Unfortunately, Quickbooks doesn't allow one to export transaction data.
However, there is a product at http://www.datablox.com/index.htm which
claims to export all Quickbooks data. I haven't tried it, though.
I believe that starting in Quickbooks, if dealing with detailed
transactions, won't help much in terms of synchronization. The same issues
would remain.
Also, although I haven't built anything to transfer data in one direction
or the other, I think there is more room for customization and automation
in Ebase, making it a better potential starting place. For example, now
that Filemaker supports drop-down lists that are based on other data
(including other drop-down lists), why not improve data quality by
suggesting an appropriate membership dues payment (taking into account
Duration, Individual vs Family, etc). That would not be feasible in Quickbooks.
I, too, was struck by the amount of duplicated effort in data-entry using
Ebase and Quickbooks. It's unfortunate that there isn't a simple solution.
Jonathan
At 08:00 PM 8/30/01, you wrote:
>Just a couple of thoughts from left field-
>1. Is there a chance that you could convince your client not to enter
>identical information in Quickbooks? I strive to insist that a system
>be designed to avoid duplicate entries, including exportable
>duplication. Ebase can summarize all donations for a day, week or month
>to match deposits to the bank that need to be entered in Quickbooks. Is
>there a sound reason for entering the details in Quickbooks?
>2. If details must be entered in Quickbooks, perhaps it would be easier
>to enter first in Quickbooks and export to ebase via an Excel
>spreadsheet.
>
>Gerry A Hodgson
>Richmond BC Canada
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>604-271-9877
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Matthew Scholtz [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
>Sent: August 30, 2001 4:48 PM
>To: TechRocks Support
>Subject: [support] Re: Ebase and QuickBooks
>
>
>Hey Jonathan,
>You make some excellent points. Comments below:
>
> >I should add that you may need to think through some processes, like
> >what
> >happens when a Payment is entered for a new name in the Names database.
>
> >Presumably, a new customer would need to be generated in Quickbooks,
>along
> >with (or prior to) adding the payment information.
>
>Right, and how would you know whether they existed in QBP already or
>not? I'm thinking that after every input into QBP you might want to do
>an export of a customer list. Then in turn, the routine that prepares
>the IIF file could check that list to see if a new customer needs to be
>generated. Does this sound feasible?
>
> >Also, if data has already been put into Quickbooks, can one assume that
>
> >all
> >the information that should match between Ebase and Quickbooks was
>entered
> >without any typos? Of course, this is one reason to automate things,
>but it
> >could take some work to find and correct data that doesn't match.
>
>Absolutely true. And I'm thinking that unless you want to get very
>involved in trying to program in synchonization, you'll have to assume
>that any post-import corrections will have to be made in both programs.
>My current client seems to accept this, and feels that errors are rare
>enough that the time saved on data entry will still be more than worth
>it.
>
> >I suspect that synchronization issues, although not insurmountable, are
> >likely to be a headache, initially.
> >
> >Jonathan Sibley
> >
> >At 01:20 PM 8/30/01, you wrote:
> >>I can confirm this. I opened up a IIF file using a text editor, and it
>
> >>is quite complex. If the tool below works, it would be quite useful.
> >>
> >>Marshall
> >>
> >>On 8/30/01 11:15 AM, "Jonathan Sibley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >>
> >> > I haven't tried it, but there is software from this site:
> >> > http://www.peterssoftware.com/dfm.htm that appears to translate
> >> > date into Quickbooks format. I believe that the IIF format
> >> > generates more than one line of date for every record of a
> >> > database, so creating the format, oneself, isn't trivial.
> >> >
> >> > If you go to that site, there is a trial version that can be
> >> > downloaded. If it works, let us all know.
> >> >
> >> > As Walt pointed out, there may be some manipulations that have to
> >> > occur prior to creating the IIF format. DFM may be able to handle
> >> > that, as well.
> >> >
> >> > Good luck.
