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Connect your bank or credit card to QuickBooks

by Intuit597 Updated 2 days ago

Get the full picture of your business finances.

Connecting your banks and credit cards is the fastest way to get a complete, real-time view of your finances and cash flow. By letting your transactions flow into QuickBooks automatically, you can save hours every week on manual data entry and reconciliation. You can get set up in a few minutes.


Before you begin


Step 1: Connect your bank or credit card account

In QuickBooks you can upload up to two years of historical data. Connecting now ensures you have a complete, up-to-date picture of your finances without typing a single transaction.

  1. Go to All apps A bunch of numbers and letters on a tile wall., select Accounting, then select Bank transactions (Take me there).
    Note: You’ll follow the same steps in both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Sole Trader, with only slight differences in menu labels. (In Sole Trader, go to Transactions and select Bank transactions).
  2. Select:
    • Connect account (QuickBooks Online)
      Note: If you’ve already connected an account, select Link account on the Bank transactions tab.
    • Link accounts (Sole Trader)
      Note: If you’ve already connected an account, from the New transaction ▼ dropdown, select Link account to add another.
  3. Select your bank, then select Let’s go.
  4. Review the terms and select Agree.
  5. Sign in with your online banking credentials and follow any required security steps.
  6. Select the accounts you want to connect (current, savings, or credit card).
    Note: Select an account type that matches your chart of accounts.

Don’t see the right account type? Select + Add new, then follow these steps:

Bank account:

  • Account Type: Cash at bank and in hand
  • Detail Type: Savings

Credit card:

  • Account Type: Credit Card
  1. Add a custom account name if needed—you can always rename it later.
  2. Select the date you want to start pulling in transactions.
    (Banks may offer 90 days to 24 months of historical data)
  3. Select Connect, then Done.

Organise your existing accounts.

If you’ve already created an account in QuickBooks, you can link it to your live bank feed in seconds to avoid duplicate entries.

  1. Go to All apps A bunch of numbers and letters on a tile wall., select Accounting, then select Chart of accounts (Take me there).
  2. Find the account you want to connect.
  3. In the Action column, open the dropdown and select Connect bank.
  4. Select your bank, then select Let’s go.
  5. Review the terms and select Agree.
  6. Select Sign in to sign in with your online banking credentials and follow any security steps.
  7. Select the account(s) you want to share (for example, savings, current, or credit card).
  8. Make sure the account type matches your chart of accounts.

 If needed, select + Add new, then follow the prompts:

Bank account:

  • Account Type: Cash at bank and in hand
  • Detail Type: Savings
  • Enter a name, then select Save.

Credit card account

  • Account Type: Credit Card
  • Enter a name, then select Save.
  1. Select the start date for importing transactions (typically 90 days, but some banks offer up to 24 months).
  2. Select Connect, then select Done.

You can disconnect an account or credit card to stop importing transactions from it. However, this won’t remove any existing imported transactions from your records. For more details, see.


Step 2: Refresh and review transactions

Stay in control of your data.

Once connected, QuickBooks imports your transactions daily. You can also refresh manually at any time to get the latest accurate data that shows exactly where you stand.

  1. Go to All apps A bunch of numbers and letters on a tile wall., select Accounting, then select Bank transactions (Take me there).
  2. Select Update (QuickBooks Online) or Refresh (QuickBooks Sole Trader).
  3. Carefully review, categorise, or match transactions to the correct accounts.

Step 3. Reconfirm your bank connection every 90 days

Keep your finances seamless.

To meet Open Banking regulations, you will need to reauthorise your bank feed every 90 days. QuickBooks will notify you with a banner when it is time to renew your consent so your data continues to flow without interruption.


Fixing issues and handling duplicates

Excluded transactions reappearing?

If you delete a transaction from the Excluded section, QuickBooks forgets it—so it may download again. To prevent this:

  • Exclude it, but leave it in the list
  • Or, add it to your account history so it becomes recognised

Connection or error issues?

