Connect QuickBooks Desktop to Emburse Spend

Review Requirements Before Beginning

Is Your QuickBooks Desktop Hosted on a Remote Server (Right Networks, TeamViewer, etc.)?

If not, skip ahead to Step 1 below.
If so, please note that all of the following steps must be completed from within your remote server. Also, most remote servers require administrator privileges to download apps onto the server. Please make sure to include your remote server admin to help you set up the integration.

You must be logged in as an Admin in "single member mode" when setting up the integration.

Step 1: Navigate to the Accounting Sync Settings Page in Emburse Spend

To connect your QuickBooks Online account to Emburse Spend, the first step is to log in to your Emburse Spend account and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Then, click Accounting Sync in the Company Settings sidebar.

You must be logged in as an Admin in Emburse Spend to access the accounting sync settings and an Admin in QuickBooks to complete the Sync Setup.

Click Connect to QuickBooks and then select the QuickBooks Desktop option in the Connections list.

Step 2: Download Web Connector

We integrate with QuickBooks Desktop via the Intuit Web Connector. You will be prompted to Download the Web Connector application. You can find a link to install that application by clicking here. The download link will also be included onscreen in Emburse Spend.

Step 3: Run Web Connector

When you have QuickBooks Web Connector installed, run the program, it will end up looking something like this:

Step 4: Download the WebConnector File from Emburse Spend

Go back to the Emburse Spend Accounting Sync settings and click Download Web Connector File. Once you download it, double click the file to open and run it.

You may need to grant further access to Emburse Spend. If you see a popup that asks you to "allow this application to read and modify the company file," click Yes, always: allow access even if QuickBooks is not running.

Step 5: Authorize Emburse Spend

Click OK to authorize Emburse Spend.

Step 6: Input Password

Now, go back to the Accounting Sync screen in Emburse Spend and click Show Password. Copy the string of characters, and then paste it into the Password Box in the Web Connector App. When you do so, you will be prompted to Save this Password. Click Yes.

This is not your Emburse Spend login password. It is a separate unique password solely for the Emburse Spend / QuickBooks sync.

Step 7: Run the Initial Sync

In the Web Connector App, click on the left-most checkbox for the Emburse Spend app, and then click Update Selected at the top of the screen. This will run the very first sync between Emburse Spend and your Company file.

By default, the app is set up to sync with Emburse Spend every 60 min. We recommend not changing this setting.

You will need to keep the Web Connector application open and running in order for the sync to happen automatically.

Step 8: Specify Company File

Next, return to the Accounting Sync screen in Emburse Spend.

Here, you will have the option to either use the Company File that is open at the time of syncing or to specify the full path of the company file that Emburse Spend should sync with. We recommend specifying the path in all cases to allow Emburse Spend will continue to sync to this file even if it is not open. This option is required if you have multiple Company Files in your QuickBooks.

To access the path of the company file, press F2 in QuickBooks to get to this screen:

Copy and paste the exact path of the Company File from the Location field in QuickBooks and add it in Emburse Spend. We suggest that this is set up prior to the initial sync.

Step 9: Select Default Category

Choose the default category expenses should be posted to if left uncategorized in Emburse Spend. Typically this is something like "Uncategorized Expense." The category you choose should be an Expense-type account.

Step 10: Map to Your Bank Account

Select the bank account from which Emburse Spend will withdraw.

Step 11: Set Up your Accounting Sync for Corporate Card

If you also want to sync approved corporate card expenses into your QuickBooks, pick your card program under Corporate Card Account.

If a corporate card expense is dated in a month where the books are closed in QuickBooks, we will update the date of the card transaction to the first day of the earliest open month.

In QuickBooks desktop, you can check to see your Closing Date preferences by clicking Edit > Preferences. Once this window appears, click the 'Accounting' tab on the left, and within the Accounting Tab, click 'Company preferences' to view Closing Date settings.

Step 12: Map Your Categories

To complete the integration, click the gear icon in the top right corner. Then, click Categories in the Company Settings sidebar.

Map each category in Emburse Spend to the corresponding expense account in QuickBooks Desktop.

Sync Custom Fields to QuickBooks Desktop

You can create custom Team or Expense Fields in Emburse Spend and sync them to custom fields in QuickBooks Desktop. Click the links below to learn how to create each field type.

Team Fields are customizable fields that you can add to a member's profile, like Department or Team. This data will be attached to employees' expenses automatically.
Expense Fields are customizable fields that you can add to the expense submission form. You can create a custom drop-down menu on the expense form for your employees to fill out while submitting their expenses.

FAQ

Can I set up a QuickBooks Webconnector File with QuickBooks on more than one computer?

Webconnector is designed to run on one system at a time. If the Webconnector file is open and runs elsewhere with the same IDs, it is likely to disrupt both running instances. This is particularly true when remaining connected with auto-updates enabled. There shouldn't be an issue running the file from multiple computers when another instance of Webconnector isn't creating a conflict.

Does QuickBooks Desktop sync with Emburse Spend automatically?

No. To sync new data into Emburse Spend, an admin will need to run WebConnector.