The QuickBooks integration sends your KennelBooker bookings and payments to QuickBooks Online, so you don't type them in twice. Each booking goes across as a QuickBooks invoice for the customer (pet parent), and the payments recorded against it go across as QuickBooks payments linked to that invoice. You switch it on in Settings > QuickBooks, connect your QuickBooks company from the QuickBooks page in the main menu, map a few codes, and then send bookings by hand or automatically.
Where to find the QuickBooks integration
Settings > QuickBooks: the switch that turns the integration on, the invoice options, and the item codes and tax codes KennelBooker uses.
QuickBooks in the main menu: connect to QuickBooks, look up your QuickBooks IDs, and send bookings. This menu item only appears once Send invoices to QuickBooks is switched on.
Staff need the Settings permission to change Settings > QuickBooks, and the Accounting integrations permission to open the QuickBooks page. You give these in Settings > Staff Accounts, under What they can access.
The integration works with QuickBooks Online. You need your own QuickBooks Online company to connect to.
Step 1: switch on the QuickBooks integration
Go to Settings > QuickBooks.
In the Connection section, switch on Send invoices to QuickBooks. This switch controls whether anything is sent at all.
Optionally switch on Skip zero-value bookings, so no invoice is raised for a booking that costs nothing (for example a booking paid with credits, or discounted 100%).
Click Save under the Connection section. The page shows Saved.
The QuickBooks item now appears in the main menu. If you don't see it, refresh the page.
Step 2: connect KennelBooker to your QuickBooks company
Click QuickBooks in the main menu. Until you connect, the page says Connect KennelBooker to your QuickBooks account!
Click the Connect to QuickBooks button. You're taken to the QuickBooks (Intuit) sign-in page in the same browser tab.
Sign in to QuickBooks, choose the company you want to use and click Connect.
QuickBooks sends you back to KennelBooker. The QuickBooks page now says Your application is connected to QuickBooks and lists your bookings.
Step 3: find your QuickBooks IDs
KennelBooker links to QuickBooks with QuickBooks' own numeric IDs, not the names you see in QuickBooks, and you won't find these IDs on QuickBooks' own screens. KennelBooker looks them up for you. At the bottom of the QuickBooks page, in QuickBooks Settings, there's a button for each kind of ID:
Get Account Codes: your QuickBooks products and services (item codes).
Get Tax Codes: your QuickBooks tax codes.
Get Chart of Account: your QuickBooks accounts, for example the bank account payments are deposited to.
Get Departments: your QuickBooks locations, if you track income by location.
Get Payment Methods: the payment methods set up in your QuickBooks company.
Each list shows lines like (12) - Boarding. The number in brackets is the ID you'll need. Copy the IDs you need into a note so you have them for the next steps.
If you want different QuickBooks products or services for different kinds of income (boarding, daycare, grooming, products and so on), create them in QuickBooks first (in QuickBooks, Products and Services), then click Get Account Codes again to see their IDs.
Step 4: set your QuickBooks item codes
Item codes decide which QuickBooks product or service each line of the invoice is posted against. Go to Settings > QuickBooks, section Item codes, and enter the numeric IDs from step 3:
Default code: used for anything that doesn't have a code of its own. If you enter any other item code on this section, the Default code is required. If it's empty, the box turns red and nothing is saved.
One box per service you offer (for example Boarding, Daycare, Grooming, Training). The boxes use your own service names if you've renamed them, and only the services you have switched on are shown.
Other bookings: for Other (generic) bookings.
Discounts: the item used for discount lines. Tick Apply Tax/VAT/GST to Discounts if tax should be applied to the discount line.
Tips: the item used for tip lines.
Click Save under the Item codes section. Anything you leave blank uses the Default code.
Additional services, products and packages each have their own code:
Settings > Additional Services: open each service and enter the ID in Accounting code.
Settings > Products / POS: open each product and enter the ID in Accounting code.
Settings > Packages & Credits: open each package and enter the ID in Accounting code.
The Accounting code box only appears on these screens while QuickBooks (or Xero) is switched on.
Step 5: set your QuickBooks tax codes
If you charge Tax, VAT or GST, link your QuickBooks tax codes on Settings > QuickBooks, section Tax codes. Use the IDs from Get Tax Codes:
Tax ID for Bookings/Services: the tax code for bookings and additional services.
Tax ID for Products: the tax code for product sales.
No TAX/VAT/GST Account Code: the tax code for anything that's exempt. Set this if any of your additional services or products are Tax/VAT/GST exempt.
Stripe Account Code: the QuickBooks account (from Get Chart of Account) that online card payments taken through KennelBooker are deposited to.
Click Save under the Tax codes section. Wrong tax codes are the usual reason a synced invoice shows the wrong total in QuickBooks, so it's worth checking them against QuickBooks itself.
