Importing Files To QuickBooks Using Third Party Application

How to Import Files to QuickBooks Using Third-Party Applications

QuickBooks is built to work with interchanging of data from one edition of QuickBooks to another using IIF (Intuit Interchange Format), and from CSV (Comma Separated Values) files such as excel, to QuickBooks. However, there are limitations to the extent that QuickBooks provide and allow. For example, you can import your list of customers, vendors, items, and chart of accounts to QuickBooks, but not your invoices, estimates, or any other forms. This is where third party applications come in, to extend QuickBooks usability beyond its limitations.

With QuickBooks being so popular, many software developers have developed and are still developing applications that work and aim to work seamlessly with QuickBooks to get forms and files into QuickBooks from other media, such as excel, access, text, and ODBC (Open Database Connectivity). Thus, there are many applications available to carry out the various tasks that may need to get done, such as:

  • Transfer of data between QuickBooks company files
  • Transfer of data between QuickBooks and an e-commerce site
  • Transfer of data between QuickBooks and generic file formats
  • Transfer of data between QuickBooks and other programs

Albeit that, QuickBooks database is “closed” and access to their data tightly controlled and so only a few developers will be able to gain access to create a system software that effectively integrates with QuickBooks. Two such importers are:

You can view a complete list of Transaction Pro Importer features, and also IIF Transaction Creator Pro features. Transaction Pro Importer currently does not support Mac platform, but IIF Transaction Creator does. There is also a data transfer program that allows interchanging of information strictly between QuickBooks files known as Data Transfer Utility. This program by Karl Irvin most distinct feature is the merging of two QuickBooks company files.

Importing items into QuickBooks via excel is a two step process; first you have to export them to a file (.CSV, .IIF), and subsequently import the file(s) into QuickBooks. With a third party import software such as Transaction Pro Importer, you import files and forms directly through the program. You can always download a free trial for a test run of each importer program before making your purchase. The main detail to remember when using these importing applications is to always make a backup copy of QuickBooks before importing anything into QuickBooks. These programs and software are man-made, and as such, prone to err.

Visit QuickBooks Marketplace and search for a list of third party applications that integrates with QuickBooks for your industry type, and specific need.