Same issue here, QBO switched us to automatic sales tax without us wanting it and it creates extra steps on every single sales receipt or invoice now! They obviously don't know or care how people use their product. 

CAN YOU JUST TELL US IF WE CAN TURN AST OFF AND REVERT BACK TO MANUAL SALES TAX SELECTION WITH A DEFAULT?!?!? 

This is what works for us. I'm sure that there was a small percentage of QBO users for whom this worked but not us.