QuickBooks Online Integration Updates – April 2023

Modified on Thu, 06 Apr 2023 at 01:24 PM

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Actionstep has introduced a series of improvements to the QuickBooks Online integration, designed to provide more information to QuickBooks and simplify transaction updating processes. These enhancements are available to QuickBooks Online integration users on Actionstep Practice Pro, Practice Pro + Accounting, and Premiere plans.

Key upgrades
Streamlined invoice payment details editing
Enhanced invoice details editing
Improved mapping to QuickBooks products and services
Enhanced Client and Matter Details in QuickBooks

In this guide, we'll explore these new features and address common questions.

Activating the Enhanced Features

The QBO integration upgrades are under preview. This means Actionstep users can opt in and out of the enhancements until it becomes a standard feature in Actionstep.

To enable the QBO upgrades, an admin in your Actionstep system can navigate to the feature preview section in Admin > General settings and toggle on the QuickBooks Online Integration upgrade in the Feature preview section.

See System Preferences - Feature Preview for instructions on turning on preview features.

Learn more about Preview Features on Actionstep Academy. Not signed up for Actionstep Academy? See the Actionstep Academy guide for more information.

Simplified Invoice Payment Editing

Previously, adjusting invoice payments involved a multi-step process that required unlinking records in both Actionstep and QuickBooks, and updating them independently. This task was only achievable by users with specific access levels to both systems.

With the latest update, users can now modify payment records in Actionstep without the need to unlink them. Any changes made in Actionstep will automatically update the corresponding record in QuickBooks Online, streamlining the payment editing process and enhancing efficiency.

For detailed guidance on editing and deleting payments, refer to our article on Editing and Deleting Payments with the QuickBooks Online Integration.

Enhanced Invoice Editing

With this update, it's now easy to move an invoice from "Approved" status to "Draft" status in Actionstep without having to unlink it in QuickBooks. Simply revert the invoice to draft status, and the corresponding invoice record in QuickBooks will be automatically removed. Once you reapprove the invoice in Actionstep, a new invoice record will be created in QuickBooks to replace the deleted one.

However, please note that if any payments are applied to the invoice, you must remove them before moving the invoice back to draft status. Additionally, when reposting the invoice in Actionstep, you may need to update the invoice reference to ensure it has a unique number, distinct from the previously deleted invoice in QuickBooks Online. This is a standard Actionstep functionality designed to prevent duplicate invoice numbers from being created.

For more information on editing and deleting invoices, consult our guide on Editing and Deleting Invoices with the QuickBooks Online Integration.

Mapping to QuickBooks Products and Services

QuickBooks provides a feature that allows you to assign line items in invoices to specific general ledger accounts based on the product or service associated with the line item. Without the ability to map to these items, you would be unable to effectively utilize QuickBooks Online's products or services in your general ledger reporting, which is essential for understanding your income and expenses.

By enabling users to map to these products and services, you gain greater control over reporting on your firm's profitability.

If you use Actionstep's automatic mapping to QuickBooks (typically available for Practice Pro customers), users can view and select the appropriate product or service as they adjust fee allocations on their invoices and enter expense records.

For those using Actionstep's manual mapping to QuickBooks (typically available for Practice Pro + Accounting customers), admins can determine how income and expense accounts in their Actionstep Accounts list map to each QuickBooks product and service. This added level of customization allows for more accurate and detailed financial reporting.

Enhanced Client and Matter Details in QuickBooks

We have improved the integration of Actionstep records with QuickBooks Online by providing more information on invoices and invoice payment records. The invoice will now display the memo from the Actionstep invoice, as well as the matter number and name associated with it. This additional information helps your staff understand the purpose of each bill more easily.

Invoice payments pushed to QuickBooks will now include the matter name and ID, payment method, and the memo entered in the Actionstep payment record. This enhancement allows for quicker identification of items in your bank feed and provides better clarity regarding the purpose of each payment.

Furthermore, when creating a new contact for your invoices, we will begin incorporating the email address and postal address of your clients. This improvement makes it easier to follow up on overdue bills and manage debtors more effectively within QuickBooks.

Optional Mapping of Trust Transactions

Recognizing that not everyone wants to see trust transactions in their business accounting, we have introduced an option to choose whether trust transactions created in Actionstep will also be recreated in your QuickBooks Online. This change allows for a clean separation between your business and trust accounting, preventing trust transactions from impacting your cash flow reporting.

Get Started

The latest enhancements to the QuickBooks Online integration with Actionstep provide a more streamlined and comprehensive experience for users. These improvements not only simplify the invoice and payment editing processes, but also offer better visibility and control over financial reporting. By incorporating more client and matter details, as well as providing the option for trust transaction mapping, users can effectively manage their business and trust accounting.

To get started, we encourage you to toggle on, explore, and utilize these new features. If you need assistance or have any questions, please consult our guides on the integration or contact our support team for further guidance. By taking advantage of these upgrades, your firm can experience the benefits of a more efficient and insightful financial process with Actionstep and QuickBooks Online.