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Applying tags in QB for Mac

Forum|Forum|6 months ago
January 10, 2026
1 reply
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Can tags be applied in Desktop for Mac? I haven't been able to find them. Thanks.

QuickBooks Desktop for Mac

Best answer by Mirriam_M

Thank you for reaching out with your question about applying tags in QuickBooks Desktop for Mac, Susan607.

Currently, the Tags feature is not available in QuickBooks Desktop for Mac. However, you can use classes as a great alternative. Classes allow you to organize and track your transactions by categories such as projects, departments, or any custom criteria that best fit your business needs. This feature also enables you to generate detailed reports, providing insights into different aspects of your business.

To learn more about how to utilize the class tracking, feel free to check out this article: Set up and use class tracking in QuickBooks Desktop.

If you have any additional questions or need further clarification, don’t hesitate to reply to this thread.

M

Mirriam_M

Answer

QuickBooks Team

Thank you for reaching out with your question about applying tags in QuickBooks Desktop for Mac, Susan607.

Currently, the Tags feature is not available in QuickBooks Desktop for Mac. However, you can use classes as a great alternative. Classes allow you to organize and track your transactions by categories such as projects, departments, or any custom criteria that best fit your business needs. This feature also enables you to generate detailed reports, providing insights into different aspects of your business.

To learn more about how to utilize the class tracking, feel free to check out this article: Set up and use class tracking in QuickBooks Desktop.

If you have any additional questions or need further clarification, don’t hesitate to reply to this thread.

S

Susan607Author

Thanks Mirriam. I'm aware of classes in QB for Mac but I've a bit of a quandary. This client of mine is currently using QB for Mac but has been using QB Online for this invoicing. Don't ask. He's just using it to send out invoices. I'm doing his books in QB for Mac but want to upload that file to the QBO account and stop using QB for Mac. He has simple start which does not support classes but does use tags. What happens to those classes I've created in the Mac file when the file is uploaded? He does not want to upgrade to essentials just to get classes. I could use tags in simple start but would all those classes be lost? Thanks for your quick response. Best.

J

Janiqueca_T

QuickBooks Team

Hello again, Susan607.

Unfortunately, classes created in QB for Mac will not transfer to QuickBooks Online Simple Start because this plan doesn’t support classes. Since Simple Start uses tags instead, the class information won’t be retained after the upload.

Here are some options to help you manage this:

Before uploading your file to QBO, export class-based reports, such as Profit and Loss by Class, to keep a record of your class details for future reference.
Use tags in Simple Start. While tags don’t offer the same functionality as classes, you can apply tags to transactions or categories in QBO Simple Start as a workaround to organize financial data.
Alternative options include upgrading to QuickBooks Online Plus and Advanced to maintain class-related features and reduce the effort of reconverting information. Another option is to explore third-party apps that provide similar functionality.

In summary, classes in your QB for Mac file will be lost when migrating to Simple Start, but exporting reports and utilizing tags can help maintain some structure.

Feel free to reply below if you have further questions.

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