Set up and use QuickBooks Desktop for Windows and QuickBooks Time integration

Follow the steps to directly integrate QuickBooks Desktop for Windows with QuickBooks Time, then learn how to edit and sync your data after the integration is complete.

Learn how to: 

• Step 1: Check system requirements
• Step 2: Set up QuickBooks Desktop for the integration
• Step 3: Connect the integration 
• Step 4: Review and customize settings
• Understand how data syncs
• Sync your data
• Edit data after sync

Step 1: Check system requirements 

• QuickBooks for Mac isn't compatible with this integration.
• Only one QuickBooks company file can be linked with one QuickBooks Time account.
• This integration method is only available for QuickBooks files that are 2021 and newer. For QuickBooks files created between 2017-2020, you can integrate QuickBooks Time and QuickBooks Desktop using the Web Connector.
  1. To confirm your file is compatible, press the F2 key on the keyboard.
  2. Find the Versions Used on File and review. If you see a date of 2020 or older at the top of the list, you must use the web connector. 
• Make sure you have the latest release of QuickBooks Desktop.
• This integration works in a server environment running Windows.

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Step 2: Set up QuickBooks Desktop for the integration

1. Open the company file you want to integrate with QuickBooks Time, and sign in as admin and in single-user mode.
2. Turn on time tracking:
   1. Select Edit, then Preferences, and select Time and Expenses.
   2. Select Company Preferences, then select Yes next to Do you track time.
   3. Select OK.
3. Turn on payroll preference:
   1. Select Edit, then Preferences, and select Payroll & Employees.
   2. Select Company Preferences, then select Full payroll, and OK. 
4. Make sure your week start date matches in QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Time.
   1. In QuickBooks Desktop, select Edit, then Preferences, and select Time and Expenses.
   2. Select Company Preferences, then select the correct start day for First Day of Work Week, then select OK. 
   3. In QuickBooks Time, select Company Settings, then Payroll & Overtime.
   4. Make sure the Week Start matches QuickBooks Desktop, then select Save.
5. Add all employees and vendors (including admins) into QuickBooks Desktop who'll need to have time exported to QuickBooks.
6. Set up employee payroll info: 
   1. Select Employees, then Employee Center. 
   2. Select an employee, then Edit ✎, and select Payroll Info.
   3. Below the Earnings section, select the checkbox next to Use time data to create paychecks.
   4. Assign at least 1 payroll item to your employee.
   5. Repeat for each employee. 
7. Set up company employee default:
   1. Select Edit, then Preferences, and select Payroll & Employees.
   2. Select Company Preferences, then select Employee Defaults…
   3. Select Use time data to create paychecks, and then OK.  
8. Set up vendors correctly who need to track time: 
   1. Select Vendors, then Vendor Center.
   2. Select a vendor, then Edit ✎, and make sure they First and Last name.   

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Step 3: Connect the integration

Notes: 

• QuickBooks Time doesn’t change any info in your QuickBooks Desktop company file during the integration process. The only info that QuickBooks Time exports is approved time data. 
• Employee pay rates don’t import, only payroll items. 
• You can integrate with a new QuickBooks Time account or an existing one.

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Step 4: Review and customize settings

Now you can review and customize your QuickBooks Time account to meet your company’s needs and to make your first-time data export run smoothly.

Access your QuickBooks Time account

1. Launch QuickBooks Desktop, select Employees, then Enter Time, and select Use QuickBooks Time.
2. A browser window will open within QuickBooks, displaying your QuickBooks Time account.

Map payroll items

Each employee must have at least one payroll item mapped before time can be exported to QuickBooks. Map their QuickBooks payroll items to the appropriate time types in QuickBooks Time.

Set up time off to map and sync correctly: 

• For unpaid time off to sync correctly, you need to create a payroll item in QuickBooks titled Unpaid Time Off, then set a $0.00 rate.
  • If you don't want unpaid time off hours to show up in QuickBooks Desktop, use unpaid breaks. 
• For all other time off codes, set up the codes, rules, and balances in QuickBooks Time, and they’ll link to the time off code names you have in QuickBooks Desktop.

Select integration preferences

If you need to change a setting, you can access integration preferences at any time.

1. In QuickBooks Time, select the QuickBooks drop-down.
2. Select Preferences and make any desired changes. 

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Understand how data syncs

• You can sync data each time you update info in QuickBooks Desktop that needs to be updated in QuickBooks Time.
• When you sync data in QuickBooks Desktop, it both imports data and exports hours if there are new approved timesheets.

Sync your data 

Items that export to the weekly timesheet in QuickBooks Desktop include: customer, payroll item, service item, class, billable, and notes. Notes can be found in the description field. 

1. Open your QuickBooks Desktop company file, and sign in as the main admin and in single-user mode
2. Select Employees, then Enter Time, and select Sync QuickBooks Time.
3. A sync is performed and will update or add any new information from QuickBooks into QuickBooks Time, and send approved timesheets from QuickBooks Time to QuickBooks Desktop.

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Edit data after sync

Edit imported customers

In QuickBooks Time, select Customers: 

• If you need to make a customer or job inactive from QuickBooks Time, select Edit ✎ next to the customer, and uncheck Assign to all team members. 
• If you need to reactivate a customer that was deleted in QuickBooks Time, add a 1 to the customer name QuickBooks Desktop, run a sync, and they will be re-activated.
  • After they’re re-activated, you can remove the 1 from their name in QuickBooks Desktop and run another sync. 

Edit exported time

• You can edit time directly in the weekly timesheet in QuickBooks Desktop, but changes won't reflect in QuickBooks Time.
• If you need to edit or delete timesheets in QuickBooks Time after they’ve been exported, unlock the timesheets.

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