QuickBooks Integration Setup Form

---

To open the QuickBooks Integration Setup form, click on Setup in the shortcut menu, then click Other, then click QuickBooks Integration.

The QuickBooks Integration Setup form allows you to set up Smart Contractor to share data with Quickbooks. If you use QuickBooks, and you would like Smart Contractor to share data with QuickBooks, follow the instructions below to set it up.

Important: Please read Notes On Implementing QuickBooks Integration, How Do I... Use QuickBooks Integration?, and QuickBooks Item Integration before connecting Smart Contractor to QuickBooks!

To Set Up QuickBooks Data Integration

Before Smart Contractor can share data with QuickBooks, you must install QuickBooks on the computer where the QuickBooks company file (that Smart Contractor will connect to) is located. This can be on the same computer as Smart Contractor, or on another computer on your network.

What Do I Need To Do In QuickBooks?

If you already have a company set up in QuickBooks, there is nothing you need to do in QuickBooks before connecting Smart Contractor. Just make note of the name and location of the company file. To find the name and location of the company file, in QuickBooks, click on the "File" dropdown menu, then click on "Back Up...". This will display the data backup form. The name of the company file is displayed in the "Filename:" prompt in the center of the form, and the location of the company file is displayed in the "Location:" prompt below it.

If you have not set up a company in QuickBooks, you must do that now. As far as what data you need to enter in QuickBooks, all you need to do is set up your general ledger chart of accounts. If you want to use a particular item list in QuickBooks, you must also set that up before connecting to QuickBooks. If you do not know what "general ledger", "chart of accounts", or "item list" are, you should consult a QuickBooks accountant before proceeding.

Once you have...

• Installed QuickBooks on the computer where your company file is located, and you have
• Set up a company in QuickBooks with a general ledger chart of accounts (and item list), then...

Follow these steps to set up QuickBooks integration:

1. First: Start QuickBooks on the computer where the QuickBooks company file is located. If the QuickBooks company file is on your computer with Smart Contractor, start QuickBooks on your computer.

   Important: You must log into an administrator account in QuickBooks!

2. In QuickBooks, open the company file that you want Smart Contractor to connect to: Select File > Open Company in the drop down menu at the top of the screen. Then select the company file and click Open.

   Important: You must use the same file path to open your company file in QuickBooks as you do in Smart Contractor. In other words, if you have a drive mapped to a folder on the computer on your network where your QuickBooks company file is located, and you open the company file in QuickBooks using that mapped drive, then you must use that mapped drive to open the QuickBooks company file from Smart Contractor (in step 5 below).

   Important: You cannot integrate a Smart Contractor database with more than one QuickBooks company file! If you connect to a QuickBooks company file, update to it, and then connect to another QuickBooks company file, all connections to data in the first QuickBooks company file will be lost! Make sure that the QuickBooks company file you are connecting to is the correct one! Once you connect to a QuickBooks company file and update data in it, you cannot change to another QuickBooks company file.

   If you need to use multiple QuickBooks company files, then you will need to use multiple Smart Contractor databases, and connect each database to a separate QuickBooks company file. See the New Database topic for information on how to create multiple Smart Contractor databases. See the Open Database topic for information on how to open different Smart Contractor databases.
   

3. With QuickBooks and Smart Contractor running at the same time, go to Smart Contractor (maximize the Smart Contractor window). In the main window, click Setup > Other > QuickBooks Integration. This will open the QuickBooks Integration setup form.
   
4. Check the Integrate With QuickBooks Data: box.
   
5. If You Are Not Running On Windows Vista... Click Browse to browse for and select the QuickBooks company file to use.

   Important: You must use the same file path to open your company file in Smart Contractor as you do QuickBooks. In other words, if you have a drive mapped to a folder on the computer on your network where your QuickBooks company file is located, and you open the company file in QuickBooks using that mapped drive, then you must use that mapped drive to open the QuickBooks company file from Smart Contractor.

   If You Are Running On Windows Vista...

   Vista has a introduced a problem by changing the way the "common dialog box" works. The "common dialog box" is the box that allows you to browse to a folder or file. The common dialog box is provided by Windows - not Smart Contractor. The problem in Vista is that when a file is selected in the common dialog box, Windows attempts to open the file exclusively. If the file is open in another application (for example QuickBooks - it doesn't matter if the QB has it open in multi-user mode or not), Windows displays a "File is in use" error message, and the common dialog box tells the program that called it (SC) that the file selected is not there. This makes it impossible for the Setup QuickBooks Interface form to browse to a company file which is open in QuickBooks. But that creates a catch-22 because the file must be open in QuickBooks the first time you access if from SC.

   To work around this problem, instead of browsing for the QB company file name, you must enter it manually in the prompt for file name. Here's the easiest way to do this:

   1. Use the Windows explorer to browse to the folder that contains the company file.
   2. Click in the address bar to select the folder path.
   3. Press Ctrl-C to copy the folder path string.
   4. In SC, paste the folder path string into the prompt for the QB company file name in the Setup QB Integration form.
   5. Move the cursor to the end of the path string, and type "\" followed by the QB company file name ("Company Name.qbw").

