QuickBooks API Integration, QuickBooks Online POS Integration, and QuickBooks Time Clock Integration

QuickBooks is used by 80% of small businesses to manage their accounting needs. Accounts payable, accounts receivable, time tracking, vendor databases, and customer databases all come under this accounting software. Apart from that, QuickBooks is a breakthrough tool with one major advantage i.e.,

QuickBooks integration that offers amazing features to enhance the user experience and improve business productivity. Moreover, you can run your business more efficiently by integrating disparate systems with QuickBooks and eliminating redundant data entry.

In this article, you’ll learn about 3 major integrations: QuickBooks API Integration, QuickBooks Online POS Integration, and QuickBooks Time Clock Integration. Stay tuned till the end of the article!

Advantages of QuickBooks Integration with various other applications

• Data is entered only once: The data just needs to be entered once using QuickBooks integration. There is no need to do anything else with the data once it has been entered into a company's timekeeping or order entry system. Additionally, the data is entered into QuickBooks in real time, saving time and increasing efficiency.
• Enhanced Cash Flow: QuickBooks integration enables for a more efficient process from the point of input to the billing stage, allowing the company to charge more quickly and boost cash flow.
• Fewer Errors: When QuickBooks integration is used, there are fewer data entry errors because less data entering is required by humans. Humans make mistakes, and being able to avoid redundant data entering can help to reduce these errors.
• Mobile accessibility: The QuickBooks mobile app allows you to manage invoices and billings, view account information, and run your business efficiently while on the go.
• Automate spending: Automate your transactions with recurring payments to manage your bills and cheques to vendors and purchasers.
• Seamless integration: Connect your bank accounts and credit cards to keep track of your spending and improve your downloads and categorizations.
• Apps connectivity: With a single click, you can see your company's performance, manage balance sheets, track time, and conduct analyses.
• One-click reporting: Sync and integrate your data with popular apps like TSheets, Shopify, and PayPal. Reduce the amount of data that needs to be manually entered.

Now, let’s check the integration process one by one 

1. Steps for QuickBooks API Integration

This integration takes only 3 steps:

• In the very first step, create an account in the Intuit Developer portal
• Once you create an account, you’ll provided with a Sandbox QuickBooks company on developer.intuit.com that can be used for development and testing 
• Next, go to the developer account and create an app 
• It will get you a set of client id and client secret that will be required to connect your app with QuickBooks company and then retrieve OAuth tokens 
• Now, the client keys are available under the “Keys&OAuth” tab of the application 
• In the next step, you have to use the client keys in order to generate OAuth tokens and it will done using OAuthPlayground or programmatically using one of the SDKs

Once the token has been generated, you can use it to access the API and sync data to and from QuickBooks. Make sure that you always save the tokens (access and refresh token). Since OAuth tokens expire after every 60 minutes and you’ll need the refresh token to retrieve new tokens. 

2. Steps for QuickBooks Online POS Integration

QB POS includes end of day procedures for stores to close out, run reports, count cash drawers, and exchange information. Additionally, QuickBooks Online seamlessly integrates with QuickBooks POS when you get Ability Financial Exchange for QB as an add-on SaaS software application to perform two-directional syncing. AFE connects and maps matching fields to send data in near-real-time from QB Point of Sale to QBO software and vice-versa.

AFE synchronizes item, customer, and vendor record fields across QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Point of Sale with API integration. You may add and receive inventory in QuickBooks Online, make sales in QuickBooks POS, sync inventory, customers, vendors, sales, sales receipts, and bills to QuickBooks Online, and run reports from both QBO and POS using Ability Financial Exchange. The QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Point of Sale login is required to access integrated AFE services.

Benefits of integrating QuickBooks Point of Sale with QuickBooks Online using AFE

The following are some of the advantages of using Ability Financial Exchange with QuickBooks Online:

• Working with the cloud accounting program QuickBooks Online
  • Anytime, anywhere.
  • With the help of a computer or mobile device, you can be more flexible.
  • Using QBO's synced point-of-sale data.
• The automation of real-time data transfer saves a lot of time.
• With AFE on QuickBooks Online, you will have up-to-date financials.
• Examining cash flow statistics in order to create more informed business decisions
• Recognizing what needs to be reordered.
• With AFE, you can have near-real-time two-way sync.
  • Work from QuickBooks Point of Sale or QuickBooks Online, depending on the task or your location.
• Using scalable AFE sync software to manage your company's growth.

