QuickBooks integration (Advanced): Handle sync issues

This guide covers common sync issues between TaxDome and QuickBooks, including how to identify and resolve them.

Covered here:

Fix QuickBooks sync issues in TaxDome
Prevent QuickBooks sync issues
Common issues and their solutions

Fix QuickBooks sync issues in TaxDome

Right after you connect QuickBooks Online in TaxDome, TaxDome starts continuously analyzing the sync status. If something goes wrong, you will see the following error message at the top:

Click the link in the message or go to Settings from the sidebar menu and open Integrations > QuickBooks. In the QuickBooks errors section, you’ll see the number of errors per category. You can review the errors on each tab and select how to handle them.

Error types:

Accounts: These are errors caused by TaxDome and QuickBooks client data not matching.
Invoices: These are errors caused by TaxDome Invoices and QuickBooks Invoices data not matching. For example, if you have manually changed a TaxDome invoice number, you may have to duplicate the invoice number in QuickBooks.
Payments: These are errors caused by TaxDome and QuickBooks Payments data not matching.
Refunds: These are errors caused by TaxDome and QuickBooks Refunds data not matching.
Expenses: These are errors caused by Stripe Payment Processing Fees and QuickBooks Expenses data not matching.
Services: These are errors caused by TaxDome and QuickBooks Product/Services data not matching.

Prevent QuickBooks sync issues

To prevent QuickBooks synchronization issues, you should understand that it mainly works one way—from TaxDome to QuickBooks Online.

That means that it is designed in a way invoices and payments are sent from TaxDome to QuickBooks, not backward. So:

If your invoice from TaxDome is in QuickBooks, you should change it only in TaxDome. Changing it in QuickBooks will lead to sync errors in TaxDome.
Deleting an invoice or payment synced from TaxDome in QuickBooks online will lead to errors.
If you create an invoice or record a payment in QuickBooks, it won’t appear in TaxDome. If you want to add it to TaxDome manually after adding it to QuickBooks, you need to copy the invoice number from QuickBooks to TaxDome. The error message will be displayed, but it won’t lead to the creation of a duplicate entry. To skip the error, go to Settings from the sidebar menu and open Integrations > QuickBooks. Find the error there and select Skip.

Common issues and their solutions

Can't find an exact match for Account name in your QuickBooks account

Reason 1: You haven’t created this customer in QuickBooks yet.

Solution: In QuickBooks errors > Accounts, select Create new customer in QuickBooks for all accounts missing in QuickBooks and click Submit.

Reason 2: You manually created this customer in QuickBooks after syncing TaxDome with QuickBooks.

Solution: Manually sync the account in TaxDome.

Duplicate invoices/payments appear

Reason 1: During bank transaction reconciliation in QuickBooks Online, manually creating entries like invoices, payments and expenses for Stripe fees can lead to duplicates if automatic creation is enabled in the settings.

Solution: Avoid manually creating these entries in QuickBooks. Instead, match the transactions automatically generated by the integration.

Reason 2: Duplication can occur if both Stripe and TaxDome are integrated directly with QuickBooks Online, as both systems create payment transactions independently.

Solution: To avoid duplication, turn off the Stripe integration in QuickBooks or disable the sync of payment transactions from Stripe. This ensures only TaxDome handles payment transaction syncing.

Reason 3: Duplication may appear because of the bank payment processing specifics.

Solution: Manually delete duplicated payments in QBO or contact Intuit to resolve the issue.

Duplicate Name Exists Error: The name supplied already exists

Reason 1: The payment method in QuickBooks is selected incorrectly.

Solution: In QuickBooks, navigate to Accounting > All lists > Payment Methods > ACH payment method. Clear the This is a credit or debit card checkbox if it is selected. Then, log in to TaxDome as the Firm owner and resync the sync errors on the QuickBooks tab of the Settings > Integrations page.

Reason 2: When trying to sync an account manually from the QuickBooks errors section, you select Create new customer in QuickBooks, but a customer with this name already exists in QuickBooks.

Solution: If the customer with the same name in QuickBooks is the client you want to sync in TaxDome, in the QuickBooks errors section, type their name in the Action column in the search field and select it. Then, click Submit.

If the customer with the same name in QuickBooks is not your client in TaxDome, you’ll need to edit their name because both TaxDome and QuickBooks don’t allow duplicate names for customers.

Reason 3: Another vendor is already using this name.

