---
title: Fix What Needs Attention in QuickBooks
description: Read the QuickBooks status strip, work through the Review lists, retry failed sends and use Activity to see what happened to any document.
---
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# Fix What Needs Attention in QuickBooks
## Find what MetaFleet couldn't send to or import from QuickBooks, fix the cause, and send it again.
**For:** Owners, managers and office staff · **Permission:** Manage account settings (users who can view account settings can look, not fix) · **Time:** ~5 minutes
### Quick summary
1. Go to **Settings › Integrations**, then the **QuickBooks** tab.
2. Read the status strip. Any count above zero needs a look.
3. Open the **Review** tab and work through each list.
4. Fix the cause, then use the row's button (**Re-send**, **Choose an account**, **Retry**), or **Retry now** on the strip for failed sends.
5. Check **Activity** to confirm the document went through.
### Before you start
- QuickBooks must be connected. See [Connect QuickBooks Online to MetaFleet](https://support.metafleet.ai/connect-quickbooks-online?hsLang=en). No QuickBooks tab? Contact MetaFleet support to turn QuickBooks on for your account.
- You need the **Manage account settings** permission to fix anything. Users who can view account settings can read every screen, but the buttons are off.
- A user with the **QuickBooks queue** permission can also click **Retry now**, **Retry** and **Read back now**, but not link or map anything.
- Keep QuickBooks open in another tab. Some fixes happen there, for example editing a customer or turning an account back on.
### Read the status strip
The strip sits above the tabs and stays visible on every tab. It has 6 cells.
| Cell | What it counts | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Needs your review** | Every item that waits for a person, across all the Review lists. The Action Center row, the card and the **Review** tab show the same number. | Click **Review** next to the number. |
| **Needs a home** | How many sends wait for a QuickBooks account, and their dollar total. A dash means none. | Open the **Needs a home** list and pick an account. See [How Posting Accounts Map to Your Chart of Accounts](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-accounts-reference?hsLang=en) if an account broke. |
| **Failed pushes** | Sends QuickBooks didn't accept. Red when above zero. | Click **See which**, fix the cause, then click **Retry now**. |
| **Out by** | How far QuickBooks is from MetaFleet in invoice totals or balances, across invoices MetaFleet has read back. A green **$0.00 In step** means they match. A dash means nothing has been read back yet. | Click the amount to open the orders that are **Off by**. The strip's **Out by** adds up those orders. |
| **Last synced** | When the last sync finished. | None. |
| **Next sync** | When the next nightly sync runs, at 11:00 PM in your shop's time zone. It shows this time even when **Nightly sync** is off. | None. |
### Open the Review tab
The **Review** tab lists each review list as a button with its count. Click a list to open it. A search box above the rows filters the open list. A list appears only when it has something in it. If every list is empty, the tab says **Nothing needs your review**. Parts skipped because your QuickBooks plan has no inventory items aren't problems and aren't counted. The **Parts** row on the **Sync** tab says so. The **Needs review** number on the **Invoices** row of the **Sync** tab is what the Review tab lists for invoices.
### Work through each list
The lists are below in the order they appear on the tab. Open the ones that have a count.
**Needs attention list**
These are invoices and payments that didn't sync cleanly, or where QuickBooks recorded a different tax than MetaFleet. Fix the cause, then re-send the invoice. Rows read **Not synced**, **Tax mismatch**, **Total mismatch** or **Balance mismatch**. **Balance mismatch** means the totals match but a payment or credit is on one side only. A payment follows with the next payment sync. Invoices left out at setup, billed before the start date, or taxed by MetaFleet on Automated Sales Tax don't appear here. Their order shows **Left out**, **Before start date** or **Tax worked out by MetaFleet** instead.
Columns: **Invoice**, **Customer**, **Sent**, **Problem**, **What to do**. The button on each row depends on the problem:
- **Map customer…** opens a dialog to link the customer to its QuickBooks customer. Use it when the customer isn't in QuickBooks yet.
- **Re-send** sends the invoice again. On a payment row the button reads **Re-send invoice**, because a payment can't go until its invoice is in QuickBooks.
- A **Not synced** row usually has no **Re-send** button. **Problem** says why nothing was sent. Fix that, then click **Open order**. For example, when the row says "This order changed after its invoice was sent", MetaFleet sends nothing until you act: re-send the invoice from the order. The updated version then replaces the old invoice in QuickBooks and the row clears.
- Once a skipped invoice's customer is linked, the row reads **Not synced** with **Customer is now linked. Ready to sync.** and offers **Re-send**. For a visit's invoice it says **Re-send it from the visit.** instead: click **Open order** and re-send from the visit. The order's **Billing** tab also offers **Link customer** for a skipped invoice.
- **Sync payments now** sends waiting payments right away.
- **Open order** takes you to the order so you can look at it.
- **Done in QuickBooks** clears the row after you handled it in QuickBooks yourself, for example a refund made in Stripe that you recorded there.
For link steps, see [Link a Customer to QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/link-a-customer-to-quickbooks?hsLang=en). For a total that doesn't match, see [Send an Invoice and Check It in QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/send-an-invoice-to-quickbooks?hsLang=en).
