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| 1 | +--- |
| 2 | +title: Configure-QuickBooks-Desktop.md |
| 3 | +description: Learn how to connect and configure your QuickBooks Desktop integration with Expensify to manage imports, exports, and advanced accounting settings. |
| 4 | +keywords: [QuickBooks Desktop, Expensify integration, accounting settings, import settings, export settings, QBD, configure QuickBooks Desktop] |
| 5 | +--- |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +Connecting QuickBooks Desktop to Expensify helps streamline expense reporting, reimbursements, and accounting workflows. This guide walks you through connecting and configuring your import, export, and advanced settings for QuickBooks Desktop. |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | +--- |
| 10 | + |
| 11 | +# Step 1: Initial Connection |
| 12 | + |
| 13 | +**Web/Desktop:** |
| 14 | +1. Go to **Settings > Workspaces > [Workspace Name] > Accounting**. |
| 15 | +2. Find QuickBooks Desktop in the list of integrations and click **Set up**. |
| 16 | +3. You'll receive a Codat link URL that must be opened on the computer where QuickBooks Desktop is installed. |
| 17 | +4. Open the provided link on your QuickBooks Desktop computer and follow the connection flow. |
| 18 | +5. Once connected, you'll see a syncing screen while information imports from QuickBooks Desktop to Expensify. |
| 19 | + |
| 20 | +**Mobile:** |
| 21 | +Since QuickBooks Desktop is a desktop application, the connection process must be completed on the device that hosts QuickBooks Desktop. If you attempt to connect from a mobile device, you'll see a blocking screen directing you to complete the setup on your desktop. |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | +--- |
| 24 | + |
| 25 | +# Step 2: Configure Import Settings |
| 26 | + |
| 27 | +These steps define how your QuickBooks Desktop data is pulled into Expensify. |
| 28 | + |
| 29 | +1. Go to **Settings > Workspaces > [Workspace Name] > Accounting**. |
| 30 | +2. Click the **Import** tab under the QuickBooks Desktop connection. |
| 31 | +3. Choose which coding configurations to import from QuickBooks Desktop. For each configuration, you can manage its import status: |
| 32 | + - **Chart of accounts**: Always imported and used as categories in Expensify. |
| 33 | + - **Classes**: Can be imported as tags or report fields for class-level tracking. |
| 34 | + - **Customers/projects**: Can be imported as tags or report fields for expense-level tracking. |
| 35 | + - **Items**: Can be imported and used as tags for itemized coding. |
| 36 | + |
| 37 | +**Default Settings:** |
| 38 | +- Classes are enabled as tags by default |
| 39 | +- Customers/projects and Items are disabled by default |
| 40 | + |
| 41 | +4. **For Classes and Customers/Projects**: Choose whether to import them as: |
| 42 | + - **Tags**: Applied at the expense level |
| 43 | + - **Report fields**: Applied at the report level |
| 44 | + |
| 45 | +5. **Control your imports**: |
| 46 | + - The interface will show the current import status for each item (e.g., "Imported as categories" or "Not imported"). |
| 47 | + - Use the options provided to change these settings. |
| 48 | + |
| 49 | +--- |
| 50 | + |
| 51 | +# Step 3: Configure Export Settings |
| 52 | + |
| 53 | +These settings control how Expensify exports reports and transactions to QuickBooks Desktop. |
| 54 | + |
| 55 | +1. Under the **Accounting** tab, go to the **Export** section. |
| 56 | +2. Configure the following settings: |
| 57 | + |
| 58 | +**Basic Export Settings:** |
| 59 | + - **Preferred Exporter**: Choose a Workspace Admin to automate report exports (defaults to workspace owner). |
| 60 | + - **Note**: If exporting company card transactions, the preferred exporter must also be a Domain Admin. |
| 61 | + - **Export Date**: Choose **date of last expense** (default), **export date**, or **submitted date**. |
| 62 | + |
| 63 | +**Out-of-Pocket Expenses:** |
| 64 | + - **Export out-of-pocket expenses as**: Choose from: |
| 65 | + - **Vendor bill** (default) |
| 66 | + - **Check** (includes option to mark as "print later" in QuickBooks Desktop) |
| 67 | + - **Journal entry** (not supported if taxes are enabled) |
| 68 | + - Select the appropriate bank account for each export type. |
| 69 | + |
| 70 | +**Company Card Expenses:** |
| 71 | + - **Export company card expenses as**: Choose from: |
| 72 | + - **Credit card** (default) |
| 73 | + - **Debit card** |
| 74 | + - **Vendor bill** |
| 75 | + - Configure accounts based on your selection: |
| 76 | + - **Credit card account**: First credit card account in imported list (default) |
