Create iif file to export data from online payroll

Hi @pinnwal ,

I can help create the IIF file and export your payroll data from QuickBooks Online. The steps are easy, so here’s what we’ll need to do.

First, we need to set up the preferences:

1. Go to the Gear icon.
2. Choose Payroll settings.
3. Select the Pencil icon next to Export.
4. Choose QuickBooks Desktop for Windows: downloadable IIF (Intuit Interchange Format) file and select Continue.
5. You will be asked to type in the name of each account you are exporting your liabilities and expenses to. We also suggest that you have a copy of your QuickBooks chart of accounts handy for this.

Once done, you can start exporting the paychecks and tax payments. For the detailed steps, see Next, export your payroll transactions in this article: Export into QuickBooks Online or Desktop from Core, Premium, or Elite Standalone Payroll.

I’m also adding this article in case you need to access payroll reports in the future. This includes the description about each report and the information you can get: Run payroll reports.

Let me know if you have any questions about creating paychecks or filing tax returns. I’m happy to help.

This seems like a ridiculous workaround (and one that won't work well either) for something that worked perfectly in Intuit Online Payroll. How can you have a payroll service without an ability to export to an accounting software?

Hi @pinnwal,

I’m here to share the good news that you can start exporting your payroll and import it to QuickBooks Desktop.

We’ve updated the response above, and you can follow the steps shared by Ailene to create the file you need.

Feel free to tag me if you need help with the process or if you have any questions about the new QBO Payroll. I’m happy to answer them and help you out.

I'm sorry, but this "solution" is a nightmare for the possibility of data integrity. QuickBooks made the decision to move us from Intuit Payroll to QuickBooks. To do so, charge MORE, And provide LESS functionality is just wrong.

Telling users that the "solution" to a problem QuickBooks created, is to go through multiple steps and 3rd party apps is unacceptable for a software that handles financial information.

Bottom line, if QuickBooks can't solve a problem as simple as this, they should've have moved us from Intuit Online Payroll.

I agree with pinnwal.  This new payroll solution has taken functionality away and is horrible to navigate.  Very disappointing.  Please bring back the Intuit Full Service site and functionality.

this is ridiculous

so basically, you moved us to a product that will not work anymore with desktop

WTF? are you kidding me
I hate Intuit and will be moving all my payrolls

Go to the paycheck list, select them all, you will see a button called "export to accounting" appear at the top. Asinine.

AileneA,

I see you have gone back to the original post & updated the Export feature that Quickbooks has started to address.

My question is this:

The previous version of Intuit Online Payroll handled exporting seamlessly. Why are you now making the process begin from scratch, with me remapping all the accounts that were already properly linked? Telling me to "have my chart of accounts handy" should not be needed, as you should be able to just continue the feature as it existed previously.

Stop with half measures, and just finish the job properly.

And even better. I just clicked to "export" the transactions that were ready & the system "completed" the export process, but didn't provide any iif file or clue as to where the information now exists.

Great system. Thanks for destroying our accounting integrity.

@Giovann_G 
I just went to the feature, clicked the button to export, and it proceeded to clear the items waiting to export and not create or point me to the IIF file it was supposed to create. What now?

Thanks for updating us how the exporting process goes, pinnwal. I'm here to ensure that you're able to create and locate your IIF file.

I'd recommend checking your download folder. This way, you'll be able to see if the IIF file is stored there. Otherwise, let's perform basic troubleshooting steps to resolve this. This could be a browser-related issue. The stored cache can affect the performance of QuickBooks, which can cause unexpected behavior.

To start, I'd suggest logging in to your QuickBooks Online account via a private window. This doesn't use the existing cache files, which makes it a good place to determine if there's an issue with the browser. 

Here are the keyboard shortcuts: 

• Safari: Command + Shift + N 
• Google Chrome: CTRL + Shift + N
• Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge: CTRL + Shift + P 

Once signed in, export the data again. If it works, let's clear the browser's cache. This helps remove its stored cache so QuickBooks will perform efficiently.

If private browsing doesn't work, I'd recommend using different browsers. They'll provide you the best and most secure experience with QuickBooks. 

In case the issue persists, please reach out to our QuickBooks Support Team. They can take a closer look at your situation and investigate this further. 

Additionally, I encourage running payroll reports in QuickBooks. This helps you view useful information about your business and employees.

Please come back and keep us posted on your progress in creating and locating your IIF file. I'm determined to get this resolved.

It's not in my download folder, as that is where it used to go.

I'd love to try and "re-export" the data, but Quickbooks informs me there's nothing new to export.

Good job team. You broke a system that worked fine. Much appreciated.

@AileneA 

I clicked the export feature.

It didn't create a file anywhere, and removed the items waiting for export from the list & won't allow me to re-export.

What now?

Yes having the same issue, I can't find the gif file to import into my quickbooks for Mac.  So how do I now show paychecks paid in my quickbooks desktop.  Help??!!

Thanks for joining this thread, kip15.

The Intuit Interchange Format (IIF) file you created with QuickBooks Online is saved in whichever folder you selected when downloading it. Generally this is the Downloads folder on your computer, unless a different area was specified when saving it.
 

If you continue experiencing issues finding your file, I'd recommend creating a new IIF file and taking note of which folder you save it to. Detailed steps for doing this can be found in AileneA's post.
 