Step 6: map your payment types to QuickBooks
Each way customers pay you (cash, card, bank transfer and so on) is a payment type in KennelBooker. Map each one so payments land in the right place in QuickBooks:
Go to Settings > Customize Text (the page is headed Wording) and scroll to Payment types.
Click a payment type to open Payment Type Details.
Choose the QuickBooks Payment Type (AmEx, Cash, Check, DebitCard, Discover, ECheck, GiftCard, MasterCard, Other, OtherCreditCard or Visa). KennelBooker uses the QuickBooks payment method with that name, and adds it to QuickBooks if it isn't there.
Optionally enter QuickBooks - CoA Code (Numeric Code): the ID of the account the payment is deposited to, from Get Chart of Account. If you leave it empty, QuickBooks decides where the payment goes.
Click Save, then repeat for each payment type.
The QuickBooks fields only appear in the payment type popup while QuickBooks is switched on. The Payment types list shows each type's QuickBooks Mapping and QuickBooks COA Code so you can check them at a glance.
Optional QuickBooks settings
Date to use on the invoice (Settings > QuickBooks > Connection): Checkin or Checkout. It decides which accounting period the income lands in. The same date is used as the invoice due date.
Location Name and Location ID (Settings > QuickBooks > Connection): for QuickBooks companies that track income by location. Use the ID from Get Departments. Leave both blank if you don't use locations.
The Date and Location fields sit in the Connection section, but they're saved by the Save button under Item codes or Tax codes. The Save under Connection only saves the two switches.
How to send bookings to QuickBooks
The QuickBooks page in the main menu lists the bookings that haven't been sent yet.
View filters the list: New, Checked In, Checked Out (the default), Cancelled (Fee Adjusted), All and Cancelled Bookings. You can also search by name or booking reference, and change the Sort By order.
To send one booking, click Send on its row. The customer and the booking go to QuickBooks as an invoice, and its payments go across as payments linked to that invoice.
To send several, tick their boxes in the Batch Send column (or use Select All) and click Batch Send.
Refresh List reloads the list.
The invoice number in QuickBooks is the KennelBooker booking reference. Once a booking has been sent, it drops off the list.
Sending to QuickBooks automatically (Enable Auto-Send)
When you're happy that your bookings and payments are being categorised correctly, switch on Enable Auto-Send on the QuickBooks page. KennelBooker then finds newly checked-out, fully paid bookings and posts them to QuickBooks for you in the background. QuickBooks limits how many bookings can be sent across in a given period, so each run sends as many as QuickBooks allows. If you have a large backlog, it can take more than one run to clear. If a booking can't be sent automatically, it stays on the list and you need to send it by hand.
Bookings you don't want to send to QuickBooks
If you've used KennelBooker for a while before connecting QuickBooks, you may not want your old bookings sent across.
All old bookings at once: on the QuickBooks page click Administration Settings, then Mark all remaining bookings as being already on QuickBooks and confirm. This marks every checked-out booking that hasn't been sent as already on QuickBooks. New, checked-in and cancelled bookings aren't touched.
One booking: open the booking, click Admin in the booking menu and, under QuickBooks, click Mark as Sent. Reset Booking on the same page puts a booking back on the list so you can send it again.
Linking existing QuickBooks customers (Sync Customers)
If your customers are already in QuickBooks, you can link each KennelBooker customer to their existing QuickBooks customer so that invoices go to the right record. On the QuickBooks page click Administration Settings, then Sync Customers with QuickBooks. For each customer, pick the matching QuickBooks customer from the list and click Link.
What the QuickBooks integration doesn't do
It doesn't create sales receipts. Every booking goes across as an invoice, with any payments sent separately and linked to it.
It doesn't bring anything back from QuickBooks into KennelBooker. Changes you make to an invoice in QuickBooks don't change the booking.
It doesn't update an invoice that's already in QuickBooks when you change the booking afterwards. To send a booking again, use Reset Booking on the booking's Admin page. Sending again creates a second invoice, so delete or void the old one in QuickBooks yourself.
It works with QuickBooks Online only.
QuickBooks: frequently asked questions
Where do I turn on QuickBooks in KennelBooker?
The QuickBooks integration is switched on in Settings > QuickBooks, with the Send invoices to QuickBooks switch in the Connection section. It's no longer on the Features & Settings page. Click Save, and the QuickBooks item appears in the main menu.
Does KennelBooker send invoices or sales receipts to QuickBooks?
The QuickBooks integration always sends invoices. Payments recorded in KennelBooker go across as separate QuickBooks payments linked to the invoice, even for bookings that were paid in full.
Which bookings does Enable Auto-Send send to QuickBooks?
With Enable Auto-Send on, the QuickBooks integration posts newly checked-out, fully paid bookings in the background. New, checked-in, unpaid and part-paid bookings are left for you to send by hand from the QuickBooks page.
Why hasn't Auto-Send sent all my bookings to QuickBooks yet?
