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Common questions about importing data to QuickBooks Online

by Intuit•178• Updated 1 week ago

We understand that data imports are important to get right. We want to make sure that you have all of the information you need to be successful.

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Here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about importing data to QuickBooks.

What information can I import to QuickBooks Online?

You can import the following information to QuickBooks Online:

  • Bank Data
  • Customers
  • Vendors
  • Chart of Accounts
  • Products and Services
  • Invoices
  • Bills
  • Checks
  • Class
  • Deposits
  • Employee
  • Estimates
  • Expenses
  • Journal Entries
  • Locations
  • Purchase Orders
  • Sales Receipts
  • Time Activities 

Note: You can import invoices, sales receipts, bills, and product and service items from QuickBooks Desktop, but they can't be edited in QuickBooks Ledger.

Do I need to import my data in a specific order?

Yes. To make sure your data imports correctly, import Lists in this order first:

  • Chart of Accounts
  • Customers
  • Vendors
  • Employee
  • Class
  • Locations
  • Products and services

Then, import Transactions in any order: 

  • Bank Data
  • Bills
  • Checks
  • Deposits
  • Estimates
  • Expenses
  • Journal Entries
  • Purchase Orders
  • Sales Receipts
  • Time Activities

After selecting the data you would like to import into the product, you’ll be presented with instructional video links titled “See how it works.”

If the only option provided to import with is Spreadsheet Sync, or that is the option you are choosing to use, please see the article below: 

Import data using Spreadsheet Sync

You can use a CSV (Comma Separated Values) file, Google Sheets, or an XLS/XLSX file to import information to QuickBooks Online. 

Here are some details about the different formats:

  • CSV file: A common file format used for text files. These contain tabular data. In CSV files, each field of text is separated by a comma, semicolon, or other special character.
  • Google Sheets: An online spreadsheet created in Google Drive.
  • XLS/XLSX file: XLS is the file format of Microsoft Excel 1997–2003. Microsoft Excel 2007 and newer use the XLSX file format.

You can import content from multiple sources. For example, if you have a list of contacts in Excel (XLS/XLSX), some in Google Sheets, and some in Outlook (CSV), follow the import process for each source.

QuickBooks Online uses the first row of your spreadsheet for mapping. This means that your first row’s content isn’t imported. If you need the information from the first row of your file, add a header row to your spreadsheet. You can also duplicate the first row before you import the file.

You can't import a contact that already exists in QuickBooks Online. To work around this, review your current contact list, then rename any duplicate contact(s) before you import your file.

You can only import spreadsheets with less than 1,000 rows. If your spreadsheet is larger than this, we suggest that you split your spreadsheet into smaller files, then import them separately.

QuickBooks Online can only import specific fields for each type of data.

To learn more about which fields can be imported, download the sample files available in your QuickBooks account.

No, QuickBooks Online doesn't make any changes to your spreadsheet.

Currently, there's not an option to bulk undo or delete imported contacts. 

  • QuickBooks Online doesn't import currency details from a contact list.
  • If your version of QuickBooks Online supports Multicurrency, your home currency is assigned to all customers and vendors by default. If you need to change customer or vendor currency, select the Currency column during import. Then, choose the new currency for the contact on the Review screen. 

    Note: You must turn on Multicurrency before starting the import process.

If you import your products and services incorrectly, you can overwrite‌ them. This replaces the values for each product or service that you import with an identical name. To do this,  import the same file again, then select Overwrite all values.

Note: After you select Import, your overwrite can't be undone.

Next steps

QuickBooks LedgerQuickBooks Online AdvancedQuickBooks Online EssentialsQuickBooks Online PlusQuickBooks Online Simple Start

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