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Common questions about importing data to QuickBooks Online

SOLVED•by QuickBooks•726•Updated February 27, 2024

We've assembled some frequently asked questions about importing data to QuickBooks Online.

Here’s a walkthrough of how to import your data from Excel to QuickBooks.

What information can I import to QuickBooks Online?

You can import the following information to QuickBooks Online:

  • Bank Data
  • Customers
  • Vendors
  • Chart of Accounts
  • Products and Services
  • Invoices

Note: Invoices, sales receipts, bills, and product and service items can import from QuickBooks Desktop but cannot be edited in QuickBooks Ledger.

Do I need to import my data in a specific order?

Yes. To make sure your data imports correctly, import each spreadsheet in this order:

  1. Customers
  2. Vendors
  3. Products and services
  4. Invoices

If you need complete steps, click on the links to learn how to import your customers, vendors, products and services, invoices, and bills.

You can use a CSV (Comma Separated Values) file, Google Sheets, or an XLS/XLSX file to import information to QuickBooks Online. Here's some info about the different formats:

  • CSV file: A common file format used for text files that contain tabular data. In CSV files, each field of text is separated by a comma, semicolon, or other special character.
  • XLS/XLSX file: XLS is the file format of Microsoft Excel 1997-2003. Microsoft Excel 2007 and newer use the XLSX file format.
  • Google Sheets: A cloud-based spreadsheet created in Google Drive.

You can import content from multiple sources. For example, if you have a list of contacts in Excel (XLS/XLSX), some in Google Sheets, and some in Outlook (CSV), you can just follow the import process for each source.

QuickBooks Online uses the first row of your spreadsheet for mapping and doesn't import its content. If you need the information from the first row of your file, add a header row to your spreadsheet, or duplicate the first line before importing the file.

You can't import a contact that already exists in QuickBooks Online. Check your current contact list and rename the duplicate name(s) before importing your file.

You can only import spreadsheets with less than 1,000 rows. We suggest splitting your spreadsheet into smaller files and importing them separately.

QuickBooks Online can only import specific fields for each type of data.

No, QuickBooks Online doesn't make any changes to your spreadsheet.

No, currently there's no option to undo or delete the imported contacts by batch.

  • QuickBooks Online can't import currency details from a contact list.
  • If your version of QuickBooks Online supports multicurrency, your home currency is assigned to all customers and vendors by default. If a change in customer or vendor currency is necessary, select the Currency column and choose the currency you want to associate with the contact on the Review screen while importing your list.

    Note: To do this, you must turn on multicurrency before starting the import process.

If you have imported your products and services incorrectly, don’t worry — you can overwrite all values for each product or service that you import with the identical name. Just import the same file again and select Overwrite all values at the bottom of the page.

Note: Once you select Import, this overwrite cannot be undone.

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