| 77 | + - **Debit card account**: First bank account in imported list (default) |
| 78 | + - **Accounts payable account**: First Accounts Payable account (for vendor bills) |
| 79 | + - **Default vendor**: First vendor in imported list (for vendor bills) |
| 80 | + |
| 81 | +**Expensify Card Transactions:** |
| 82 | + - **Export Expensify Card transactions as**: Typically set to **Credit card**. |
| 83 | + - Expensify Card transactions automatically export to an "Expensify Card Liability Account" created with the integration. |
| 84 | + |
| 85 | +--- |
| 86 | + |
| 87 | +# Step 4: Configure Advanced Settings |
| 88 | + |
| 89 | +These options manage syncing behavior, automation preferences, and additional account settings. |
| 90 | + |
| 91 | +1. Still in the **Accounting** section, select the **Advanced** tab. |
| 92 | +2. Review and configure each setting (all default to enabled): |
| 93 | + - **Auto-sync**: Enable this for Expensify to automatically sync with QuickBooks Desktop every day. |
| 94 | + - **Invite employees**: Automatically invite employees to the workspace. |
| 95 | + - **Auto-create entities**: Expensify will automatically create vendors in QuickBooks Desktop if they don't exist already. |
| 96 | + - **Sync reimbursed reports**: Automatically sync reimbursed reports. |
| 97 | + |
| 98 | +3. **Account Selections:** |
| 99 | + - **Bill payment account**: Select the account for bill payments (defaults to first option) |
| 100 | + - **Invoice collections account**: Select the account for invoice collections (defaults to first option) |
| 101 | + |
| 102 | +--- |
| 103 | + |
| 104 | +# Step 5: Export Process |
| 105 | + |
| 106 | +Due to QuickBooks Desktop being an offline platform, exports are asynchronous: |
| 107 | + |
| 108 | +1. When you export a report, you'll first see an "export in progress" message. |
| 109 | +2. Codat stores the exported information until QuickBooks Desktop is next opened. |
| 110 | +3. Once successfully exported to QuickBooks Desktop, you'll receive a completion confirmation. |
| 111 | +4. Unlike cloud-based integrations, you won't get direct links to expenses in QuickBooks Desktop due to its offline nature. |
| 112 | + |
| 113 | +--- |
| 114 | + |
| 115 | +# FAQ |
| 116 | + |
| 117 | +## Can I set up the QuickBooks Desktop integration from my mobile device? |
| 118 | + |
| 119 | +No, the initial connection and most configuration must be done from a desktop/web browser. Since QuickBooks Desktop runs on a desktop computer, the integration setup requires access to that same computer. Mobile users will see a blocking screen directing them to complete setup on desktop. |
| 120 | + |
| 121 | +## What happens if I try to export a report that's already been exported? |
| 122 | + |
| 123 | +Expensify will display an alert to help you avoid duplicates in QuickBooks Desktop. |
| 124 | + |
| 125 | +## Can I use Locations with QuickBooks Desktop? |
| 126 | + |
| 127 | +No, **Locations** are a QuickBooks Online-only feature. For similar tracking in QuickBooks Desktop, use **Classes** or **Customers/Projects**. |
| 128 | + |
| 129 | +## Why can't I export as a journal entry? |
| 130 | + |
| 131 | +If **taxes** are enabled, exporting as a journal entry is not supported. You'll need to switch to exporting as a **check** or **vendor bill**. |
| 132 | + |
| 133 | +## How do I reconnect if my QuickBooks Desktop integration stops working? |
| 134 | + |
| 135 | +If you encounter sync errors, you'll see a **Reinstall connector** option that will take you through the Codat connection flow again. This needs to be done on the computer where QuickBooks Desktop is installed, not on mobile. |
| 136 | + |
| 137 | +## Why don't my exports appear in QuickBooks Desktop immediately? |
| 138 | + |
| 139 | +QuickBooks Desktop is an offline application, so exports are asynchronous. Codat stores your exported data until you next open QuickBooks Desktop and the Web Connector can complete the sync. |
| 140 | + |
| 141 | +## Do I need to upgrade to a certain plan to use the QuickBooks Desktop integration? |
| 142 | + |
| 143 | +Yes. The QuickBooks Desktop integration is available on the **Control** plan. |
| 144 | + |
| 145 | +## What's the difference between tags and report fields for Classes and Customers/Projects? |
| 146 | + |
| 147 | +- **Tags**: Applied at the individual expense level, allowing different expenses on the same report to have different values |
| 148 | +- **Report fields**: Applied at the report level, meaning all expenses on a report share the same value |
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