Releases: Which do you need most?

In this article, I'll explain the difference between QuickBooks (QB) versions and QB releases. I'll also explain which of these your QB software should always have.

A version is a new release of QB that contains product enhancements and new features. When you move from an older QB version to a newer one, you are upgrading QB. There is a charge for acquiring the latest version of QB.

A release, or maintenance release, is an update to an existing version. Intuit occasionally creates maintenance releases to fix newly discovered problems in QB. There is no charge for acquiring the latest maintenance release(s) for your QB product(s).

To check the current release installed on your computer, open your company file. Hold down the Control key and press the number 1. QB will display the product information window, which includes information on which QB release you are currently using. If you don't have the latest release, update QB by choosing Update QuickBooks from the Help menu.

Now that you understand the differences between versions and releases, you've probably guessed that you need maintenance releases more than the latest version. This is because maintenance releases fix issues with the version of QB you're currently using. It's a good idea to upgrade to the latest version of QB periodically, but it's less important than getting the latest maintenance releases.