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How do I set up the QuickBooks Online integration?

  • Updated

Intuit’s QuickBooks Online (QBO) is the #1 online accounting software and is used globally by over one million paying customers. Some of the features it provides is the ability to track expenses, prepare taxes, send invoices, and run a quick P&L. You can find more out about QuickBooks Online by visiting their website at http://quickbooks.intuit.com/online.

The direct connection between the system and QBO allows you keep a central accounting system without the need to duplicate entry of clients and their invoices.  The clients, patients, invoices, payments, billable items (inventory, procedures, labs) are automatically replicated to QBO.

Using QBO will make your accountants job easier and in most cases, your accountant will already be familiar with the QBO solution.

In this article you will find information on:

  1. Enabling the integration with QuickBooks Online
  2. Configuring the integration settings, including associating items to the QBO Chart of Accounts, Tax Setting, and mapping payment option values to the respective QBO payment option values
  3. Rules and restrictions of the system and QuickBooks Online integration you should be aware of
  4. What is sent to QBO, when, and how
  5. Viewing queued items waiting to be sent to QBO
  6. Reviewing the integration Logs of processed transaction

IMPORTANT:

NOTE: This option must be enabled Support. Please contact Support for assistance.

1.  To enable the QBO integration, you will need access to Settings. 
2.  Before you enable the integration, please make sure you have the following Chart of Accounts created in QBO:

  • Revenue Account (used for services and products)
  • Expense Account (used for services and products)
  • Asset Account (used for products)
  • Deposit Account (used for deposits)
    • Deposits will go into QBO as a credit memo

3. You will also need to ensure:

  • Sales Tax Rate matching Tax Settings (if applicable) in the system.

Enable the Integration

  • Go to Menu > Settings > Practice Setup > General.
  • On the General Information screen that appears, expand Integration Settings and check the box beside the option: Enable QuickBooks Online Integration.
  • Click Save at the bottom of the screen. 

  QBO-Enable.png

After saving and closing Pulse, when you re-open you will see a new menu selection: Settings > Integration > QuickBooks.

        

Configuring the Integration

Authenticate and Authorize Connection

The first step in configuring the connection between eVetPractice and QuickBooks Online is to authenticate and authorize the connection.

  • Go the Menu > Settings > Integration > QuickBooks.
  • Select the new menu option QuickBooks. 
  • Click the Connect to QuickBooks button. 
  •  A new window will be displayed asking you for your QuickBooks Online credentials.  Enter your login information and click Sign In.

         

  • Next, you will be asked which company to connect the system to.  Click the blue link for the desired company.

         

  • Click the Authorize button to confirm you would like to authorize QuickBooks to securely share your data with the system.
  • When the authorization finishes, the QuickBooks window will close and the system page will automatically refresh and show you have successfully established the integration connection with QuickBooks Online.

At this point, you are now connected and will need to complete the last couple steps in the configuration.

       

General Settings

In the General Settings section of the QuickBooks menu item configuration, the Use categories for QB Products and Services option allows you to indicate whether you want to categorize your products and services in QBO based on the categories in eVetPractice. 

Leaving this option unchecked will create a flat list of products and services in QBO. 

        

IMPORTANT: Not all versions of QBO supports categories. If your QBO version does not support categories, then you will not be able to enable this option.

Once you have decided on whether to use categories or not, determine if you want to sync billable items at this time. This step is not required.

If you do not want to sync now, the items will be added automatically when client invoices are closed and the invoice is replicated to QBO. 

However, if you want to get a good item of Cost of Goods (COG) then syncing now will allow you to show that in QBO. To sync now, click the Sync billable items to QBO button.  

Chart of Accounts

The Chart of Accounts section of the QuickBooks menu item configuration allows you to specify, by default, which accounts to use for revenue, expenses, assets, and deposits. 

The accounts configured will be included when replicating billable items, invoices, and payments to QBO.

