Hi there, deeba.

Let me help and make sure you locate the file you exported.

Upon exporting your IIF file from QuickBooks Online Payroll, the system will ask you to save your file. 

Most of the time the default location for the downloaded files set by your browser is on your Downloads folder. Once you have the file, you may start importing it to QuickBooks for Mac.

Like this:

1. From QuickBooks Mac, click File.
2. Choose Import, then From IIF Files.
3. Locate the IIF file and import it into QuickBooks Mac.
4. Once done, the payroll information should now appear in QuickBooks Mac.
    

Exporting your payroll data is a one-time process. If you're still unable to locate exported payroll transactions, I recommend contacting our support team. They can also do secured screen sharing to help locate the file.

Let me know how it goes by clicking the Reply button below. I'll keep an eye for your response. Have a nice day!

In my experience it does not ask where you would like them to be saved too.  At least not when you go to the export under payroll settings.  You must go to either paycheck list or reports>previous tax payments and check them off to export.  

Ok.  HELP.  I had the same problem as everyone else.  I used to use Intuit Payroll.  It was seamless with my Mac desktop quickbooks.  I exported 22! transactions today from Quickbooks Payroll.  I have no idea where those transactions are now at.  We literally can not find them (and yes, I looked in my downloads folder).   I spent 3 hours with technical support today.  No help at all.  What a mess.  Basically, the tech support guy told me to type in the transactions manually going forward.  

How can I locate these downloaded transactions?  they are lost! 

David

I can help you with locating these import transactions in your QuickBooks Desktop for Mac, @dhgibel.

You can go to your Transaction Center to look for your transactions. 

Follow the steps below:

1. Select Transaction Center from the Company menu.
2. Choose a transaction type.
3. Enter any information about your transaction in the search box. Names, dates, and amounts can either be used.

Refer to this article for more information to use your income and expense trackers to locate your transactions: View and edit transactions in QuickBooks Desktop for Mac.

To guide you or verify what happens to your transactions once imported to QuickBooks Desktop for Mac, refer to this article: Export Intuit Online Payroll transactions to QuickBooks for Windows or Mac (IIF).

Please refer to the following article for further information on what lists and transaction types you can import into QuickBooks: Import and export data.

If you have any additional payroll concerns, please leave them in the comments section below. I'd be delighted to assist. Take care and have a wonderful rest of your day!

Hi there ….. for me to download the paycheck info I went to paycheck list, check the boxes and when you do the option to export comes up, download  to your computer and upload the iif file…… to do tax information go to Reports>Pay Tax Payments> check off the dates and EXPORT TO ACCOUNTING

I hate to say this but I don’t think you are understanding the issue……. This information does not work one the Mac/ payroll set up 

My Safari preference is to Downloads. it is not there. so far, directions are not clear, and don't work. 

My system does NOT ask me where to export to. I DID check my Safari preferences, and "downloads" is the default. The file is NOT in my downloads.

Disaster. Disgrace. 

Hello, lessbarb. 

A possible data damage might have also caused the file download to not show up. You can use the Verify and Rebuild Data tool that resolve unexpected and most common data issues when working in QuickBooks. Let me share this link for more details: Verify and rebuild data in QuickBooks Desktop for Mac. 

I would also recommend to our Technical Support Team just in case you can't still see it after rebuilding your data. They'll take a closer look at this to determine why you can't see the downloaded file. Here's how to reach out to them:

1. Go to this link: https://help.quickbooks.intuit.com/en_US/contact.
2. Select QuickBooks Mac Desktop.
3. Click Using QuickBooks for Mac.
4. Scroll-down a little bit and click Start a Message. 

I'd also like to inform you that due to the ongoing pandemic, we have a limited staffing to technical support. They're only open in from Monday to Friday, in between 6 AM to 6 PM Pacific Time. 

You may check out this article for more information about troubleshooting in export: QuickBooks Desktop export troubleshooting (Mac, IIF, & One-Click). 

The Community is always here to listen with what you have to say. We also look forward to helping you out in the Community space. Have a great day

I don't have an export section to change to Quickbooks Desktop Mac. Why is this new way sooo hard!! I am ready to find a different payroll option! This is ridiculous

I have done all of this, multiple times. there is no findable .iif file. I have searched the hard drive, etc. it is not in downloads, or anywhere else, and quo payroll say today that it is exported. now what? I am furious.

I'm still having the "Mystery of the mMssing .iif File", even on Chrome. 

(yes it was easy peezy before)

complete payroll

go to settings -> payroll settings -> export -> export transactions (yes, to desktop MAC) 

then I get a message that says # of checks and # of payroll taxes were exported.

Meanwhile, back on QB desktop, (logged in as Admin) File -> Import -> From IIF files -> (required backup) finder window -> searching, searching, searching...

I have been on the phone for hours with support. They don't seem to know either. and NO, you cannot specify WHERE the .iif file is exported too. and YES, I have downloads setup in my preferences.

