QuickBooks Time Tracking Integration Guide

1. Why Integrate Time Tracking with QuickBooks?
2. Pre-Integration Checklist
3. Integration Setup for QuickBooks Online
4. Integration Setup for QuickBooks Desktop
5. Common Integration Issues
6. Best Practices
7. ROI of QuickBooks Integration

Transform Your Time Tracking with QuickBooks Integration

This guide walks you through setting up seamless integration between your time tracking system and QuickBooks. Eliminate double data entry, reduce errors by 95%, and save hours of administrative work each week.

Time to complete: 15-30 minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Requirements: QuickBooks Online or Desktop

Why Integrate Time Tracking with QuickBooks?

Manual data entry between time tracking and QuickBooks leads to:

❌ 2-4 hours wasted weekly on duplicate entry
❌ 15-20% error rate in manual transfers
❌ Delayed invoicing and cash flow issues
❌ Frustrated employees and accountants
❌ Inaccurate job costing and profitability analysis

With proper integration, you get:

✅ 1-click sync of all time and expense data
✅ Real-time visibility into project costs
✅ Faster invoicing and improved cash flow
✅ Accurate payroll processing
✅ Happy employees and accountants

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Pre-Integration Checklist

Before starting integration, ensure you have:

☐ QuickBooks admin access (Company File access for Desktop)
☐ List of active employees to sync
☐ Customer and job list updated in QuickBooks
☐ Service items configured in QuickBooks
☐ Classes set up (if using class tracking)
☐ Backup of QuickBooks data

💡 Need Help? Our QuickBooks integration experts can walk you through setup in 15 minutes. Schedule a setup call →

Step-by-Step Integration Setup

1Connect to QuickBooks

For QuickBooks Online:

Log into your time tracking system (Minute7 or Hour Timesheet)
Navigate to Settings → Integrations → QuickBooks
Click "Connect to QuickBooks Online"
Sign in with your QuickBooks credentials
Authorize the connection when prompted
Select your company file

For QuickBooks Desktop:

Ensure QuickBooks is open and logged in as Admin
In time tracking system, go to Settings → QuickBooks Desktop
Download and install the sync connector
Run the connector while QuickBooks is open
When prompted in QuickBooks, select "Yes, Always" for access
Complete the authorization certificate

💡 Pro Tip: For QuickBooks Desktop, keep the Web Connector running in your system tray for automatic syncing.

2Initial Data Sync

Once connected, the system will automatically sync:

Employees: All active employees from QuickBooks
Customers: Customer list with sub-customers
Jobs/Projects: All jobs associated with customers
Service Items: Items used for time billing
Classes: If class tracking is enabled
Payroll Items: For wage calculations

Sync Status Indicators:

✓ Synced - Data successfully synchronized

⚠ Pending - Waiting for next sync cycle

✗ Error - Action required (see troubleshooting)

3Configure Sync Settings

Essential Settings to Configure:

Setting	Recommended	Purpose
Sync Frequency	Real-time or Daily	How often data syncs to QuickBooks
Time Entry Format	By Service Item	Groups time by service type for invoicing
Billable Default	On	Mark customer time as billable by default
Expense Sync	Enabled	Sync expense entries with receipts
Mileage Rate	IRS Standard	Auto-calculate mileage reimbursement
Approval Required	Yes	Only sync approved timesheets

4Map Employees and Permissions

After initial sync, map your team members:

Review Employee List: Verify all employees appear
Set Permissions:
- Regular Employee: Enter own time only
- Supervisor: Approve team timesheets
- Administrator: Full system access
Configure Rates: Set default bill/pay rates if needed
Assign to Classes: Link employees to QuickBooks classes

Daily Workflow After Integration

For Employees:

Enter time daily against synced customers/jobs
Submit timesheet for approval
Time automatically flows to QuickBooks

For Managers:

Review and approve timesheets
Approved time syncs to QuickBooks
Generate reports for project tracking

For Accounting:

Time appears in QuickBooks automatically
Process payroll with synced hours
Create invoices from billable time

Creating Invoices from Synced Time

Once time is synced to QuickBooks:

In QuickBooks, create new invoice
Select customer
Click "Add Time/Costs"
Select billable time entries
Review and adjust as needed
Send invoice to client

💡 Time-Saving Tip: Set up invoice templates in QuickBooks with your standard terms and branding for consistent, professional invoices.

Payroll Processing with Synced Hours

For QuickBooks Payroll Users:

Synced hours appear in Payroll Center
Review hours by employee
Apply any adjustments (overtime, holiday pay)
Process payroll as normal

For Third-Party Payroll:

Export time summary report
Import to ADP, Paychex, or Gusto
Hours match exactly - no manual entry

Common Integration Scenarios

Scenario 1: Law Firm Billing

Attorneys track time by client matter
Time syncs with matter codes in QuickBooks
Generate detailed billing statements
Track realization rates automatically

Scenario 2: Construction Job Costing

Field workers track time by job site
Sync to QuickBooks jobs for costing
Compare actual vs. estimated hours
Certified payroll reports for prevailing wage

Scenario 3: IT Consulting

Track time by project and task
Sync for project profitability analysis
Bill different rates by service type
Generate client activity reports

Troubleshooting Common Issues

⚠️ Connection Lost

Solution: Re-authorize connection in Settings. For Desktop, ensure Web Connector is running and QuickBooks is open.

⚠️ Employees Not Syncing

Solution: Check that employees are Active in QuickBooks and have "Use time data to create paychecks" enabled.

⚠️ Duplicate Entries

Solution: Check sync date range settings. Ensure employees aren't entering time in both systems.

⚠️ Wrong Rates Syncing

Solution: Verify Service Item rates in QuickBooks match time tracking system. Check for customer-specific rates.

Best Practices for Ongoing Success

Daily Sync: Run sync daily to catch issues early
Monthly Reconciliation: Compare totals between systems monthly
Regular Backups: Back up both systems before major changes
Training: Ensure team knows which system to use for data entry
Single Source: Enter data once, let sync handle the rest
Audit Trail: Maintain logs of all synced transactions

ROI of QuickBooks Integration

Metric	Before Integration	After Integration	Improvement
Weekly Admin Time	4-6 hours	30 minutes	90% reduction
Data Entry Errors	15-20%	<1%	95% reduction
Invoice Turnaround	5-7 days	Same day	85% faster
Payroll Processing	3 hours	30 minutes	83% faster
Month-End Close	3 days	1 day	66% faster

Security and Compliance

Data Security Measures:

✅ 256-bit SSL encryption for all data transfers
✅ OAuth 2.0 authentication with QuickBooks
✅ No storage of QuickBooks passwords
✅ Read/write permissions only as needed
✅ Audit trail of all sync activities
✅ SOC 2 Type II compliance

Advanced Integration Features

Custom Field Mapping

Map custom fields between systems for industry-specific needs:

Grant/contract numbers for non-profits
Matter codes for legal firms
WBS codes for construction
Department codes for enterprises

Multi-Company Support

Manage multiple QuickBooks companies:

Switch between companies easily
Separate sync settings per company
Consolidated reporting across entities

API Integration

For advanced users, API access enables:

Custom sync schedules
Webhook notifications
Third-party integrations
Automated workflows

Need Help?

Minute7 Support: +1 (877) 917-4177 | support@minute7.com

Hour Timesheet Support: 1-888-780-9961 | support@hourtimesheet.com

Pricing and contact information subject to change. Please verify current details on vendor websites.

This guide covers general integration steps. Specific features may vary by platform and QuickBooks version.