What is a POS system?

A Point of Sale (POS) system comprises both hardware and software components designed to facilitate the sale and administration of your products and services. At its simplest level, a POS system serves as the interface utilized by cashiers during checkout to process customer purchases.

Nonetheless, contemporary POS software goes beyond the basics, offering advanced features for tasks such as inventory management, restocking, employee scheduling, permission controls, product bundling, discounts, and customer relationship management.

You have the option to acquire a general-purpose POS system, but you can also configure a customized POS system tailored to your specific industry needs. This customized approach allows you to incorporate unique functionalities that enhance your business operations and overall efficiency.

POS hardware

The following components make up a typical POS hardware setup.

• Touchscreen interface: To operate the software, you'll require a touchscreen interface, which can come in the form of a specialized unit with pre-installed software or a tablet running the POS software.
• Tablet stand: The iPad POS system - or any tablet-based system - needs a tablet stand.
• Credit card reader: If the touchscreen interface doesn't include built-in payment processing capabilities, you will need to attach an external credit card reader.
• Receipt printer: For your retail or restaurant business, you'll need a receipt printer to issue receipts to customers, unless you opt to send them via email.
• Cash drawer: To securely store cash, you must have a cash drawer.  
• Barcode scanner: In order to scan items, you will need a handheld barcode scanner.

POS Software

Retailers and restaurants have distinct requirements for their POS systems, leading to the availability of specialized POS systems tailored to each industry.

The following are the standard features of retail POS systems:

• Shortcut keys: By utilizing shortcut keys for your most frequently purchased items, you can expedite the checkout process.
• Omnichannel integration: With omnichannel integration and management in place, all your sales, whether they occur in-store or online, are comprehensively recorded in your POS sales reports and inventory reports.
• Customer tools: Customer management tools, which include features like access to purchase history, assist in monitoring and analyzing customer behavior.
• Inventory management: Inventory management functionalities, which encompass tasks such as bulk product imports, aid in effectively monitoring your product inventory, ensuring that you remain aware of when it's necessary to reorder items.
• Employee management: Employee management tools, such as time clocks, productivity metrics, and permission controls, play a crucial role in maintaining the efficient operation of your organization. 
• Special features: A retail POS system should have the capability to manage promotions, customer loyalty programs, and discounts.

3. Steps to QuickBooks Time Clock Integration

A Time Clock that works well with QuickBooks and the Clock's time tracking integration provides an accurate payroll date. Employee time cards can be quickly exported into QuickBooks Payroll, allowing you to log time and access payroll with just a few clicks.

How does it work with QuickBooks?

You may quickly and easily upload employee time cards to QuickBooks Online for payroll and billing using the OnTheClock time clock. There will no longer be any manual time card calculators!

Key Benefits of QuickBooks Time Clock Integration

This seamless integration means:

• Employees have a variety of options for punching in and out, as well as the ability to set restrictions. Punches are tracked in real time via the cloud and reflected on time cards. Employers can see who has punched in and out from anywhere in the world.
• PayClock Online immediately updates any new or changed employee information in QuickBooks.
• PayClock Online pay codes are automatically synchronized with QuickBooks payroll items.
• For payroll processing, employee payable hours are instantly transferred to QuickBooks time clocks and employee timesheets.
• For further convenience, seamless timecard integration with QuickBooks is available. Holiday, sick, vacation, and personal days are all tracked for correct time card reporting.
• Reduce payroll costs and avoid paying employees too much or too little. With a single press of a button, you can save time and speed up the payroll process. Accountants appreciate how simple it is to receive timecards from OnTheClock.

Wrapping Up!

For a high level of functionalities in your accounting software, it is also important to add-on more advantageous features by integrating them into most web applications or desktop applications. This article discussed 3 QuickBooks integrations that enable small and medium sized businesses to grow by reducing man-hours, increasing efficiency, and improving company productivity.

Frequently Asked Questions