This will be the 4th cycle of payroll that we have to MANUALLY enter, check by check. Wo what is the sense of using payroll?

Where is the .iif file? I've used both Safari and Chrome, btw.

What worked for you? Were you trying to export payroll (checks) or taxes, or both? I still cannot find the .iif file, and have spent hours on the phone with support. They just bump me around, and then drop my calls, lol.

I know this wasn't an easy process for you, @lessbarb. 

I appreciate you getting back to us and for following the steps provided on this thread. 

Allow me to help you in finding the IIF files.

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.

 I’m also adding some links that will guide you on how to set up payroll. 

• Export, import, and edit IIF files.
• Export into QuickBooks Online or Desktop from Core, Premium, or Elite Standalone Payroll.

Place a reply in the comments below if you have other issues with your payroll data in QuickBooks. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

You should read my message before replying. I did all of those things. I've used a Mac for 30 years, and I can find anything on one of these machines.

Hi lessbarb,

I'll take note of your feedback about the responses in this thread.

At this point, I'm gonna have to let you contact our support about this matter. I acknowledged the fact that you've been exporting payroll data for years, so there's no need for me to reiterate the process and the basic troubleshooting steps. 

The Intuit Online Payroll Support can use the screen-sharing tool to examine this in more depth.

If you have additional questions in mind, feel free to go back to this thread.

I realized after hours of trying to export my payroll transactions that my Safari was blocking Intuit pop-ups, so I went to Safari-Preferences-Websites, on currently Open Websites and on the app.qbo.intuit.com I changed to "Allow", this did it!

Then went back to Quickbooks Payroll, press Export and it finally the file downloaded in my Downloads folder and then I was able to click the file and it exported the transactions.

Hope this helps!

How do I export as .iif? Can find no option to do so.

Hello, Familylivewv.

Thank you for reaching out to the Community. I can walk you through exporting IIF files in QuickBooks.

Are you using QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) Mac version? If so, exporting IIF can be done by going to the File menu. Here's how to do it: 

1. Sign in to your company file as an admin.
2. Go to the File menu at the top, then select Export in the drop-down.
3. Click Lists to IIF File, then choose the list you want to export.
4. Tick OK, then enter a name for your IIF file.
5. In the Where drop-down, pick a location to save your IIF file into.
6. Hit Save to complete.

For further guidance with exporting and importing IIF files in QBDT, you may check out this article: Export, import, and edit IIF files. This also contains some information about the limitations. 

Please know you can continue to reach me here with any additional questions about exporting data. Thanks for coming to the Community, wishing you continued success. Take care!

I need to export from QB Online as iif -- OR -- import to Mac Desktop as Excel. Your instructions seem as though you are instructing me to export from Mac Desktop (the opposite of what I need).

Hi there, @Familylivewv.

I'm here to provide some extra steps on how to import your payroll data to your QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) for Mac. 

When exporting your payroll data from QuickBooks Online (QBO) Payroll, the system will download an IIF file. Ensure to take note of the folder you've saved the file to easily track it.

Nevertheless, you can locate the file when you're ready to import it into your Mac platform. I'll show you how:

1. Click the File menu.
2. Hover on Import.
3. Then select From IIF Files.
4. The system will show you the list of IIF files you've downloaded, then choose the file you want to import.

If you're unable to locate it or you don't have it anymore, I propose downloading it again in your Payroll settings. Then, import it to your Mac program.

Once done, ensure to check your data in your Chart of Accounts to make sure the payroll details are properly imported. Just go to the Company menu, then select Chart of Accounts.

Additionally, let me share this resource to guide you fix some issues in exporting data: QuickBooks Desktop export troubleshooting (Mac, IIF, & One-Click).

 Keep me posted if you have other concerns managing your data in QuickBooks. I'll be more than happy to help you further. Have a wonderful day!

I think I may have sent myself into a black hole on this. I decided to take Intuit's suggestion and attempted to convert from QBDT to QBO. After signing up for QBO, I quickly found out I would have to wipe all my payroll data from QBO Payroll Core and re-enter every piece of information into my new QBO company account (Tell me THAT's not crazy!) So I bailed, and decided to stay with the current version of QBDT (2022).

But apparently, even though I cancelled my QBO company file and deleted all the data, QBO still thinks I'm operating online, and won't even show me an "Export" option anymore on my paycheck lists or tax files. When I go to the Payroll Settings page it won't even give me the option of setting up exporting data to QBDT.

Is there a way to fix this? Because if I can't, there's no reason to stay with QBO Payroll at all. 

Hello there, @GoodScout. 

It seems that my colleague has already answered your concern about the Export option on your QuickBooks Online Payroll. If you’re not yet notified of her answer, let me direct you there by clicking this link: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/banking/re-how-do-i-download-paychecks-into-deskto...

Feel free to drop by if you have further concerns with your QuickBooks products. Know that the Community always has your back. Stay safe!