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How to Export QuickBooks Self-Employed Data (Every Click, Plus What Intuit Won't Let You Take)
Intuit is closing QuickBooks Self-Employed, and your records leave with it unless you act. The good news is that it doesn't take long to export QuickBooks Self-Employed data, about ten minutes start to finish. This guide shows you every click. It also tells you the hard truth about what Intuit won't let you take.
Everything below was checked against Intuit's own help pages in August 2026. Intuit moves menus around, so if a button isn't where we say, look for the export or download icon on the same page.
Prefer it on paper? Download the printable checklist (PDF). It's free, and you can check off each step as you go.
Step 1: Export your transactions
This is the file that matters most. It holds every categorized business expense you've logged.
- Sign in on the web. Use a browser, not the phone app. The mobile app has no export button. (Need the sign-in page? Our QuickBooks Self-Employed login and shutdown guide has the official link.)
- Open the Transactions menu.
- Set the three filters. You'll see dropdowns for Type, Account, and Time period. Pick all accounts and a whole year so nothing gets left behind.
- Click the Export icon. It sits above the transaction list and looks like a small spreadsheet.
- Save the CSV. Repeat for each tax year you want to keep. One file per year keeps things tidy.
Step 2: Export your mileage
Your trip log is your proof if the IRS ever asks about your mileage deduction. Don't leave it behind.
- Open the Mileage section. Some versions call it Miles.
- Set the filters. Type, Tax Year, and Vehicle.
- Click the Download icon to save your trips as a CSV.
- Repeat for every year you tracked trips.
Step 3: Download your tax reports
You don't need these to move to a new tool, but you want them in your records. Open the Reports menu and download the tax summary for each year. If your year offers a tax details report, grab that too.
What Intuit won't let you export
Here's the part most guides skip. QBSE only exports the two datasets above. Everything else stays locked inside, so save these by hand before your access ends:
- Receipt images. Intuit confirms receipts aren't included in any export. Download or screenshot the ones you may need for your records.
- Invoices. There's no bulk export. Open each invoice and download it as a PDF.
- Your client list. No export exists. Copy names and emails into a spreadsheet now, while you still can.
One more trap worth knowing: a QBSE transaction CSV loses its categories if you feed it back into another Intuit product. Whatever tool you move to has to rebuild them. ExpenseDuck maps your transactions into Schedule C categories on import, so your history arrives sorted.
While you're at it, work out your set-aside
Once you export QuickBooks Self-Employed data, you have your profit for the year so far, which is the one number a tax estimate needs.
Drop it into our free self-employed tax calculator and you'll know what to put aside for the next federal quarterly payment. It counts a spouse's W-2 and withholding too, which is where most rule-of-thumb estimates go wrong.
Your files are out. Now give them a home.
ExpenseDuck imports both files QBSE exports: your transactions and your mileage. Your year picks up right where it left off. See exactly how switching works, or grab the printable checklist and start exporting today.
ExpenseDuck is not affiliated with Intuit. QuickBooks is a trademark of Intuit Inc.
ExpenseDuck provides estimates, not tax advice, and never files your taxes. Consult a licensed tax professional for your specific situation.
Stop guessing your quarterly taxes
ExpenseDuck tracks your expenses and mileage, then shows you what to set aside for federal taxes. It counts your whole household and stays current all year. One plan, $14.99 a month, free for 30 days.
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