Once you have your IIF file, it can be imported into your books:

1. Sign in to the company file as an admin.
2. In your top menu bar, go to File, then Import.
3. Choose From IIF Files.
4. Pick the appropriate file.

Next, you can begin exporting payroll transactions, such as paychecks and tax payments.
 

Here's how:

1. Use the Gear (⚙️) icon.
2. Go to Payroll settings.
3. In your Export section, click Export transactions.
4. A screen will appear letting you know how many transactions and which types are being set up for export. You may need to allow popups in your web browser for this window to display.
5. Select Export.

Another option to show your paychecks in QuickBooks Desktop is manually adding payroll information.
 

If there's any additional questions, I'm just a post away. Have an awesome day!

@ZackE 

I followed your instructions & the file was never created. Now the info is out of the export area & I can't get it back to export. This is ridiculous. 

The option shows up. It just didn't create an .IIF file & then removed the info from the export screen so I couldn't get the info exported.

I also tried previously to speak with support, and spent almost an hour on the phone & no one knew what the heck they were doing & transferred me all over the place, to only still not have a solution.

This whole changeover from Intuit Online Payroll to Quickbooks has been an embarrassment. We were fine before, and now it's a bookkeeping disaster.

I got my most recent payroll transferred over to Desktop using the new unwieldy instructions, but now can't export the two previous payroll sessions.  There is no option to create an IIF of those paychecks.  I don't want to manually add those payroll details into desktop.  There has to be some way to create new IIF files, since they weren't created when you first moved us over to the new platform.  Intuit's platform was much easier (and less expensive).

If you don't find a way to fix this soon, I'm sure many of us will be moving on to more efficient platforms for our payroll needs.

Hello there, @audiogal.

Thank you for posting here in the QuickBooks Community. I can share some troubleshooting steps regarding exporting data from online payroll. 

To verify why you still encounter the error "There’s usually something here. Wait a few minutes and refresh the page.", let's open your QuickBooks in a private browser to see if we get the same thing.

Browsing privately disables the cache from saving your browsing data, and it's a good way to check issues caused by a full cache.

Let me guide you through the steps.

• Press CTRL+SHIFT+N for Chrome.
• Hold CTRL+SHIFT+P for IE and Mozilla Firefox.

Once signed in, export the data again. If it works, let's clear the browser's cache. This helps remove its stored cache so QuickBooks will perform efficiently.

If private browsing doesn't work, I'd recommend using different browsers. They'll provide you the best and most secure experience with QuickBooks

Please give us a call if you're getting the same result so we can create a ticket for you and investigate further.

Here's how: 

1.    Log in to your QuickBooks Online company.
2.   Select Help at the top right.
3.   Select Contact Us to connect with a live agent.

I'll also share with you our page about managing your custom reports which I'm sure you'll find helpful. It has detailed steps that'll guide you through the process.

Please know that I'm always around here in the Community to help. Take care, and have a great day 

The “There’s usually something here” error or whatever is not what I’m having an issue with so I don’t know why you mentioned that. 

I want to export two payroll sessions but there’s no option to do that. There’s no IIF file for them on my computer.

How do I create an IIF file for previous payrolls when QBOP says they’ve already been exported? (They haven’t)

I'm here to help you in finding the IIF files, @audiogal.

You can try locating the files on the Downloads folder on your PC:

1. Select File Explorer from the taskbar, or press the Windows logo key  + E.

2. Under Quick access, select Downloads.

3. You can also find your Downloads folder under This PC.

You can also look in your browser's settings to see where it's saving your downloads. Once you found them, here are the steps on how to import them into QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT):

1. From QuickBooks Desktop, select File.
2. Choose Import, then From IIF Files.
3. Locate the IIF file and import it into QBDT.
4. The payroll information will then appear in QBDT.

There are several payroll reports you can view information about your business and employees. Refer to this article for more info: Run payroll reports.

If you're still unable to find the exported payroll transactions, I suggest getting in touch with our Payroll Support Team. 

Let me know if you need additional information about exporting payroll data. I'll be right here if you have follow-up questions about the process.

I agree pinnwal, they have taken an easy to use process and turned it into a nightmare.  I spend longer each payroll processing trying to export information than it takes me to run the payroll.  I don't know why everyone want to try to reinvent the wheel.  Just because something is NEW does not mean it is better.  In fact, it probably is not better.  All in all the "upgrade" on this certainly missed its mark.  Good luck to you,  I have figured out finally, I think , how to get this exported with less frustration. However, I still have to go in the checkbook register and delete the check numbers that are assigned to the payroll that is actually ACH direct deposits.  Maybe one day I will try to figure out how to fix that, but for now I just do it manually. 

I have just been told my an agent - 10am 8/11 - that exporting IFF files can ONLY happen with paychecks and that tax payments can only be exporting to excel files - nor can the support chat people send me an iff file.

This is beyond a joke  it's false advertising and a failure of the entire system. WHY HAVE ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE IF THEY GIVE YOU NO ABILITY TO ACCOUNT FOR PAYMENTS?

How would I export the (.iif file) QuickBooks stand alone core payroll to QuickBooks Desktop payroll from 11/21/2019 to present. thank you