There are three levels of Chart of Account associations you can configure: 

  1. Practice Level - Designates the default association to your QBO Chart of Accounts. When initially configured, all billable Categories and billable Items will be automatically associated.
  2. Billable Category - Designates, at the Category level, the association to your QBO Chart of Accounts. If you need to override the Practice Level QBO Chart of Accounts associations, you can do so at the Category level. 
  3. Billable Item - Designates, at the Item level, the association to your QBO Chart of Accounts. If you need to override the Practice and/or billable Category level QBO Chart of Accounts association, you can do so at the Item level. 

The integration with QBO differentiates between Inventory and Services:

  • Inventory is related to the Inventory items you have added to your system.
  • Services is related to the Procedures, Labs, and Packages. If a Procedure, Lab, or Package includes an Inventory item, that inventory item is still considered as Inventory rather than Services.

Categories are the top level groupings. For example, under Inventory you may have Categories of Vaccines, Antibiotics, Boarding, and so forth. Under Procedures, you may have Categories of Dental, Radiology, Surgery.

Items are the single entities/items. For example, under Inventory for the Vaccines category, you may have an individual item for Rabies 1 Year.

At minimum, you should configure the Chart of Account associations at the Practice Level.

Note: Billable Items should not have a colon (:) in their Name when using this integration.

Note:  The option "Should track Inventory" should only be enabled if you have verified with QBO that your version supports this.

 

Practice Level

  • If you are not already on the QuickBooks integration configuration screen, Settings > Integration > QuickBooks. 
  • In the Chart of Accounts section, choose the corresponding QBO chart of account item for each drop-down selection.
  • Click Save.

The Practice Level configuration may look similar to this in the Chart of Account section:

        

Billable Category

If you need to override the Practice Level QBO Chart of Accounts associations, you can do so at the Category level within Inventory, Procedures, Labs, and Packages menu options.

The sample instructions below are for an Inventory category. The process can be followed for Procedures, Labs, and Packages categories.

  • From the main menu, click on Inventory > Inventory Management.
  • In the Category drop-down menu, choose the desired category.
  • Click the Edit link.
  • In the Edit Inventory Category window that appears, beside the QuickBooks Settings section, choose Edit Settings.
  • The Edit QuickBooks Settings window appears. Choose the corresponding QBO chart of account item for each drop-down selection and click Save.

        

  •  Back on the Edit Inventory Category window, click Save. 

 Billable Item

If you need to override the Practice and/or billable Category level QBO Chart of Accounts association, you can do so at the Item level within Inventory, Procedures, Labs, and Packages .

The sample instructions below are for an Inventory item. The process can be followed for Procedures, Labs, and Packages categories.

  • Click the Menu >  Inventory > Inventory Management.
  • Click the Edit pencil beside the desired inventory item. Use the Search Options section to quickly find the desired item or items within a specific Category.
  • In the Edit Inventory Item window that appears, scroll to the bottom of the window. Beside the QuickBooks Settings section, choose Edit Settings.

         

  • The Edit QuickBooks Settings window appears. Choose the corresponding QBO chart of account item for each drop-down selection and click Save.

  •  Back on the Edit Inventory Item window, click Save and Close. 

Tax Setup

The Tax Setup section of the QuickBooks menu item configuration allows you to link your current eVetPractice tax setup to QBO’s tax settings.  Currently, QBO does not support multiple tax rates on the same invoice. For example, Item A with tax rate of 6% cannot be on an invoice with Item B with tax rate of 5%. You can have a combination of taxable and non-taxable items on the same invoice. Because of this, we recommend you separate out the taxable items appropriately in our system before the invoice is closed.

  • If you are not already on the QuickBooks integration configuration and then choose the menu option QuickBooks. 
  • In the Tax Settings section, choose appropriate selection in the drop-down menu.
  • Click Save.

        

Payment Options

The Payment Options section of the QuickBooks menu item configuration allows you to match up your eVetPractice payment options to QBO’s payment methods.  This will be transferred when payments are replicated.

  • Go to Settings >  Integration > QuickBooks.
  • In the Payment Options section, choose the corresponding QuickBooks Payment Method item for each drop-down list.
  • Click Save.

