Accounting & Bookkeeping & Small Business Forum

[Richard Noot]

Internet Explorer 7 Next on the Horizon in 2006
What It Means for You and Your Clients

We expect that Microsoft will begin distributing Internet Explorer 7 in the next month or two, and you need to be aware of how this could affect clients working in various versions of QuickBooks financial software.

Microsoft will distribute Internet Explorer 7 as a high-priority update via Automatic Updates for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 soon after the final version of the browser is released.

QuickBooks 2007 and QuickBooks 2006 (Release 8 or higher) will both work with Internet Explorer 7. QuickBooks uses this Web browser for some functions, including aspects of Help, Payroll, and some of the cached or navigator pages.

QuickBooks 2005 to Be Updated. We also expect to be providing an updated release to QuickBooks 2005 by end of year that will provide support for Internet Explorer 7.

Meanwhile, users (you or your clients) running QuickBooks 2006 versions prior to Release 8, or QuickBooks 2005 or prior, must stay on Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) for an uninterrupted experience.

If you or clients are running QuickBooks 2005 or earlier, Intuit recommends you upgrade to the latest edition of the QuickBooks software. However, we know as a practical matter that some ProAdvisors are supporting multiple clients in multiple versions of QuickBooks, and it may be impractical to have all clients upgrade. At a minimum you should make sure all programs are updated to their latest release. (See the list of Product Updates at the newly designed QuickBooks support Web site.)

In these scenarios, we recommend that you and your clients decline the Microsoft update for Internet Explorer 7. Because the new browser will be sent out as a Windows upgrade, you will need to alert clients on what steps to take.

Multiple Versions of QuickBooks: One Version of Internet Explorer. If you are running multiple versions of QuickBooks, please note that it is not possible to keep IE6 on your system to run with earlier versions of the QuickBooks software and also install IE7 to run with QuickBooks 2007.

As we go to press, additional information is about to be posted on the QuickBooks support site.

[Jennifer T]

Thank you very much for this information!