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QuickBooks Link - IIF Version:
  The original QuoteWerks to QuickBooks link was based on the QuickBooks IIF file import method.  When Intuit Inc ® released its 2002/2003 version of QuickBooks® Pro/Premier/Enterprise, they included new features that enabled applications like QuoteWerks to integrate much more closely with QuickBooks. We took advantage of this opportunity and created a new QuickBooks integration called the interactive method. This new interactive method now replaces the older outdated IIF import method.  Effective with the release of the new link (November 19th, 2002), we are discontinuing technical support for the old IIF based link.

There may be certain cases where you may still need to use the older IIF link such as if you have a version of QuickBooks earlier than 2002. In this case, the IIF link is still accessible in QuoteWerks although there will be no technical support for it.



Q: What does the QuickBooks link cost?

A: Free with the Professional and Corporate Editions of QuoteWerks.
The Standard Edition does not include the QuickBooks link.



Q: Can I get a demo copy of the IIF link to QuickBooks?

A: Sorry, No.
There is no trial version available for the QuickBooks IIF link (there is however a demo version for the Interactive link). Any link to an accounting system does require an initial time investment to configure it to your specific environment. With the QuickBooks IIF link, there are many QuickBooks related parameters that we have no control over, and as such we cannot provide technical assistance for a demo of the link. We do however provide technical assistance for the demo of QuoteWerks itself.

We recommend that you thoroughly read through this FAQ as it contains much information about the link.  Additionally, the QuoteWerks user manual contains a QuickBooks link chapter which describes how to setup and use the link in great detail.  After installing the demo of QuoteWerks, the complete user manual can be accessed by selecting the QuoteWerks Help|View Manual menu.



Q: If I purchase a multiple-user license of QuoteWerks, do I need to buy multiple copies of the QuickBooks link?

A: No.
The QuickBooks link is available for use in the Professional and Corporate Editions no matter how many users you have at that site.



Q: How does the link basically work?

A: An Overview
QuoteWerks has an optional add-on product that allows you to convert your QuoteWerks quotes and invoices to QuickBooks invoices. When the invoice is exported to QuickBooks, a Quickbooks customer record, and inventory item records can be created for you in QuickBooks in addition to the invoice. This add-on is purchased separately from the main QuoteWerks product, and is only enabled if you have purchased this add-on.

To use QuickBooks with QuoteWerks, you need to configure QuoteWerks to work with your particular QuickBooks setup. These setup instructions assume that you are already using QuickBooks and have it already configured to the way you do business. If you do not, please consult your accountant to get QuickBooks setup to that point. Aspire Technologies, Inc. does not provide any technical support for QuickBooks setup.

QuickBooks supports the importing of transactions and lists through it’s File | Utilities| Import menu. The import files that it can import are formatted in a specific way so that QuickBooks knows what type of information it is importing and how it should import it. QuickBooks has called this specific format an Information Interchange File, IIF for short. A single IIF file can contain information about an invoices, customers, inventory items etc. It can also contain multiple entries of all types, so a single file could have hundreds of customers, invoices etc. contained inside it. Since this is the method that QuickBooks uses to import transactions like invoices, QuoteWerks must also use this format. As such, the accounting link that QuoteWerks provides is accomplished in 2 steps.
Step 1: Create the IIF file from within QuoteWerks

Select the Tools | Export to QuickBooks menu to display a dialog used to export the invoice to an .IIF file.

Step 2: Import the IIF file from within QuickBooks
Once the IIF file is exported, you need to start QuickBooks, select the File | Utilities| Import menu and select IIF file that you just exported from QuoteWerks. QuickBooks will then import your invoice.



Q: What should I know about the link?

A: QuoteWerks can create invoices and purchase orders without QuickBooks. The QuickBooks link was designed for companies that would like to quote in QuoteWerks, but still create their invoices in QuickBooks. Using the QuickBooks link you will save a great deal of time because you will not have to manually enter new customer records, new items records, or invoices in QuickBooks. It is important to note however that you will need to spend some time reading the manual, and setting up the link properly. On average, it will take you around 30 minutes to setup the link.

Limitations of the QuickBooks link.

• When importing the IIF file into QuickBooks 2000 or later, you must be logged into QuickBooks exclusively so no other others can be logged into QuickBooks while you are importing.
• The link exports orders to QuickBooks as invoices. It cannot export orders to QuickBooks as estimates or pending invoices.
• When importing invoices, QuickBooks does NOT automatically number the invoice, however a workaround exists by selecting the Activities|Create Invoices (Customers|Create Invoices in QuickBooks 2000) menu after you import the invoice into QuickBooks, then click on the next number, and enter the appropriate invoice number.
• QuoteWerks cannot export items to QuickBooks that are setup in QuickBooks to have subitems.
• You can export your QuickBooks items to a file, and then import them into QuoteWerks. QuoteWerks does not directly read the QuickBooks product list.
• You can choose to have QuoteWerks create the items in QuickBooks Lists|Items list when the invoice is exported. If that item already exists in QuickBooks, it will be replaced with the new information that you are exporting.
• You can specify a default item type (Service, Inventory Part, Non-Inventory Part) for the items that you export to Quickbooks. If you do not use the default, you can select the item type to use for each item that is exported.
• In QuickBooks Pro 2000, if an estimate number already exists in QuickBooks, and you try to import an estimate with the same estimate number an "Invalid Transaction" error will occur.
• When QuickBooks imports the invoice from QuoteWerks it uses the cost associated with the part # in QuickBooks. If you chose to export the item definitions with the invoice, the cost in QuoteWerks and the cost in QuickBooks will be the same. If you did not export the item definitions, the cost of the item in QuoteWerks could be different than the cost of the item in the item definition in QuickBooks. This is important to know because it could affect your Cost of Goods Sold reports. QuickBooks does use the price of the part # that was specified in QuoteWerks whether you export the item definitions or not. You can setup the cost for the part in QuickBooks by selecting the Lists|Items menu.
• The sales tax line displayed on the invoice will always have the generic description of "Sales Tax", rather than the description related to the particular sales tax item used.
• A sales tax line will appear with a zero amount if the items on your invoice are not taxable. To prevent the appearance of the zero amount on the printout go to the invoice in QuickBooks after you import it, and select a different tax rate, then reselect the tax rate.
• If you export an estimate to QuickBooks 99 or earlier, and that estimate already exists for the customer, the existing estimate will be replaced with the new estimate you are importing into QuickBooks. If you are using QuickBooks 2000, an error will occur because QuickBooks 2000 does not allow you to import an estimate if an estimate of the same name already exists.
• The Customer Name and Job Name can each be a maximum of 41 characters in length. If you export an invoice/estimate to QuickBooks with a company name of greater than 41 characters, the company name will truncate at 41 characters.
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