Importing QB Pro Timer .iif files into 2023 Desktop

Hi there, @jbuchal.

With the launch of QuickBooks Desktop 2022 and Enterprise 22.0, some features are no longer available. As a result, importing timer activities are no longer available in QuickBooks Desktop, and it includes QuickBooks Pro Timer. 

As a workaround, you can consider looking the QuickBooks Desktop Marketplace, which features third-party applications developed by our independent developer partners.

You might also want to read this article to know more about the newly available features in QBDT 2023: What’s new in QuickBooks Desktop 2023.

If you have any other follow-up questions, let me know by adding a comment below. I'm more than happy to help. Keep safe!

It is unacceptable and illegal to remove long-standing features by deliberately crippling the software, especially when you are requiring an upgrade is required to maintain essential functionality (the loss of the banking interface).  I understand you want to push us to adopting QB online, but you have created an adequate incentive by more than tripling the cost of the desktop product.  I would have upgraded but for QB online's inability to import my Company file.  You need to fix this immediately.

Yup!  They tripled the price and took away features... I am having the same issue.

You can use a 3rd party tool as a workaround.

Feel free to contact me at the attached address if you want to help try and do something about it.

Any recommendations as to which one?

@jbuchal 

Explore this tool to import *.IIF directly into QB Desktop as a Time Tracking data type.

https://partners.saasant.com/affiliate/idevaffiliate.php?id=5051_2

We had a custom integration developed between our project management software--which handles time tracking--and QuickBooks Desktop using IIF file imports. We just upgraded from QuickBooks 2020 due to payroll requirements and now are no longer to import time--which is necessary for payroll and billing.

We need Timer IIF import reinstated ASAP!

Thanks for joining the Community and getting involved with this thread, asherrick.

I can certainly understand how an ability to import time activities from QuickBooks Pro Timer could be useful and have submitted a suggestion about it as of today.

You can also submit your own feature requests while using QuickBooks.

Here's how:

1. In the top menu bar, go to Help, Send Feedback Online, then Product Suggestion....
   
   
    
2. Choose a Type of Feedback and Product Area (optional) from your available drop-down menus.
   
   
    
3. Enter any suggestions/feedback in the Here is my suggestion: field.
   
   
    
4. If you'd like, include your name/email in the My name is: (optional) and My e-mail address is: (optional) fields.
   
   
    
5. Select Send Feedback.
   
   

Your feedback's definitely valuable to Intuit. It will be reviewed by our Product Development team and considered in future updates. You can stay up-to-date with the latest news about your product by reviewing Intuit's Product Updates webpage.

As a workaround, you also have the options of signing up for QuickBooks Time and integrating it with your books, or checking our QuickBooks App Store for apps which may be able to help you achieve what you're looking to do.

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

To be clear, we're not using QB Pro Timer. We have a separate project management and time tracking system that we've had an integration developed to export time from that system into an IIF file that QuickBooks can import.

@asherrick 

What file format you can export from those programs? *.csv or *.iif?

Our custom-developed application uses our project management software's API to query time tracking data and output it in an IIF file that can be imported into QuickBooks.

Our custom-developed application uses the API of our project management software to query the time tracking data and export it to an IIF file that can be imported into QuickBooks.

I'm joining this thread to share additional information, asherrick.

We do have a separate forum for API concerns. We can explore our Intuit Developer website and look for resources about Time IIF import that can bring data from your separate project management and time tracking system to QuickBooks.

Visit again if you have any other concerns about QuickBooks Time. I'll be right here to help.

RE: Is there anyone running 2023 Desktop who has figured out how to import timer files from Quickbooks Pro Timer?

Yes, you can still import Pro Timer IIF files. However, in order to do so, they have to be carefully edited and the header row that identifies the file as a Pro Timer file must be removed. Then it'll import just fine.

To edit the IIF files, which are tab-delimited files, you can use a good text file editor that preserves the tabs. A simple one that will work is called Notepad2 (Windows notepad will not work). Notepad2 is free. See https://www.flos-freeware.ch/notepad2.html

The file will look something like this when opened in Notepad2 (though a timer file is not pictured):

Delete the rows that start with !HDR and HDR and then save the file.

Note that for IIF files containing time records that are not from the Pro Timer, import remains the same.

ZackE,

While I love and support your optimism, 20 plus years with Quickbooks has taught me one thing - they don't care what accountants, bookkeepers, companies, or others want. 

In the last 5 years they have gone into a MASSIVE monetize campaign and basically crapping on all the wonderful things QB and QBO could do.  I don't need or want repeated pop ups offering me services I don't want and my clients can't use.  I swear they must be into Scuba and have a PADI license.  For those who don't know PADI was given a second name - Put Another Dollar In!  That is Intuit.

Fiat Lux,

A third party work around?  You can get from Florida to Texas via a space launch and moon shot, but why would you? 

I'm in the camp that feels betrayed by Intuit for disabling what was a free feature, that is only available for a  fee, and way over the top for my needs.  The Camp I'm in, is growing by the day!

@JonPA 

Are you using QB Desktop 2023 Pro Plus for a single user?

@JonPA  There's no need to pay. Just edit the timer files as I noted above in this thread.

BigRed,

What you suggest is a neat and interesting get around.  Thanks!

Fiat Lux,

Since I'm independent I stay at single user, no need for multi-user.  I went from Desktop premier 2021 to 2023, with intent to put my books online.  When I found the timer issue, I stopped using 2023 and launched 2021 company file from a backup.  Fortunately only a few entries to recreate in 2021 that went into 2023.

I have the ProAdvisor plan, so I have access to all versions of Quickbooks for each year, and that includes a free QBO for my own company bookkeeping, but I never moved desktop to QBO because of the time issue.

I tried converting it with excel and notepad but it did not work for me. I also tried QuickBooks time, but it does not work well for me. Primarily because it locks the day, once your approve the time and I bill as soon as we complete a job. PM

@paulmetz 

Do you need to import the Time Tracking data like this one?

Yes, do you know of a conversion program? I really like the simplicity and reliability of the original timer.