This article covers some of the most common issues Members face with the QuickBooks Desktop sync.
I Can't Find the Sync Connector
As part of the initial sync process, an application is installed on your computer with an icon on the desktop that you will use to open the application:
The Connector is only installed on one computer. If you don't see this icon on your desktop, make sure you are at the computer where your initial sync was done. This will most likely be the computer where your QuickBooks file lives even if you can access it from other locations.
I Click Force Sync and Nothing Happens
Normally, when you click the Force Sync button, it would then become disabled, the Stop button would illuminate, and the sync would begin. If it doesn’t, check the following:
- Make sure your SA account is not past due. If it is, you will see a banner on the My Day page displaying the date you will be locked out of your account. A past due balance on your account will disable the sync.
- Check the login credentials in the sync connector. An incorrect password will cause the sync not to run. Remember that any full user in SA can log into the sync connector with the same credentials. Try deleting and re-typing the password even if you think it has not changed.
Separating Master and Sub Properties
While you can separate Master and Sub Properties at any time in SA, QB does not allow this action if there is a transaction between the two properties. Always attempt to separate Master/Sub properties in QB. If QB does not allow the separation and displays an error message, separating in SA will cause an error message on the sync connector. One possible action at this point would be to inactivate the current sub property and create new Client Account.
This can be a tricky situation. If you need assistance to determine the best course of action, we recommend speaking with a QuickBooks Sync Support Representative.
Merging Invoices or Clients in SA
The rule here is do not merge items in SA if you sync with QBD. If you absolutely must merge Invoices, please speak with a QuickBooks Sync Support Representative before doing so. Invoices can ONLY be merged in SA if they have never synced with QB. If any of the Invoices being merged have synced with QB then they will create an error message when synced after merging.
Clients can be merged in both systems but this often causes errors when syncing. Best practice is to inactivate the account you do not need and have the Member move transactions in QB if necessary.
Clients or List Elements with the Same Name
QuickBooks does not allow duplicates of names on any items. This includes current and former Clients. All other items – Services, Products, Discounts, Other Charges – go onto a single list in QB. If any of these items have exactly the same name in SA, character for character, this will cause issues on the sync that require the assistance of a QuickBooks Sync Support Representative. Here is a breakdown of what happens:
- When items sync, QB first looks for the List ID. If one does not exist, it looks at the name of the item. For Clients, this is the fourth name field in SA.
- If duplicate names are detected, the same unique identifier will be assigned and no new record will be created in QB. This could potentially cause numerous error messages.
Using Colons (:) in Client or Item Names
QB uses colons to designate Master/Sub relationships so they cannot be used in any other context. Remove or replace the colons in names and run the sync again. This will resolve any related error messages.
Transactions are “Locked” in QB but Changes are Still Occurring in SA
There is no “lock” function in QB. This is caused by a few different scenarios including setting a closing date in QB or having payments on deposit records. These actions prevent transactions from being modified in QB but do not prevent those same transactions from being modified in SA. Any time one such transaction is even saved in SA it will then cause an error message on the sync. These error messages are very tedious to deal with These error messages require the assistance of a QuickBooks Sync Support Representative to resolve. A best practice to avoid these issues is to cancel or close out of transactions in SA if changes are not being made.