This completes the configuration of the QBO integration with eVetPractice.

Additional Information

Rules and Restrictions

  • Customer and Job names are required to be unique in QBO. To accommodate this requirement, the system adds the ID of the client and/or patient into the Name to make it unique. A customer is created for the Client and then under the Customer, a Job is created for the Patient.
  • Invoices are only replicated once the invoice closes.
  • There are currently three ways to close an invoice: payment is made, closed manually from client record, or you have a rule configured to close based on some time period (day, month, year)
  • Patient records are created as Jobs in QBO; charges are associated to the Client (Customer). This is because QBO does not allow you have one invoice with multiple Patients (Jobs) on it.  The name of the patient is placed in the description of the invoice line item so you can tell which patient the item is for. Additionally, a subtotal for each patient will be provided.
  • QBO does not allow you to have one invoice with invoice lines that have different tax rates. The system allows you to dictate the tax rate per line item (tax level in settings), it is recommended that you create a separate invoice for each tax rate group.  If an invoice has items on it with conflicting rates, the first rate used on that invoice will be applied to all taxable items on the corresponding invoice in QBO.
  • Splitting of invoices is handled once both invoices are closed.
  • Transferring of invoices is not currently supported.
  • Returns go in as a credit memo tied to billable items that were returned and can be used for future service.
  • Refunds go in as a refund receipt tied to billable items if a credit memo exists from the return process.  If no credit memo exists, then the integration with QBO creates a new procedure called “Refund Balance” and marks the line items' total match the refund amount and adds that to a refund receipt.
  • Billable Items should not have a colon (:) in their Name when using this integration.

What is Transferred, When, and How

Clients

  • Client ID, First name, Middle name, Last name, Email address, Home address, Mailing address, Default phone, Mobile phone, Alternate phone, Second contact First/Last name, Company name.
  • Creates a customer in QBO once it is created in the system.
  • Updates the customer in QBO once it is updated in the system.
  • Updates customer to inactive in QBO if client is deleted in the system.
  • The name of the client sent from the system to QBO is in the format of “Last Name, First Name (Client ID)”.
    • Example: “Smith, John (123)”.
    • In QBO, names have to be unique and from experience, we can have multiple clients with the same last and first name, thus the need for appending the Client ID.

Patients

  • Patient ID, Name.
  • Creates the job under Customer in QBO once a Patient is created in the system.
  • Updates the job in QBO to inactive if Patient is deleted in the system.
  • The name of the patient sent from the system to QBO is in the format of “Name (Patient ID)”
    • “Jonesy (123)”

Billable Items

  • For Inventory: Code (SKU), Name, Income/Expense/Asset account, Quantity on Hand, Unit Price, Purchase Cost, Taxable, Category.
  • For Procedures/Labs/Package Level items: Code (SKU), Name, Income/Expense account, Unit Price, Purchase Cost, Taxable, Category.
  • Creates/Updates product or service in QBO when sync button is clicked on QuickBooks setup page in eVetPractice.
  • Creates/Updates product or service in QBO as the invoice is closed.
  • Creates/Updates product in QBO as Quantity on Hand is changed from inventory management.
  • Creates/Updates product in QBO when performing the receiving process in Purchase Orders.

Invoices

  • Invoice Number, Invoice Date, Tax Rate, Invoice Lines.
  • For Invoice Lines: Description, Amount, Quantity, Service Date, Taxable.
  • Invoice Lines in QBO will be in the same order as the invoice.
  • Creates/Updates invoice in QBO once the invoice.
  • Deletes the invoice in QBO if invoice is removed (all items are removed).

Transaction

  • Payment
    • Amount, Client Note, Payment Method, Deposit Date.
    • Creates payment in QBO when payment is received and associated to the specific invoice.
    • Deleted with payment if voided.
  • Deposit
    • Creates deposit in QBO when deposit is made in the system.
    • Deleted with payment if voided in the system.
  • Refund
    • Creates refund receipt in QBO when refund is given from the system.
    • Deleted with payment if voided in the system.
  • Return Items
    • Creates credit memo in QBO when paid items are returned from the system.
    • Note: You are not able to reverse a Return in the system.

