2019 Desktop Contractors version, how to import time clock hours for 100 employees?

[aviator]

I'm a software guy, not QuickBooks expert (or even user). My client runs QuickBooks Desktop Contractor version and has about 60 employees for payroll today, and growing fast.

We have mounted iPads in various locations for the employees to clock in/out, and that's working great as a replacement for the old paper time cards.

Can someone point me toward documentation for how we can import the daily or weekly time reports into our QuickBooks? I'm looking around, but can't find anything useful that is also specific to this version. (Maybe I'm using the wrong terminology for searching.)

Basically, I don't care what file format we have to use - we can create any file - as long as we can get the bookkeeper to stop entering this information manually as soon as possible.

Thanks.

[JonpriL]

Glad to have you here, @aviator!

You can absolutely import your employee time activities. I'm here to share with the steps and let's get this done in no time.

To start with, you can save your employee time activities in an Excel, CSV, or IIF files and import them. Here's how:

1. Go to File.
2. Select Utilities.
3. Choose Import.
4. Click the corresponding file types for your employee time activities.

Once completed, I'm confident you can successfully import your employee time activities.

In addition, here's an article you can read to learn more about importing your transactions: Import/Export Overview.

Lastly, you can check out this helpful article for your future reference: Create Backup of the QuickBooks Desktop Company File.

Let me know in the comment section down below if you have any other questions. I'm always around ready to lend a helping hand.

[aviator]

Thank you for the information Jonpril_L

The links you provided explain that we have to get something called the "QuickBooks Import Excel and CSV Toolkit" and install that on our system. Is that correct for the version we have (2019 Desktop Contractors)? Our bookkeeper will look for that and try to install it.

I followed all the links and read those pages, but nothing actually mentions importing payroll time clock information. I need to know the layout (columns) and required/optional data for making this type CSV file. Can you provide a link to the documentation describing this file?

[JonpriL]

Thank you for the quick response, @aviator!

Let me share additional information about how you can successfully import your employee time activities to QuickBooks.

To start with, the toolkit that is included in the link I've shared above is supported and can be installed in all versions of QuickBooks Desktop.

In addition, the Excel and CSV requirements can also be found and included in the toolkit. Thus, let's install first the QuickBooks Import Excel and CSV toolkit.

From there, you'll have to pull up the folders and then review the require fields or data for the CSV file of your employee time activity.

Fill me in if you have any other questions. I'll be always around ready to help.

[aviator]

Jonpril_L

We got that "toolkit" you suggested and looked at all of the information.

There is NO information whatsoever about importing employee time activities.

What am I missing here?

[Alessandra_B]

Hello @aviator,

Currently, there's no option to import time activities from your iPad. However, I have a workaround that you can consider.

As of the moment, you're only able to import certain lists, like your customer and vendor transactions list to QuickBooks Desktop.

In the meantime, you can look for a third-party application to track your employee's time and import them to QuickBooks.

Here's how you can look for a third-party application:

1. Go to this link: https://desktop.apps.com/home.
2. Look for Import or Timer on the search bar.

You may refer to these articles for more information:

• Import/Export Overview
• Export or Import Intuit Interchange Format (.IIF) Files

Fill me in if you have any other concerns.

[aviator]

Alessandra_B

This is not about the iPad. All we want to do is import time activity using any possible method.

We would prefer to import CSV files, but we will do anything as long as we don't have to enter all that data by hand.

Are you saying that it's not possible?

Or are you saying we have to purchase a 3rd party application? If other applications can do it, why couldn't we do it ourselves?

You said that you can offer a workaround, but you don't say what that is.

If we need to purchase something, what is that?

[RaymondJayO]

Hello there, @aviator, 

I appreciate you checking all the information in the toolkit as suggested by my peer above. 

Right now, there isn't a way to import time activities into QuickBooks Desktop. The alternative method provided by @Alessandra_B is looking for a third-party application

that can integrate well in the program.

I'm not able to recommend a specific app for you but you can enter Employee Time Activities when finding it on the website. Then, choose an app that best suits your business needs so it will add more functionality when moving payroll data into QuickBooks. 

I value your time and please know that we are listening to your comments to help improve your experience. 

If you need further assistance, keep in touch with me. I'll be around to help. 

[Anonymous]

You can import time records into QB using an IIF file.  For some reason the format is not covered in the IIF toolkit and never has been.  Intuit employees should all be aware of this as it has been this way for about 20 years.

If you have your time in a flat file, like CSV file, in rows and columns, you can use our BRC XL Timesheet Link  to create an IIF file from your data that you can import.