Overview
This document reviews how to integrate AlarmBiller with QuickBooks. Please review this documention its entirety before using the QuickBooks Export feature in AlarmBiller. If you have any questions please use the Support Center options in AlarmBiller to submit your question, or email us at AlarmBiller_Support@BoldGroup.com.
What versions of QuickBooks are supported?
In order to use the QuickBooks online you must purchase a compatible iif importer, one recommended versions are Guru Importer (https://guruimporter.com/). Please reach out to QuickBooks for other compatible versions.
Using AlarmBiller and QuickBooks together
AlarmBiller is to be used as your main customer database. When using AlarmBiller there is no need to store your customers within QuickBooks. The integration will not replicate or copy your customers from AlarmBiller to QuickBooks. The integration is meant to post all the General Ledger journal data that is created within AlarmBiller to QuickBooks.
How often should AlarmBiller data be exported to QuickBooks?
There is no set mandate as to how often you need to export that date from AlamBiller to QuickBooks; this is entirely up to you. Our recommendation is that the data is exported as a minimum of once a month, although you can do it more frequently if you so desire.
Backing up QuickBooks
We highly recommend before you import data from AlarmBiller you always make a backup of your QuickBooks data first. In the event you need to back out the import file, the only means to do this is to restore your QuickBooks company file from your backup copy.
Administration functionality required
The exporting of your accounting data from AlarmBiller to QuickBooks is an Administrator functionality. We highly recommend that only a controller, bookkeeper, owner, or CPA has this functionality.
Locking the date in AlarmBiller when exported
In order to maintain the integrity of the data between AlarmBiller and QuickBooks, once you export the data from AlarmBiller, all the transactions exported will automatically be locked down. Meaning you can no longer edit, modify or change these transactions. There is a feature to back out the export that will re-open the transactions. The feature should be used very carefully. The last section of this document discusses this further.
Understanding the Data to be Exported and Imported
The purpose of the data export feature of AlarmBiller is so you can import the financial accounting data created within AlarmBiller into QuickBooks. There are three different types of transactions within AlarmBiller that will be exported to QuickBooks. These three together will allow you to create complete financial statements, both income statements and balance sheets, in QuickBooks.
1 – Invoices
Invoices created in AlarmBiller will be exported to QuickBooks. The following is the Journal Entry that will be Created. (This example is for illustration purposes only.)
Account Number Description Amount
Debit 11001 Accounts Receivable from AB 105.00
Credit 40010 Sales – Installations 100.00
Credit 20010 Sales Tax Liability 5.00
For each invoice created there will be a Debit to the Accounts Receivable account and corresponding Credit entries for all lines created on the invoice(s). The Credits will generally represent income and sales tax liability.
2 – Credits
Credits created in AlarmBiller will be exported to QuickBooks. The following is the Journal Entry that will be created. (This example is for illustration purposes only.)
Account Number Description Amount
Credit 11001 Accounts Receivable from AB 105.00
Debit 40010 Sales – Installations 100.00
Debit 20010 Sales Tax Liability 5.00
For each credit created there will be a Credit to the Accounts Receivable account and corresponding Debit entries for all lines its created on the invoice(s). The Debits will generally represent income and sales tax liability.
3 – Payments
Payments created in AlarmBiller will be exported to QuickBooks. The following is the Journal Entry that will be created. (This example is for illustration purposes only.)
Account Number Description Amount
Debit 10001 Bank Account 205.00
Credit 11001 Accounts Receivable from AB 105.00
Credit 11001 Accounts Receivable from AB 100.00
When the Payment batch is exported, there will be one Debit entry to the Bank Account for the total amount of the payment batch and a Credit entry for each payment within the batch.
Note: A Payment batch must be flagged as Reconciled to be exported.
Setting Up AlarmBiller
Within AlarmBiller you need to setup General Ledger numbers to be used for the exporting of the data to QuickBooks. Generally speaking, your General Ledger numbers can be any number of digits; our recommendation is to use 5 numeric digits for all your General Ledger account numbers. Follow these steps to make sure AlarmBiller is properly setup:
1 – Setup a Bank Account and Accounts Receivable Account Number
Under Setup, choose Preferences, and then select an Account Number to be used for the Bank Account and Accounts Receivable. These Account Numbers will also be setup in QuickBooks (see the QuickBooks setup for details.)
2 – Setup the General Ledger number in your Items, Parts and Sales Tax
Under Setup, when creating an Item, Part or Sales Tax setup an Account Number for each item.
