Adjusting Settings for QuickBooks Desktop

• Introduction
• Understanding Naming Settings
• Understanding GL Account Settings
• Understanding Categories & Jobs Settings
• Using the Resource Map
• Using the Element Map
• Next Steps

Introduction

This article covers settings that can be adjusted anytime after connecting Flex to QuickBooks Desktop. Settings for Authorizations and Accounting Settings are covered in Configuring the Basics. All other settings are covered here. Be sure to check out the QuickBooks Desktop | Overview and Key Concepts for general information. 

Each setting explored in this article can be found by navigating to the QuickBooks Desktop integration settings:

1. On the Main Menu, click Integrations
2. Click QuickBooks Desktop

The necessary subtab for an individual setting will be stated under each heading below. Click the appropriate subtab as needed.

Understanding Naming Settings

Click the Settings subtab. In the Naming Settings section, preferences can be set for data sent to QuickBooks as Customer Names, Vendor Names, and certain Item Codes. Each setting is detailed below.

• Customer Name Postfix -- The contents of this field are added to the end of each Client name when sending to QuickBooks. Since QuickBooks doesn't allow a Customer and Vendor name to match, this setting can be useful if your company has Contacts that fall into more than one category. 
• Use Vendor Name Postfix -- When “Yes,” this sends the Vendor Name Postfix added to the end of each Vendor name when sending to QuickBooks. Since QuickBooks doesn't allow a Customer and Vendor name to match, this setting can be useful if your company has Contacts that fall into more than one category. 
• Vendor Name Postfix -- If Use Vendor Name Postfix is "Yes", the contents of this field are added to the end of each Vendor name when sending to QuickBooks. 
• Subtotal Discount Item Code -- This is used as the Item Code on QuickBooks Invoices for subtotal discount lines when Element Map > GL Mode is set to “GL Per Item Reference”.
• Miscellaneous Item Code -- This is used as the Item Code on QuickBooks Invoices for miscellaneous lines when Element Map > GL Mode is set to “GL Per Item Reference”.
• Subtotal Item Code -- This is used as the Item Code on QuickBooks Invoices for the on-invoice subtotal used by QuickBooks.

Understanding GL Account Settings

Click the Settings subtab. In the GL Account Settings section, preferences can be set for which GL Account will be used for designated line items. Each setting is detailed below.

• Default Sales GL Account -- Select the default GL Account for “sales” line items which are not specifically assigned on the Resource Map tab.
• Default Purchase GL Account -- Select the default GL Account for “purchase” line items which are not specifically assigned on the Resource Map tab.
• Default Discount Sales GL Account -- Select the default GL Account for line items categorized as discount sales.
• Default Miscellaneous Sales GL Account -- Select the default GL Account for line items categorized as miscellaneous sales.
• Default Miscellaneous Purchase GL Account -- Select the default GL Account for line items categorized as miscellaneous purchase.

Understanding Categories & Jobs Settings

Click the Settings subtab. In the Categories & Jobs Settings section, preferences can be set for using QuickBooks Class Tracking and Job Costing. Each setting is detailed below.

• Use QuickBooks Class Tracking -- When "Yes", this sends the selected Class Tracking Mode to the QuickBooks Class field (one Class to entire transaction). Settings in QuickBooks must also be set up to use Class Tracking.
• Class Tracking Mode -- When Use QuickBooks Class Tracking is "Yes", the selection sends to the QuickBooks Class field (one Class to entire transaction).
  • • "Location" sends the Business Location associated with the Flex element
    • "Department" sends the the Department field of the Flex element
• Job Costing Enabled -- When "Yes", this sends the selected Job Name Field to the QuickBooks Customer Job Name. Flex sends the client name and job name/number in the format [customer name]:[job name/number]. 
• Job Name Field -- When Job Costing Enabled is "Yes", the selection sends to the QuickBooks Customer Job Name.
  • • "Name" sends the name of the element
    • "Number" sends the number of the element
    • "Parent Name" sends the name of the immediate parent element of the element being exported
    • "Parent Number" sends the number of the immediate parent element of the element being exported
    • "Root Name" sends the name of the top-level element of the element being exported
    • "Root Number" sends the number of the top-level element of the element being exported

Using the Resource Map

Click the Resource Map subtab. This grid lists all the resource types being used in Flex. Each resource type can be associated with specific GL Accounts to ensure they're tracked properly in QuickBooks. Items with no selection made here (for Sales Account, Purchase Account, or both) will use the default accounts chosen in Understanding GL Account Settings. 

Using the Element Map

Click the Element Map subtab. This grid lists all the financial elements being used in Flex. Each element can be customized to specify how it will be exported to QuickBooks. Individual settings are detailed below.

• QuickBooks Form -- Determines the QuickBooks form to use when the listed element type is sent to QuickBooks. Available QuickBooks forms are Credit Memo, Invoice, Purchase Order, and Received Payment.
• Transaction Date -- Determines which date field to send to QuickBooks as the Transaction Date.
• Customer Field -- Determines which contact field to send to QuickBooks as the Customer.
• Vendor Field -- Determines which contact field to send to QuickBooks as the Vendor.
• GL Mode
  • • “GL Per Line Item” sends QuickBooks the GL Account according to Flex settings.
    • “GL By Item Reference” sends the Flex Resource Type as the QuickBooks Item Code and allows QuickBooks settings to assign the GL Account according to QuickBooks settings.
• A/R GL Account -- (For elements that are tracked as accounts receivable in QuickBooks.) Select the GL Account to send to QuickBooks as the Accounts Receivable account for the listed element type.

Next Steps

Once any desired adjustments have been made, QuickBooks Desktop is ready to use!

Check out Intuit's QuickBooks Desktop Support for anything you need inside QuickBooks.