How to Integrate Batch Files into QuickBooks

There are four main kinds of files that you would want to integrate into QuickBooks software: customer, vendor, product and transaction files. The customer, vendor and product files are all integrated in the same way with slight variations based on what type of file you wish to add: All you need is the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet program in addition to the QuickBooks software. For transaction files, you will need to use a free software patch to integrate transactions from one company file to another.

Integrating Customer, Vendor and Product Files into QuickBooks

• 1

  Click on the "Customer Center" icon in the top icon bar of QuickBooks. (If you want to integrate vendor information, follow these directions but open the Vendor Center instead.) Click the "Excel" button, which is located next to the "New Transactions" button on the top bar of the Customer Center.

• 2

  Choose the "Import from Excel" option. When the window opens, note that you have the option of selecting which type of data to add to QuickBooks: "Customers," "Vendors" or "Products I Sell." If you are adding products, you can use this method to get to the formatted spreadsheet that you will use to integrate products.

• 3

  Click on the "Customers" option. After the formatted spreadsheet opens, note the position of each row and column: Both the customers and vendors have 16 identical column headings, including "Company Name" and contact information headers. The "Product" formatted spreadsheet has only five columns. Copy these headers to your Excel spreadsheet and organize the customer information that you wish to integrate using this format.

• 4

  Enter all the information that you wish to integrate into QuickBooks into the Excel spreadsheet or reorganize it from a spreadsheet that already exists. Save this spreadsheet onto your desktop. Click in the first box of the first column of your Excel spreadsheet and drag the mouse down to highlight each entry. Hold the "Ctrl" key and then hit the "C" key to copy the cells.

  Click into the first column on the formatted QuickBooks spreadsheet you opened earlier, hold the "Ctrl" key and then press the "V" key to paste the data. Repeat this step for each column. After you are done, click on the "Add My Data Now" button and QuickBooks will add the batch data files into your company file.

Integrating Transaction Files

• 1

  Download Microsoft's free Access Runtime Engine (see "Resources" below).

• 2

  Download the Data Transfer Utility free trial. You must download the version of the Data Transfer Utility that matches the QuickBooks version you are using. In other words, if you are using the 2009 version of QuickBooks Pro, you will need to download the 2009 version of the Data Transfer Utility.

• 3

  Purchase the full version of the Data Transfer Utility program. After the free trial is over, you will be able to enter your payment information and email address. Use a working email address because your registration number will be sent to the address you provide.

• 4

  Install the Data Transfer Utility program. Seven boxes will appear. The first is for the "Source Company"; this is the company from which the data is being transferred. The second box is the "Destination Company"; this is the file to which the data is being transferred. The rest of the boxes request the locations of the files that you want to integrate. The fourth box in the window gives you the option of transferring only invoices, only sales receipts or other transactions. The last box gives the option of integrating only those transactions that fall within a certain date range. Click on the "OK" button and this information will be integrated into QuickBooks.