Solution: Before creating a new account, check if a vendor with that name exists in your QBO database. If it exists, create a scheme to distinguish them and create a new name. For example, John Doe may be a client and vendor: store their names in the customer object as John Doe (client) and in the vendor object as John Doe (vendor).

Invalid Customer: The customer you have specified has been deleted. You cannot create or edit a transaction with a deleted customer

Reason: The account has been removed from QuickBooks. You may have had a customer with the same name but deleted it.

Solution: Try reconnecting to QuickBooks.

Duplicate Document Number Error: You must specify a different number. This number has already been used.

Reason 1: Invoice with the same number already exists in QuickBooks.

Solution 2: Change the invoice number in TaxDome and resync the invoice.

To avoid such issues in the future, it’s recommended to:

Manually set the number sequencing in TaxDome after verifying unused numbers in QuickBooks. Learn more here.
Enable Custom transaction numbers in QuickBooks settings to input specific numbers for transactions.
Toggle on Sync invoice number with QuickBooks Online on the QuickBooks tab of the Settings > Integrations page.

Reason 2: The invoice number is identical to the Credit memo number in QBO, and this causes this error.

Solution 2: Assign a unique Credit memo number and reattempt sync.

Invalid Reference Id: Line.SalesItemLineDetail.ItemRef

Reason 1: The client assigned to this transaction has been deleted.

Reason 2: Service synchronization error.

Solution: In the QuickBooks errors section, select Resync for all entities with this error and click Submit.

Business Validation Error: The Amount Received (plus credits) can't be less than the selected charges. Also, the selected charges can't be less than the selected credits.

Reason: This error occurs when a vendor credit is applied to the Invoice in TaxDome, and that application is trying to sync to QuickBooks Online, but the open balance of the invoice in QuickBooks Online is less than the credit amount applied.

Solution: If the invoice is already marked as paid in QuickBooks Online, review payments in both QuickBooks Online and TaxDome to ensure they match. Void the payment and/or remove the credits in QuickBooks Online if necessary.

Invalid account type: Check your account details before you continue. You may need to select a different type of account for your transaction.

Reason: A wrong account is selected in the Expenses settings in QuickBooks.

Solution: Change the Expenses account type in QuickBooks to Credit Card. Then, in TaxDome, select Resync for the error in the QuickBooks errors section and click Submit.

Invalid account type: You can't associate a product or service with accounts of certain types (such as Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable)

Reason: This error occurs when an item attempts to sync from TaxDome to QuickBooks Online, but the account type associated with the provided service isn't correct.

Solution: In TaxDome, edit the provided service to the correct account type and sync again. If the product or service is something you sell, choose an Income account; if it's something you purchase, choose an Expense account. Learn more here.

String length is either shorter or longer than supported by specification: string length specified does not match the supported length. Min:0 Max:100 supported

Reason: This error message appears when the text in a field is too long for QuickBooks Online. This usually happens in fields like Invoice ID, Item Name, Notes, or any other field that sends information to QuickBooks Online.

Solution: Read the message text and adjust the field value accordingly. Note that the maximum values can be different depending on the field. Then, select Resync for the error in the QuickBooks errors section and click Submit.

Different service errors

Reason: There may be various reasons for these errors. For example, it may happen because of technical issues.

Solution: Delete the service from the QuickBooks tab of the Settings > Integrations page. Also, edit the Service income account, then create a new service and sync it with QuickBooks.

Service name appears in the line item description

Reason: This happens when services are not synced with QuickBooks Online or when the service name is manually typed into invoices in TaxDome.

Solution: Check the syncing settings to ensure services are properly synced with QuickBooks. Use the list of services in TaxDome rather than manually entering service names to avoid this issue.

Invoice description syncs to the Memo field

Reason: The invoice description in TaxDome is intended to act as a memo to identify invoice contents, not as a service.

Solution: Use line items to specify services on invoices. Customize line items to simplify filling them out and ensure the correct information syncs to QuickBooks.

Buttons are unavailable

Reason 1: You may be unable to perform some actions because you lack the required permissions.

Solution: Review the permissions and ask your firm owner or admin to perform the required actions.

Reason 2: You may be unable to perform some actions because of your browser.

Solution: Try general troubleshooting steps.

No option to resync an invoice after deleting it from QuickBooks

Solution: Delete the invoice from TaxDome and create a new one.