Use our bank errors guide for step-by-step help fixing common problems.


Frequently asked questions

What is Open Banking?

Open Banking is a secure way to share your financial data with trusted software like QuickBooks. It improves speed, security, and automation by letting you control which apps access your account information.

What is PSD2?

The Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2) is the EU regulation behind Open Banking. It sets the rules for how apps like QuickBooks can access your bank data securely and with your permission.

What is QuickBooks’ role in Open Banking?

QuickBooks is a registered Account Information Service Provider (AISP) and has been involved in shaping Open Banking from the start, helping to create a secure and reliable experience.

Who can use Open Banking with QuickBooks?

All customers using QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Sole Trader can connect to supported accounts via Open Banking.

What are the benefits of Open Banking?

For small businesses and sole traders:

  • Set up in under a minute
  • Real-time transaction imports
  • Easier cash flow tracking

For accountants and bookkeepers:

  • Up-to-date client data
  • Better insights for advisory work
  • Less admin chasing for statements

For existing customers:

  • More reliable and accurate feeds
  • Seamless upgrades from older connections
  • Real-time reconciliation of bank data

Do I need to sign in to my bank to connect it?

Yes. You’ll be redirected to your bank’s website to authorise the connection securely.

How long does a bank connection last?

Connections last 90 days. After that, you’ll be prompted to reauthorise in QuickBooks.

What if I change my online banking password?

You don’t need to reauthorise the connection just for a password change.

Can I connect accounts on behalf of someone else?

No. Only the primary account holder can authorise a bank feed connection.

Do I need to be the account holder?

Yes. You’ll need your own credentials to set up or renew the bank connection.

Can I connect more than one bank account?

Yes, you can connect multiple accounts by selecting Link account from the Banking page.

How much historical data can I import?

Up to 24 months, depending on your bank.

How often are transactions updated?

QuickBooks automatically refreshes transactions every 24 hours. You can also select Update to refresh manually.

Why do excluded transactions reappear after I delete them?

When you delete a transaction from the Excluded section, QuickBooks forgets it. The next time your feed updates, it may download again. To avoid this, exclude it but leave it in the list—or assign it to your bank register.

Will I lose transactions if I forget to reconfirm my connection?

Not necessarily. When you reconnect, select the original expiry date to recover missed transactions.

Can I connect Starling Bank Spaces or Monzo Pots?

No. Open Banking doesn’t currently support sub-accounts, such as Starling Spaces or Monzo Pots. Only your main current or savings accounts can be connected.

Why can’t I connect all my accounts?

Only payment accounts—like current accounts, credit cards, and some savings accounts—are supported. Non-payment accounts, such as fixed-term savings or sub-accounts, aren’t eligible under Open Banking.

Can I connect a multicurrency PayPal account?

No. QuickBooks doesn’t convert currencies automatically. You can only connect accounts with the same currency as your QuickBooks company (e.g. GBP to GBP, USD to USD).

Why isn’t my bank available in QuickBooks?

Some banks don’t yet support Open Banking, or their feeds have been discontinued. You may have received an email from QuickBooks about this.

What if my bank doesn’t support Open Banking?

You can still manually upload your transactions while waiting for support.

Will more banks be supported in future?

Yes. QuickBooks works closely with banks and regulators to expand the list of supported accounts. Check the latest supported banks here.

Why can’t I connect all my accounts?

Only payment accounts (for example current accounts, credit cards, some savings) are supported. Non-payment accounts like fixed-term savings are not.

Error: “No valid accounts to connect”— what does this mean?

It usually means either:

  • You don’t have eligible Open Banking accounts
  • You don’t have permission from your bank to share the account

 Contact your bank for more info.

Can I connect accounts from Gibraltar or the Channel Islands?

  • Gibraltar: Yes—Open Banking applies.
  • Channel Islands: No—these fall outside PSD2 and aren’t supported.



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