System Requirements
What your computer and QuickBooks setup need before you can run a Lift Off extraction.
Lift Off connects to QuickBooks Desktop through a Windows-only interface and uploads your data directly to Pivoten. Confirm all four requirements below before you install.
Windows is required. The extraction connects to QuickBooks Desktop through a Windows-only interface (QBXML over COM), so macOS and Linux cannot run an extraction.
Windows 10 or Windows 11 (or the matching Windows Server release) is recommended.
A Mac can only be used in a limited, no-QuickBooks role — see macOS below.
- Installed and licensed on the same computer as Lift Off.
- Open and running with your company file loaded when you start the extraction — Lift Off will not open QuickBooks for you.
- Any Desktop edition works: Pro, Premier, or Enterprise.
QuickBooks Online is not supported — Lift Off works only with QuickBooks Desktop.
Lift Off uploads your snapshot directly to Pivoten over HTTPS. The computer needs an active connection that can reach s3.amazonaws.com on port 443.
If your network uses a firewall or proxy, confirm that outbound HTTPS to that address is allowed.
You sign in to Lift Off with a Pivoten account. Lift Off cannot be used without one.
Contact your Pivoten account team if you need credentials.
Lift Off must be installed and run on the same Windows machine as QuickBooks Desktop. It reads the company file through a live connection to QuickBooks — it does not copy or open a .qbw file on its own.
macOS
Lift Off is a Windows-first tool, and extraction is Windows-only.
QuickBooks Desktop and the QBXML interface Lift Off uses to read your data do not run on macOS — there is no supported way to connect to a company file on a Mac. All extraction must happen on Windows where QuickBooks Desktop is installed.
A macOS build exists only for a limited, no-QuickBooks role: opening a snapshot or Migration Package that was already extracted on a Windows machine to verify and upload it. If you only have a Mac, do the extraction on a Windows PC (physical or virtual) with QuickBooks Desktop, then — if you wish — verify/upload from the Mac.
The System Check
When you open the extraction screen, Lift Off automatically runs a System Check that confirms your environment is ready. All three checks must pass before the Start Extraction button becomes active. If a check fails, Lift Off shows a suggested fix inline and a Check again button to re-run it.
| Check | What it confirms |
|---|---|
| QuickBooks running | QuickBooks Desktop is open with a company file loaded. |
| Company file | The company file configured in your workspace is accessible on disk. |
| Network | Your connection can reach Pivoten's upload endpoint over HTTPS. |
The first time Lift Off connects, QuickBooks shows a permission dialog. Choose Yes, always allow access so Lift Off does not prompt again on future runs.
Next steps
Once your system meets these requirements, follow the Installation & Setup guide to install Lift Off and configure your first extraction.