   Important: You must use the same file path to open your company file in Smart Contractor as you do QuickBooks. In other words, if you have a drive mapped to a folder on the computer on your network where your QuickBooks company file is located, and you open the company file in QuickBooks using that mapped drive, then you must use that mapped drive to open the QuickBooks company file from Smart Contractor.

   When you click Next, Smart Contractor will then open the QB company file and proceed as usual.

6. Switch back to the QuickBooks window. QuickBooks should be displaying a form that says: "An application without a certificate is requesting access the following QuickBooks company file:...".
   Below that it prompts: " Do you want to allow this application to read and modify the company file?"

7. Click on the option that says "Yes, always; allow access even when QuickBooks is not running." This will allow Smart Contractor to access QuickBooks data without having to run QuickBooks.

8. Also click on the option that says "Allow this application to access personal data such as Social Security Numbers and customer credit card information". This is necessary in order for Smart Contractor to share your employee data, and update employee time sheets.

9. Click Continue...

10. Another message will appear asking if you are sure you want to allow this access. Click Yes.

11. An "Access Confirmation" message will appear to confirm the access you have just granted. Click Done. This will take you back to the QuickBooks Integration form in Smart Contractor.

Now you are ready to proceed with selecting QuickBooks integration options in the prompts discussed below.

Select your desired options in each frame of the setup wizard, click Next to move to the next frame, then click Save to save your settings.

The QuickBooks Integration Setup wizard form has the following frames and prompts:

First Step

The first step of the setup wizard prompts you for the following:

Integrate With QuickBooks Data:

Check this box. to integrate Smart Contractor with QuickBooks.

QuickBooks Company File Browse:

Click Browse to select the QuickBooks company file to use. When you select a company file, Smart Contractor will open that company file and... Load the list of accounts from QuickBooks into the list box prompts for accounts that follow below. Load the list of QuickBooks Payroll Wage Items in to the list box prompt for "Payroll Timesheet Wage Item" below.

Source Of QuickBooks Item List:

Select an option to specify the item list to use in QuickBooks: Select Use Smart Contractor's Job Phases to use the list of Job Phases in Smart Contractor as your list of Items in QuickBooks. Smart Contractor will automatically create Items in QuickBooks to correspond to Job Phases in Smart Contractor. Select Use QuickBooks Item List to use the list of items already existing in QuickBooks. (Make sure your list of items is set up in QuickBooks the way you want them before proceeding!) The setup wizard will prompt you to map Smart Contractor Job Phases to Items in QuickBooks.

Post Job Item Cost Categories To:

Select an option to specify how job expenses will be posted in QuickBooks: Select Separate GL Accounts to post job expenses to separate GL accounts (one each for Materials, Labor, Equipment, Subcontract, or Other). If you select this option... You will be required to specify a separate GL expense account for each category of expense: Materials, Labor, Equipment, Subcontract, or Other, Smart Contractor will create 5 sub items for each item in QuickBooks - one each for Materials, Labor, Equipment, Subcontract, or Other, and Job expense transactions will be posted to each of these separate GL accounts. Select QuickBooks Classes to post job expenses to Classes in QuickBooks. (Make sure your Classes are set up in QuickBooks before proceeding!) If you select this option... You will be required to specify a separate Class in QuickBooks for each category of expense: Materials, Labor, Equipment, Subcontract, or Other, Smart Contractor will post job expenses to the Classes specified. See Notes About Creating Items In QuickBooks in the QuickBooks Integration topic for more info.

Data Synchronization Mode:

Select the mode in which to update QuickBooks data. Batch Update means data will be updated when the Update QuickBooks Data utility is run from the Utilities menu, or from the exit options. See the QuickBooks Integration topic for more information. Real Time means data will be updated as it is entered (where applicable). If you select the real time data synchronization option in the QuickBooks Integration setup form, a yellow "QB" box will appear in the upper right corner of the Smart Contractor main window when the QuickBooks data connection is active. The "QB" box will also appear when you run the Update QuickBooks Data utility. To terminate the QuickBooks data connection, either exit Smart Contractor, or un-check the Integrate With QuickBooks Data: option in the QuickBooks Integration setup form. For a full discussion about how Smart Contractor works with QuickBooks, see the QuickBooks Integration topic.

Map Smart Contractor Job Phases To QuickBooks Items

If you select the option to Use QuickBooks Items in the first step of the wizard, the next step will be to map Smart Contractor Job Phases to QuickBooks Items. This step of the setup wizard provides a grid with the list of Smart Contractor Job Phases in the left column, and drop down selection boxes containing your QuickBooks item list in the column on the right. For each Job Phase in the left column, click on the box in the right column, click the down arrow, and select a QuickBooks item to be mapped to the Job Phase in Smart Contractor. You must select a QuickBooks item for every Job Phase in Smart Contractor. You will note that there is an Job Phase called Deposit. Even if you don't accept deposits from customers, you still need to connect the Deposit Job Phase to an item in QuickBooks. If you don't have a "Deposit" item in QuickBooks, you will need to create one. When you create a "Deposit" item in QuickBooks, set the "Type" to "Other Charge", and the in the prompt for Account, select an account (named something like "Deposits") that is defined as account type: "Other Current Liability". Click Next when you have finished selecting a QuickBooks item for all Smart Contractor Job Phases.

