Converting ATB for Windows 3.04 to QuickBooks?

Has anyone with the archaic account trial balance software, ATB for Windows v3.0-3.04 had any luck converting their ATB files to QuickBooks in modern times?

My firm has some old desktops with existing clients on them and management asked me to take files out of ATB and import them in QB. I won't pretend I'm not good with computers, I have a background in software engineering, but their ATB version came out when I was 2 years old and I have no idea if this is even possible.

With the amount of time I've spent looking for a solution I could have put a decent dent in manually transferring over information, but I found the taxprotalk forum in Google results of a handful of individuals that have sworn by this dated software as recently as 2019 so I'm casting a line and hoping for a little luck!

I don't think there's going to be a "simple" way to convert the data. (By "simple" - I mean where the software does the work without manual work.) I believe that you'll need to manually enter the ending balances from ATB as beginning balances in QB using a journal entry.

As a side note, it's been a very long time since I've used ATB (possibly 15 years?). It was a very good basic TB package. There have been times when I've missed the basic functionality and considered hunting down a copy. If your firm has the old installation CD, and would be interested in selling - please let me know.

The question I’d have for your managers is why they want to transfer data from a trial balance software to full-fledged accounting software. What do they seek to achieve? Have they been using ATB to do full write-up? There is a very small subset of clients for whom that works. At my first employer in this country I used it for basic rental businesses and a CRUT.

So, if your managers have been using it for bookkeeping, it’s time to peel off the dog-eared bandaid, if I may put it that way. Although ATB is very efficient at getting balances into tax software, I do not think there is a way to transfer transactions automatically. However, I have no clue if Intuit tax software can push balances from tax software to QB. Others may know and, assuming you use Intuit tax software, it may be something you can try.

I hope you’re keeping ATB around. It is solid software that has stood the test of time. There may come a time when other software fails, just as you need to get a return done and ATB can come to the rescue - I speak from happy experience. Good client, job done on a Friday afternoon, billed and paid on the following Tuesday. Happy client, happy boss and happy me.

I don't think there's going to be a "simple" way to convert the data. (By "simple" - I mean where the software does the work without manual work.) I believe that you'll need to manually enter the ending balances from ATB as beginning balances in QB using a journal entry.

As a side note, it's been a very long time since I've used ATB (possibly 15 years?). It was a very good basic TB package. There have been times when I've missed the basic functionality and considered hunting down a copy. If your firm has the old installation CD, and would be interested in selling - please let me know.

Management is confident they have a copy somewhere, it hasn't shown up yet, but they are hoping to find an original copy or disk image. Just wanted to let you know. I also looked online for hours and I'm almost certain now there isn't a trace left.