> >> >
> >> > Jonathan Sibley
> >> >
> >> > At 11:55 AM 8/30/01, you wrote:
> >> >> I would also be interested in further development of this idea. We
>
> >> >> use QuickBooks in our FrontEnd and manage simlar data in ebse (so
> >> >> like MAtthew, we are entering a lot of data twice). It would
> >> >> obviously save much time! -otis
> >> >>
> >> >> Walt Daniels wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >>> We have looked at the problem but have not actually tackled it
> >> >>> yet.
> >> An IIF
> >> >>> file is just a text file with a particular content so it should
> >> >>> not
> >> be hard
> >> >>> to constuct it line by line and write it to a text file. The hard
>
> >> >>> part is writing a generic one rather than one tied to your
> >> >>> particular chart of accounts. The problem is roughly: If you
> >> >>> enter a sale in QB by hand it adjusts the approriate accounts and
>
> >> >>> changes the inventory. To do this via IIF you need to create each
>
> >> >>> of the individual pieces adjusting each
> >> account
> >> >>> of what a manual user thinks of as a single transaction. Income
> >> >> accounts are
> >> >>> easier because there is no inventory involved. One of our
> >> >>> volunteers did write a program to generate IIF from the database
> >> >>> of our previous
> >> >> accounting
> >> >>> system so we could import the data.
> >> >>>
> >> >>>> -----Original Message-----
> >> >>>> From: Marshall Mayer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> >> >>>> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2001 10:16 PM
> >> >>>> To: TechRocks Support
> >> >>>> Subject: [support] Re: Ebase and QuickBooks
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> Matthew,
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> Ebase, based on FileMaker Pro, will not export to an .IIF file
> >> >>>> format. Will QuickBooks import a .txt or an .xls file? If so, it
>
> >> >>>> should be easy to match
> >> >>>> fields.
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> Marshall
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> On 8/29/01 8:19 PM, "Matthew Scholtz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >> >>>> wrote:
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>> Hello All,
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>> Has anyone on the list tried to create an interface between
> >> >>>>> Ebase and QuickBooks? Specifically, a client of mine wants to
> >> >>>>> have a way
> >> >>>> to export
> >> >>>>> transactions (i.e. donations) that were entered in Ebase over
> >> >>>> to QuickBooks
> >> >>>>> format (.IIF) so that data entry doesn't need to happen twice.
> >> >>>> Just wondering
> >> >>>>> if any of you have tackled this problem, so that I don't need
> >> >>>> to reinvent the
> >> >>>>> wheel.
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>> TIA,
> >> >>>>> Matt
> >> >>>>> Matthew Scholtz
> >> >>>>> Database and Non-Profit Technology Consultant Bellingham, WA
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>> Also associated with NPower, Seattle
> >> >>>>> www.npower.org
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>> ------------------
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> >> >>>>>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> >> >>>> ------
> >> >>>> ebase - Relationship Management for Nonprofits,
>http://www.ebase.org
> >> >>>>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> >>>> Marshall Mayer
>mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >> >>>> CEO, TechRocks
>http://www.techrocks.org
> >> >>>> 633 Battery Street - Suite 110 phone:
>415.722.7171
> >> >>>> San Francisco, CA 94111-1812 USA eFax:
>208.361.0149
> >> >>>>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
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>office.
> >> >>>>
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> >> >>>
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> >> >> --
> >> >> ________________________
> >> >>
> >> >> Michael "Otis" Lavitschke
> >> >> Member Services Manager
> >> >>
> >> >> River Alliance of Wisconsin
> >> >> 306 E. Wilson St., Suite 2W
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> >>
> >>
> >>----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> ebase - Relationship Management for Nonprofits, http://www.ebase.org
> >>----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> Marshall Mayer mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >> CEO, TechRocks http://www.techrocks.org
> >> 633 Battery Street - Suite 110 phone: 415.722.7171
> >> San Francisco, CA 94111-1812 USA eFax: 208.361.0149
> >>----------------------------------------------------------------------
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