Requirements to Import Time into QuickBooks Desktop

What if my employees have been using Timesheet Mobile for some time but I now want to start importing their times into QuickBooks?  This is a common question of many of our long time customers who did not sync their accounts with their QuickBook Company file using the QuickBooks Connector.  This article will walk you through the steps to be able to successfully import your employee times into QuickBooks.

QuickBooks Desktop supports only one method of importing time data - an Intuit Interchange Format or IIF file.  Timesheet Mobile generates this IIF file from the data in your Timesheet Mobile account and it is used to import into QuickBooks as described here:  add link.

In order to successfully import time data into QuickBooks via the IIF file, the data fields must match identically.  For example, and employee in Timesheet Mobile named John Doe will not be recognized as QuickBooks employee John T. Doe or john doe.  Similarly the Timesheet Mobile customer:job "Acme 123 Main St" is not the same as QuickBooks customer:job "Acme Inc: 123 Main Street".  Service items and payroll items must similarly be identical matches to their counterparts in QuickBooks.

To prepare your account for QuickBooks import, make sure the following items match identically between Timesheet Mobile and QuickBooks (see image below):

• Employee Name.  This must match at the time an employee punches in.
• Customer:Job Name.  This must match at the time an employee punches into the customer:job.
• Service Item.  This must match at the time the IIF file is created.
• Payroll Item.  This must match at the time the IIF file is created.

If you decide that you wish to import employee times into QuickBooks, take the following steps:

1. Update all of your Timesheet Mobile data (Employee Name, Customer:Job Name, Payroll Item, Service Item) such that it identically matches to your QuickBooks data.  Do not use the QuickBooks Connector as this will create duplicate entries linked to your QuickBooks file.
2. Import time only for timesheet reports with dates starting AFTER Step 1 is complete.

Of course if you are just getting started, we highly recommend using the QuickBooks Connector to populate your Timesheet Mobile data.  This will link all of your active employees, customer:jobs, service and payroll items correctly.  If you have questions about the above, please contact Timesheet Mobile customer support and we would be glad to assist.  Happy importing!