Offline backups - why have they stopped?

Once again, MYOB's product team has chosen to remove and add features without first consulting its customers, making assumptions about customer needs rather than seeking feedback from the businesses that use the product every day.

Can you please pass this feedback on to your product team? They seem to be making changes that are gradually ruining MYOB and making it less useful for long-term customers.

AmandaMYOB​

Once again, MYOB's product team has chosen to remove and add features without first consulting its customers, making assumptions about customer needs rather than seeking feedback from the businesses that use the product every day.

Can you please pass this feedback on to your product team? They seem to be making changes that are gradually ruining MYOB and making it less useful for long-term customers.

AmandaMYOB​ 

We are also performing offline backups, as we have an audit requirement and will need to provide the tax return file to our auditor.

Even though MYOB is moving towards a fully online platform, maintaining offline backups remains a good practice and is still a useful accounting tool. We can keep an offline backup and when access is required, simply upload the backup file to MYOB online.

If you don't offer differentiated services, then you're no different from other online only software like Xero. We operate multiple entities and are currently paying over $400 per month. Given that level of investment, we would expect additional value and flexibility. Otherwise, why wouldn't we simply move to a lower-cost option like Xero?

This should be an available option for all AccountRight users as we all don't want to store everything online.  Some of us reply on offline backups for other purposes and you have taken away this option for us.  Not Happy!! And yet another update MYOB "thinks" will be a good option, but actually isn't!

The option is no longer there because offline backups is no longer an available option in MYOB AccountRight. From 17 June 2026, MYOB AccountRight desktop app (PC edition) will only work with company files stored online. Offline mode will no longer be available, and from version 2026.5 (PC edition) you’ll no longer be able to open, edit or save files stored locally (in My Library or Network Library).
*You'll still be able to view offline backups in previous AccountRight versions for audit requirements

AccountRight desktop isn’t going anywhere. The only change is that your company file will need to be online to receive product and security updates, support, and online services. 

https://www.myob.com/au/support/myob-business/product-account/about-backing-up-and-restoring-company-files?srsltid=AfmBOoo_IrSt4-maq2ljyyuhCWJzHj2ePmGDK8JEZQPB87QGKy1ZgM_l&productview=Browser  

This information still states we should be able to do an offline backup.  But I no longer have that option.

Hi Amanda - this response doesn't really answer my question.  As I noted my file is online and has been for a number of years.  I still want the ability to do offline backups.  The post you reference above also does not address this issue.  I would still like to know why we cannot have offline backups for online files.  The snapshot I showed above was given to us when this was first announced and appeared to indicate that we would continue to be able to do offline backups.  We have received no notification that this had changed - only realised today with the software update.

Hey jge

Thanks for raising this, I will forward it to the team and make sure that it reflects what is available in the product.

We originally announced the changes to MYOB AccountRight offline mode a month ago, you can find the full post here for more information. Emails also would've been sent to any users that would be impacted by this change in advance to avoid any confusion and allow for preparation. 

Please reach out if you have any further questions.