You can use the same Account Number for multiple Items, Parts or Sales Taxes. For example, let’s say you want an Account Number to be 40001, which represents Monitoring Revenues. You may have multiple Items setup for the different monitoring services you sell, for example, base monitoring, back-up monitoring, 24 hour tests, and so on. You can assign the same Account Number to each of these Items. It all depends on how you want your financials to be formatted. Please consult with your CPA on this.
Setting Up QuickBooks
This section reviews what you need to do to setup QuickBooks to receive the imported file from AlarmBiller. The assumption of this document is that you have knowledge of QuickBooks already, so we will not review how to use QuickBooks. We will review the setup necessary to use the integrated data.
1 – Account Numbers in QuickBooks
We recommend you use Account Numbers in QuickBooks for your Chart of Accounts. We suggest you consult with your CPA on this if you have any questions. To setup QuickBooks using Account Numbers choose the Preferences option, then select Accounting and Company Preferences. Select the option to Use Account Numbers.
2 – Create an Accounts Receivable Account for AlarmBiller
You will need to create an Account in QuickBooks specifically for the Accounts Receivable from AlarmBiller. Select the Chart of Accounts in QuickBooks, select New, then setup a new account. For the Account Type choose Other Current Asset, select an Account Number to use, and give it an Account Name of Accounts Receivable (AB).
Note: Do not map this account to an Account Type of Accounts Receivable, as this will cause issues with QuickBooks.
3 – Create a Bank Account in QuickBooks
Create another new Account in QuickBooks as the Bank Account for the deposits and payments received in AlarmBiller. This should be your actual Bank Account where you will be depositing the money in. You will be able to reconcile the deposits made from AlarmBiller in this account.
4 – Create Income and Sales Tax Liability Accounts
Create additional accounts in QuickBooks for all the General Ledger codes you have setup in AlarmBiller for Items, Parts and Sales Tax. The Items and Parts should be setup as Income account types, and the Sales Tax should be setup as an Other Current Liability.
Here’s an example of an Income account in QuickBooks.
Exporting Data from AlarmBiller to QuickBooks
Follow these steps to export your data from AlarmBiller and import them into QuickBooks.
1 – Export your data
From the Setup menu, choose the QuickBooks option under Exports.
2 – Choose the date for the export
Select a Date for the QuickBooks data export. All data through this date that has not been reviously exported will be included in this export.
3 – Download the QuickBooks IIF File
After the data has been collected, press the Download QuickBooks IIF File button to download and save the file to your desktop. Pressing the Download button marks the data as being exported. If you do not press the Download button, the data will not be marked as exported and will be available the next time you export your data.
Note: If you Download the file and then determine you will not be importing the data, you can Reverse the Download under the existing Batch Exports.
Importing the Data into QuickBooks
Follow the instructions below to import the data from AlarmBiller into QuickBooks.
Note: It is highly, recommended that you backup your QuickBooks data prior to importing the AlarmBiller data, in the event you need to back out the transactions.
1 – Importing an IIF File
From QuickBooks, choose, File, Utilities, Import, IIF Files.
2 – Select the file to import
Select the fil you exported from AlarmBiller. The file name contains your company name and the date and time the file was exported.
That’s all there is to it. After you select the QuickBooks will immediately import the data. You should see this dialog box from QuickBooks once the importing process has finished.
Additional Tips
Here are a few things to know and consider about the QuickBooks integration.
Backup QuickBooks
We highly recommend before you import data from AlarmBiller you always make a backup of your QuickBooks data first. In the event you need to back out the import file, the only means is to restore from a backed up copy of your QuickBooks company file.
Test before importing live data
We strongly suggest you create a backup copy of your QuickBooks company file and do some testing before importing any data into your live QuickBooks company. There is no simple way to undo an import in QuickBooks, so make sure you have everything mapped and working correctly before doing any live imports.
Initial import if converting open invoices
If you are converting open invoices into AlarmBiller, you may not want to import those into. QuickBooks. If this is the case, be sure to pick a date that all the invoices are dated prior to. For example, if you are going live with AlarmBiller on February 1, 2014, make sure all conversion invoices are data prior to that date. Then you can do an export dated January 31, 2013. You will not import this export file into QuickBooks as this data would already exist.
Have questions – contact us for help
Remember we are here to help you. If you have any questions, please submit a support ticket through the Support Center or email us at AlarmBiller_Support@BoldGroup.com.
