How to integrate QuickBooks Time with QuickBooks Desktop

In QuickBooks, make sure:

“Use time data to create paychecks” is checked in both the Company-wide preferences and for each active employee.
Ensure “Do you track time?” is marked as “Yes” in Company-wide preferences.
All employees are set up with at least one payroll item (time is unable to transfer without at least one payroll item mapped).
You are on the computer you will be using to sync QuickBooks Time and QuickBooks Desktop because the sync can only be performed in one location.
All users who need to have time exported to QuickBooks are added in QuickBooks as either an Employee or Vendor (including admins, if necessary).

Connect to your existing QuickBooks Time account

Note: Note: This option is not available if your QuickBooks Time account is integrated with QuickBooks Desktop + Web Connector.

Launch QuickBooks Desktop.
Open the QuickBooks Desktop company file you want to integrate with QuickBooks Time, and sign in as the main administrator and in single-user mode (File, then select Switch to Single-User mode).
In QuickBooks Desktop, do one of the following:
(From the Home screen) Enter Time, then select Activate QuickBooks Time.
- Go to the Customers menu then select Enter Time, then Activate QuickBooks Time.
- Go to the Employees menu then select Enter Time, then Activate QuickBooks Time.
Select Try QuickBooks Time for Free in the new window.
Sign in with your Intuit Account credentials to begin your QuickBooks Time trial.
Select Try it free now.
Note: It may take several minutes to finish completing this first-time sync between QuickBooks Desktop for Windows and QuickBooks Time.
Once the connection is complete, your new QuickBooks Time account will display in a browser window in QuickBooks Desktop. Set up and use the integration will be displayed, along with a walkthrough of your new QuickBooks Time account. See also: Steps and Settings below.

Steps and Settings

Access your QuickBooks Time account

Launch QuickBooks Desktop then do one of the following:
- (From the Home screen) Enter Time, then select Use QuickBooks Time.
- Go to the Customers menu then select Enter Time and Use QuickBooks Time.
- Go to the Employees menu then select Enter Time and Use QuickBooks Time.
A browser window will open within QuickBooks, displaying your QuickBooks Time account.

Note: After your first sync, a “Congratulations!” window will display in QuickBooks Time, providing your next steps to best use the integration.

Payroll Item Mapping

Each employee must at least have one payroll item mapped before time can be exported to Quickbooks. Use this tool to map their QuickBooks payroll items to the appropriate time types in QuickBooks Time(i.e., Regular, Overtime, time off, etc.).

Integration Preferences

If you missed the instructions upon setup or need to change a setting, you can access the preferences window at any time.

In QuickBooks Time, select the QuickBooks drop-down in the top right.
Select Preferences and make any desired changes. See About QuickBooks Integration Preferences for more detailed information.
- Under Employee Timesheets Should Show, choose what information you’d like your employees to track time against: Customers/Jobs, Service Items, Billable yes/no, or Class.
  Note: Customers & Jobs is pre-clicked, and will have already pre-populated your Customer list in QuickBooks Time. See: How to Create and Manage Jobs or Customers.
- Under Other Options, choose if you’d like to import your Vendors as Employees in QuickBooks Time. Employees from QuickBooks are automatically imported.

Sync between QuickBooks Desktop for Windows and QuickBooks Time

In QuickBooks, do one of the following:
- (From the Home screen) Enter Time, then select Sync QuickBooks Time.
- Go to the Customers menu then select Enter Time and Sync QuickBooks Time.
- Go to the Employees menu then select Enter Time and Sync QuickBooks Time.
A sync is performed and will update or add any new information from QuickBooks into QuickBooks Time, and send Approved timesheets from QuickBooks Time to QuickBooks.

Notes:

QuickBooks for Mac is not compatible with any integration.
This integration method is only available for QuickBooks files that are 2019 and newer. For QuickBooks files created between 2015-2018, see: Integrate QuickBooks Time and QuickBooks Desktop using the Web Connector.
You must approve timesheets first before they can be exported to QBD.
Once time has been exported, it is locked down so it will not export again.