IIF File Comments

Happy to help, @MECPA.

Adding comments to the IIF files is a fantastic idea. This way, anyone can quickly learn and comprehend the coding you intend to include. I'll share some information on how IIF files work in QuickBooks Desktop. 

We based on our recommended mapping or what QuickBooks allows for IIF files. Check our IIF import kit as a starting point to ensure you can import the data seamlessly. Go to this link to download: IIF Overview: import kit, sample files, and headers.

To edit your data, please follow the steps below: 

1. In Microsoft Excel, go to the File menu and select Open.
2. Pick All Files in the File type dropdown.
3. Choose the IIF file you want to edit and click Open.
4. In the Text Import Wizard hit Next, then Next and Finish.
5. Make the changes to your IIF file and press Ctrl + S to save the data. 
6. Exit Excel. You'll get a prompt to save the IIF again. Select Don't Save.

For more details, see this article: Export, import, and edit IIF files.

On top of that, I'd suggest asking for further help from an IT guy to add comments successfully without messing up the data. Please know that QuickBooks doesn't offer technical support for IIF file import. 

Furthermore, read the following articles to learn about other tasks you can do with your IIF files, as well as how to fix some errors:

• Tasks you can do with IIF files.
• Improved IIF Import in QuickBooks 2019 and later

Feel free to contact me anytime with any further questions about IIF files. I'm here to help you with them. Keep safe, @MECPA. 

So what is the syntax to add comments?  I thought the semicolon might do it because of the way diagnostic files are generated when something fails, but that didn't seem to be right.  Is it a single character, or maybe a certain command?

I appreciate you for coming back to the thread and adding extra clarification about your concern, MECPA. I'll be sharing further information on how the IFF file works in QuickBooks Desktop, then ensure you'll be pointed to the right person to assist you further on this matter.

As mentioned above, you can use the QuickBooks IIF Import Kit to help guide you in creating and working with .IIF import files. It contains different components to make sure everything is accurate when importing your data to QuickBooks Desktop. However, please keep in mind that the information in the Kit is the only syntax or format that is permitted to be used. Since QuickBooks does not provide technical support for IIF file import, I recommend consulting an IT expert. They can provide and show you how to add comments to a file without affecting the data.

Lastly, you may refer to this article to see a series of details that covers basic information.IIF files in QuickBooks Desktop and how it works: Tasks you can do with IIF files.

Don't hesitate to add a comment below if you still have concerns related to importing your data using IIF File in QBDT. I'm always around to help, MECPA.

I have exactly the same question as the original questioner.  You have completely ignored the specific question twice.  I know how to create an IIF file, either directly with a text editor or by exporting text from an EXCEL spreadsheet to a tab-delimited text file.  I know how to import the IIF into QBDT.  I have been doing so for 15 years.  I don't need the tutorial and the lectures.  I want information that I cannot find in the instructions and examples.  Like the original poster, my hope is to add a comment for documentation in the IIF file.  I want to flag a line of text in the IIF file telling the QBDT import function to ignore the line rather than trying to interpret it and giving me an error. 

This seems like a very sensible capability.  I have worked with a couple of dozen programming languages and input file formats, and every one of them allows some form of comments in the files.  It may well be that Inuit has not seen fit to include that capability.  If so, I'd like someone to tell me that directly rather than sending me off on a wild goose chase searching through pages and files that I have already scanned multiple times.  If the capability is there and documented, feel free to point to it directly and call me an idiot for not being able to find it, but don't regurgitate the same links to pages that don't answer the question.  And if you don't have a clue to the correct answer, feel free to write that and blame management. 

Thank you for joining the discussion and highlighting your concern, djh68. I recognize the importance of adding clear instructions to IIF files and am here to help you with that.

Currently, we do not have specific guidelines for including comment lines in an IIF file. However, I found a helpful post that contains a screenshot showcasing the contents of an IIF file.

It appears you need to add a semicolon (;) at the beginning of each line intended for comments or instructions, as shown in the example below:

; This is an instruction.

; Back up the QBDT file before import.

; Other comments.

You can check this post for your reference: IIF format for bill payment with multiple account lines to import into Desktop 2022.

If this solution does not work, I recommend submitting feedback so we can work on improving this process or finding an alternative solution.

Here's how you can send one:

1. Locate the Help option.
2. Choose the Send Feedback Online option.
3. Select the Product Suggestion option. A pop-up window displays. Enter your feedback suggestion.
4. Click the Send Feedback button.

Just a reminder that I’m here to support you throughout the entire process! If you have any questions or require assistance with importing your data via an IIF file into QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT), please feel free to share them in the comments below. Together, we'll make sure you maximize your QuickBooks experience.