> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://learn.withessential.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://learn.withessential.com/administration/settings/connect-quickbooks-to-sync-accounting.md).

# Connect QuickBooks to sync accounting

The Accounting tab on Settings -> Quotes & Invoices -> Invoicing connects QuickBooks so financial data syncs. The tab appears when invoicing is enabled and your role can set up integrations. If the tab is missing but you need to manage accounting setup, contact your business's administrator to review your role.

Both Connect buttons stay disabled until you choose and save an accounting method (cash or accrual) on the tab.

For QuickBooks Online, Connect QuickBooks Online runs an OAuth flow and then shows your connected company.

For QuickBooks Desktop, you download a .qwc file, install it in QuickBooks Web Connector, and paste the one-time password it shows you (it's shown once - regenerate it if lost), after which it polls to sync.

Either way you then map your internal accounts to the right QuickBooks accounts under Chart of Accounts and use Save Account Mappings; every mapping must be set before you can save. You can disconnect, or for Desktop regenerate the password, from the same tab.

## Get notified when an invoice journal entry fails

Turn on **Journal sync failure alerts** in the Accounting tab and add up to 25 recipients. This setting is off by default and requires a business notification email under Settings -> Company -> Business Profile.

* A teammate who can view invoices receives an email and a notification in the Essential notification menu.
* Any other email address receives an email. If that address belongs to an active Essential user for the business who can view invoices, that user also receives the Essential notification.
* Alerts begin when you enable the setting. Essential does not send a backlog of older failures.

For a retryable QuickBooks Online failure, Essential first makes a duplicate-safe retry and sends the alert only if the journal entry is still failed afterward. A missing account mapping or a failure that may already exist in QuickBooks needs human action and alerts without an unsafe retry. QuickBooks Desktop entries alert after a terminal Web Connector failure; Essential does not automatically retry those entries because QuickBooks may already have accepted them. Essential sends one alert for the current failed state rather than another alert on every retry. If the entry is repaired and later enters a new failed state, recipients receive a new alert.

The notification links to the affected invoice and includes the QuickBooks error. Review the error and the Chart of Accounts mappings. If the message says the entry may already exist in QuickBooks, verify your books before asking Essential Support to retry it so a duplicate is not created.

> **Where to find it:** Settings -> Quotes & Invoices -> Invoicing, the Accounting tab

## Related guides

* [Connect Stripe for payments and automatic sales tax](/administration/settings/connect-stripe-for-payments-and-automatic-sales-tax.md)
* [Set processing fees and pass Stripe fees to customers](/administration/settings/set-a-minimum-charge-for-credit-card-fees.md)
* [Add or edit a pricebook item](/administration/settings/add-or-edit-a-pricebook-item.md)
* [Feature availability and setup](/getting-started/getting-started/feature-availability-and-setup.md)
* [What syncs to QuickBooks](/reporting-and-integrations/accounting/what-syncs-to-quickbooks.md)


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