QuickBooks limits how many bookings KennelBooker can send in a given period. Auto-Send sends as many as QuickBooks allows each time it runs, so a large backlog, for example when you first switch it on, can take more than one run to clear. To send a particular booking straight away, click Send on its row on the QuickBooks page.
Can I send new or checked-in bookings to QuickBooks?
Yes. On the QuickBooks page, change View to New, Checked In or All and click Send on the booking. The list shows Checked Out bookings by default.
What date does the QuickBooks invoice use?
The QuickBooks invoice is dated with the booking's check-in or check-out date, depending on Date to use on the invoice in Settings > QuickBooks. The due date is the same date.
Do I have to set up item codes for QuickBooks?
Item codes are optional, but QuickBooks needs to know which product or service to post each line to. If you set any item code on Settings > QuickBooks, you must also set the Default code, which is used for everything without its own code.
Do bookings that cost nothing go to QuickBooks?
Not if Skip zero-value bookings is on in Settings > QuickBooks. Then no QuickBooks invoice is raised for bookings that cost nothing, such as bookings paid with credits or discounted 100%. This is the same switch as the one on Settings > Xero.
Can I use QuickBooks and Xero at the same time?
KennelBooker has separate switches for QuickBooks (Settings > QuickBooks) and Xero (Settings > Xero). Sending the same bookings to two accounting packages would record the income twice, so use only the one your accountant uses.
Do my customers see anything when I send a booking to QuickBooks?
No. Sending a booking to QuickBooks doesn't email or notify the pet parent from KennelBooker, and nothing changes in their portal. Whether QuickBooks itself emails the invoice depends on your QuickBooks settings.
How do I disconnect QuickBooks?
On the QuickBooks page click Disconnect from QuickBooks. To stop sending without disconnecting, switch off Send invoices to QuickBooks in Settings > QuickBooks. Invoices already in QuickBooks stay there.
QuickBooks: common problems
I can't find the QuickBooks setting on the Features & Settings page
The QuickBooks switch has moved. Go to Settings > QuickBooks and switch on Send invoices to QuickBooks, then click Save.
There's no QuickBooks item in my main menu
The QuickBooks menu item only shows while Send invoices to QuickBooks is on in Settings > QuickBooks. Switch it on, click Save and refresh the page. If the menu item is there but the page won't open for a member of staff, their staff login needs the Accounting integrations permission (Settings > Staff Accounts).
"Nothing was sent to QuickBooks. Fix these payments on the booking and send it again"
Before sending, KennelBooker checks every payment on the booking. If any payment can't be sent (the reason is listed under the message, one line per payment), nothing is sent, so you don't end up with a half-sent booking. Fix the payments listed, often the payment type's QuickBooks mapping in Settings > Customize Text > Payment types, then click Send again.
"Attempting to renew access token with QuickBooks - Please retry sending the booking"
QuickBooks' access token had expired. KennelBooker renews it at that moment and the button changes to Fail - Retry?. Click it to send the booking again. If the same message keeps coming back, click Refresh Access Token on the QuickBooks page, and if that doesn't help, click Disconnect from QuickBooks and connect again. The lookup buttons show "QuickBooks Token Expired - Please refresh access token from main QuickBooks page" for the same reason.
"we could not find the QuickBooks Code associated with Booking Type or one of the Additional Services/Products"
One of the item codes on the booking doesn't exist in QuickBooks, for example because the product or service was deleted or the ID was typed wrongly. Click Get Account Codes on the QuickBooks page and check the codes in Settings > QuickBooks and on the additional services, products and packages on the booking, then send it again.
"The QuickBooks ID associated with this customer cannot be found"
This usually happens when the customer was deleted in QuickBooks. Click Reset Customer ID under the message and send the booking again; KennelBooker then adds the customer to QuickBooks as a new customer. If you'd rather use a customer that's already in QuickBooks, link them with Sync Customers with QuickBooks before you send.
A booking shows "Send missing payments"
The invoice for that booking reached QuickBooks, but one or more of its payments didn't. Fix the cause shown in the error (often a payment type mapping), then click Send missing payments. Only the missing payments are sent, so the invoice isn't duplicated. Auto-Send doesn't retry these for you.
"Booking Sent to QuickBooks, but QuickBooks failed to return the id of the QuickBooks record that was created"
The invoice reached QuickBooks, but QuickBooks didn't send back its ID, so the button shows Sent - Warning. Don't click Send again, or you'll get a second invoice in QuickBooks. Open the booking, click Admin in the booking menu and, under QuickBooks, click Mark as Sent so the booking drops off the list. Then check in QuickBooks that the invoice and its payments are there.
The same error keeps showing on the QuickBooks page after I fixed it
Click Clear Sending Errors on the QuickBooks page to clear the stored errors, then send the booking again. If it fails again, contact support with the booking reference, the customer name and a screenshot of the error.
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