Queue

The QuickBooks Processing Queue in the system shows currently queued items waiting to be sent to QBO.  Queued items are processed every 60 minutes. If the queue is empty, this simply means everything has been processed. The queue also lists items which have failed to be transmitted as noted where the Status of the queued item is Failed.  

To view the current status of the queue:

  • Click the Settings > Integration > QuickBooks.
  • Next, select the Queue menu option.
  • The QuickBooks Processing Queue screen displays:

        

On the QuickBooks Processing Queue screen, note the following items, where the number below corresponds to the number in the screenshot above:

  1. Search Options - Start and End Date: Specify a date range to show only those currently queued transactions which were queued to send to QBO on during a particular time period. Generally speaking, you will see transactions which came into the queue after the last batch of queued transactions were processed. (Queued items are processed every 5 minutes.) However, if the integration with QBO is not working (e.g. the QuickBooks password you initially entered to establish the integration was changed), it is possible to have multiple days' worth of transactions waiting in the queue.
  2. Search Options - Show Errors Only?: Filters the queued transactions to list only those whose Status is Failed. Will work in conjunction with the Start and End Date filters, if defined.
  3. Date - Date and Time in which the transaction was queued to send to QBO. Click the Date hyperlink to sort the list by date.
  4. Type - Indicates if the queued transaction is for a Client, Patient, Inventory, Billable Item (e.g. Inventory, Package) record, an Invoice, or a Payment, Deposit, Refund, or Return transaction item. Click the Type hyperlink to sort the list by type.
  5. Details - Provides a short description of the queued transaction item. Click to go directly to the record (i.e. Invoice record).
  6. Action - Indicates if the queued item being sent to QBO will update an existing item or create a new item. 
  7. Status - Indicates the currently queued items waiting to be sent to QBO. The status will either be Pending or Failed. Regarding Failed status: For Invoices, Payments, Voids, and Returns, the system will attempt to send the information to QBO three times before it stops attempting to send. For Inventory, Procedure, Lab, Package, Client, and Patient information, eVetPractice will attempt to send the information to BQO one time. (They will be sent again when an invoice or payment for the Client/Patient is queued to be processed.) For both scenarios, you'll be able to view failed transactions in the QuickBooks Logs section.
  8. Status Details - If the Status is Failed, provides additional details to help identify the why the queued item is not being sent to QBO successfully.
  9. Is Error - If Status is Failed, you will see an "X" in this column.

Logs

The QuickBooks Logs section shows when a transaction was successfully sent to QBO. The log also lists items which received an error when attempted to send the item to QBO as noted where the Status of the queued item is Failed and Is Error has an "X".  

To view the current status of the queue, go to QuickBooks > Logs.

        

  1. Search Options - Start and End Date: Specify a date range to show only those currently processed item during a particular time period. 
  2. Search Options - Show Errors Only?: Filters the queued transactions to list only those whose Status is Failed as indicated by the "Is Error" column displaying an "X" value. Will work in conjunction with the Start and End Date filters, if defined.
  3. Date - Date and Time in which the transaction was processed by eVetPractice/QBO integration. Click the Date hyperlink to sort the list by date.
  4. Type - Indicates if the processed item was for a Client, Patient, Inventory, Billable Item (e.g. Inventory, Package) record, an Invoice, or a Payment, Deposit, Refund, or Return transaction item. Click the Type hyperlink to sort the list by type.
  5. Details - Provides a short description of the processed item. Click to go directly to the record (i.e. Invoice record).
  6. Action - Indicates if the processed item sent to QBO was to update an existing item or create a new item. 
  7. Original Value - For processed items which updated QBO, this is the original record information (e.g. before save) from the related eVetPractice record prior to it being updated.
  8. New Value - For processed items which updated QBO or created new records in QBO, this is the record information sent from eVetPractice to QBO.
  9. Is Error - If the processed item failed to successfully send to/be received by QBO, you will see an "X" in this column.

 

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