Select QuickBooks Classes For Job Item Costs

If you select the option to Post Job Item Cost To: QuickBooks Classes in the first step of the wizard, the wizard will take you to this step. For each of the cost categories, Materials, Labor, Equipment, Subcontract and Other Charge, select the QuickBooks Class to post job costs to. Then in the Select Item Cost GL Account: prompt, select the GL account to post item costs to.

Item Material Cost Class:

Select QuickBooks Class to post item Material cost to.

Item Labor Cost Class:

Select QuickBooks Class to post item Labor cost to.

Item Equipment Cost Class:

Select QuickBooks Class to post item Equipment cost to.

Item Subcontract Cost Class:

Select QuickBooks Class to post item Subcontract costs to.

Item Other Charge Cost Class:

Select QuickBooks Class to post item Other costs to.

Job Cost GL Account:

Select the account used to post job costs in QuickBooks.

Job Income GL Account:

Select the account used to post job income in QuickBooks.

Select GL Accounts For Job Item Categories

If you select the option to Post Job Item Cost To: Separate GL Accounts in the first step of the wizard, the wizard will take you to this step. For each cost category, Materials, Labor, Equipment, Subcontract and Other Charge, select the QuickBooks GL accounts to which to post job costs and income. See Notes About Creating Items In QuickBooks in the QuickBooks Integration topic for more info.

Item Material:

Select cost and income accounts to post material costs and income in QuickBooks.

Item Labor:

Select cost and income accounts to post labor costs and income in QuickBooks.

Item Equipment:

Select cost and income accounts to post equipment costs and income in QuickBooks.

Item Subcontract:

Select cost and income accounts to post subcontract costs and income in QuickBooks.

Item Other Charge:

Select cost and income accounts to post other costs and income in QuickBooks.

Select QuickBooks Transactions To Create

The last step of the setup wizard allows you to specify which type of transactions to create in QuickBooks:

Create Estimates In QuickBooks:

Check this box to create estimates in QuickBooks from estimates in Smart Contractor.

Create Deposits In QuickBooks:

Check this box to create customer deposits in QuickBooks from customer deposits entered in the Estimate Setup tab of the Edit Job form in Smart Contractor.

Deposit (Other Current Liability) Account:

Select the QuickBooks "Other Current Liability" type account in which to record job deposit receipts in QuickBooks. This liability account will be used for holding deposits until the completion of work. You can apply part of all of the balance of the job deposit when you create an invoice in Smart Contractor.

Create Invoices In QuickBooks:

Check this box to create invoices in QuickBooks when you create invoices in Smart Contractor.

Class:

Select the QuickBooks Class to post invoices transactions to in QuickBooks.

Accounts Receivable Account:

Select the QuickBooks accounts receivable account in which job related receivables will be recorded in QuickBooks.

Sales Tax Payable Account:

Select the QuickBooks sales tax payable account in which job related sales tax payables will be recorded in QuickBooks.

Create Payment Receipts In QuickBooks:

Check this box to create payment receipt transactions in QuickBooks when you enter payments in Smart Contractor.

Get QB Payments Up To: ___ Days Old:

Enter the age of QuickBooks payment receipt (sales receipt) transactions to retrieve from QuickBooks (in days).

Payment Receipts Account:

Select the QuickBooks account in which payment receipts will be recorded in QuickBooks. Typically, this will be your company bank account, or an "Undeposited Funds" account in which you record receipts before they are deposited in your company bank account.

Create Purchase Transactions In QuickBooks:

Check this box to create purchase transactions in QuickBooks when you enter purchases in Smart Contractor. The type of purchase transaction created in QuickBooks depends on the payment method that you select when you enter a purchase transaction: Purchases "On Account" will create bills in QuickBooks. Purchases by "Check" will create check purchase transactions in QuickBooks. Purchases by "Credit Card" will create credit card purchase transactions in QuickBooks.

Accounts Payable Account:

Select the QuickBooks GL Account to use as the accounts payable account that job related payables (bills) will be posted to in QuickBooks.

Checking Account:

Select the QuickBooks GL Account to use as the checking account account to use as the default for job related purchases by check. You can override the checking account account in the Enter Purchases form.

Credit Card Account:

Select the QuickBooks GL Account to use as the credit card account to use as the default for job related purchases by credit card. You can override the credit card account in the Enter Purchases form.

Create Time Sheets In QuickBooks:

If you use QuickBooks Payroll, check this box. This will allow Smart Contractor to automatically generate time sheets in QuickBooks based on the employee labor hours that you enter in the Labor Hours entry form.

Payroll Item:

Select the QuickBooks Payroll Item to use as the default on the time sheets that you enter in the Labor Hours entry form. This will be called something like "Regular Pay", or "Salary".

Back Button

Click the Back button to go back to the first step of the setup wizard and start over.

Save Button

Click the Save button to save changes.

Cancel/Exit Button

Click the Cancel/Exit button to exit the setup wizard without saving changes.