**Needs a home list**
These sends wait for a place to land: account setup, an account QuickBooks made inactive or deleted, or a posting account that isn't chosen yet. An item made inactive in QuickBooks waits here too, for example "The QuickBooks item Labor is inactive." Each goes on its own once its account is fixed. An invoice QuickBooks refused when setup sent it isn't listed here; it is in **Failed pushes**.
Columns: **What waits**, **For**, **Amount**, **Since**. Click **Choose an account** on a row. It opens that row in **Posting accounts**. Pick an account and save. You don't need to retry. See [Choose Where Your Money Posts in QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/choose-quickbooks-posting-accounts?hsLang=en). Ask your accountant which account to use. If an account was made inactive or deleted in QuickBooks, see [How Posting Accounts Map to Your Chart of Accounts](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-accounts-reference?hsLang=en).
**Failed pushes list**
These are sends QuickBooks didn't accept, and why. MetaFleet tries a failed send again about 1 minute after the first failure, then 5 minutes after that, unless QuickBooks refused it. If it still fails, it stops.
Columns: **Record**, **Kind**, **Why it failed**, **Attempts**, **Last tried**. A link on the row (**Open order**, **Open customer** or **Open PO**) takes you to the record.
- **Why it failed** has up to 3 lines. The first says in plain words what failed and what to do. The second starts with **QuickBooks:** and gives QuickBooks' own wording. The third is the **Support ref**. The **QuickBooks:** line appears only when QuickBooks gave its own wording.
- **Attempts** shows how many tries were used out of the maximum, for example **3 of 3 · stopped**, which means the automatic retries are used up. A refusal reads **Tried once · refused**. Every refusal adds a line that says MetaFleet won't send it again on its own, because sent as it is, QuickBooks would refuse it the same way. Fix the cause, then click **Retry** on the row to send that one again.
Each row has a **Retry** beside the link. **Retry** sends one again. **Retry now** on the status strip sends them all and runs the waiting ones. Fix the cause first: retrying without a fix fails the same way.
**Possible duplicates list**
These look like customers already in QuickBooks. Confirm the match so a duplicate isn't created. Columns: **MetaFleet customer**, **Looks like in QuickBooks**, **Invoices waiting**.
1. Click **Review match…**.
2. Check each candidate's match percentage.
3. Click **Confirm** if it's the same customer. Click **Not a match** if it isn't. MetaFleet remembers a **Not a match** answer.
**Unmapped customers and Unmapped vendors lists**
Link each customer to its QuickBooks customer before invoices can sync. Link each vendor to its QuickBooks vendor so bills and expenses sync. Click **Map customer…** on a customer row or **Map vendor…** on a vendor row. Linking doesn't create a duplicate. The dialog lists similar names from QuickBooks. If none is found, create the vendor in QuickBooks, then sync again. For a customer you can instead click **Create in QuickBooks** on the company's QuickBooks card; see [Link a Customer to QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/link-a-customer-to-quickbooks?hsLang=en). For vendors, see [How Vendors, Bills and Purchase Orders Map to QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-vendors-bills-reference?hsLang=en).
**New in QuickBooks list**
These records are in QuickBooks but not yet in MetaFleet. Each row shows the **Name**, **Object** and **Reference**. Click **Include** and the next sync of that kind brings the record in. Click **Exclude** to leave it out. Right after setup, this list shows everything you ticked. The first **Sync now** of each kind brings those in, so you don't need to include them one by one.
### See what happened on Activity
Use the **Activity** tab when you need the full history of a document.
1. **Documents** lists every send, skip, hold, read-back, match change and connection event, kept for 24 months. Use the tabs to show **Everything**, **Skipped** or **Failed**. An invoice whose customer isn't linked counts as **Skipped**. Search by order, PO, payment or QuickBooks number, or filter by kind.
2. A row's last column offers the fix that fits: **Retry**, **Re-sync** (opens the order's **Invoice** tab), **Link customer**, **Match vendor** or **Open**. A failed row whose send went through later turns green and reads **Sent since**, with what it became and when. It leaves the **Failed** tab. A row with nothing to do has no button.
3. **Sync runs** lists recent runs: when, what started it, which objects, and how many records were sent, received and failed. A customer or payment QuickBooks refused reads on its line the same way as on **Failed pushes**, with its **Support ref**. A **Sync now** that didn't run shows a **Failed** line for the whole kind, for example **All customers**, with the reason.
4. Click **Export CSV** to download the rows on screen. Search or filter first to export a smaller set.
### Know when something needs you
You don't have to open the card every day. After a nightly sync that leaves items, MetaFleet tells everyone with **Manage account settings** 2 ways:
- An email from MetaFleet that says how many sync items need review. It may also say how many records couldn't be synced. Its button, **Review in QuickBooks settings**, opens the QuickBooks tab.
- A **QuickBooks review** row in the Action Center. Click it to open the **Review** tab. If a sync didn't run, the row says so instead of a count.
Click **Dismiss** on the Action Center row to close it. It comes back the next night that still leaves items, and clears on its own once nothing is left to review.
To stop the emails, go to the **Settings** tab. Under **Automatic daily sync**, turn off **Email me when a nightly sync leaves items needing review**.
To stop the nightly sync itself, turn off **Nightly sync** at the top of the same card. Nothing syncs at night and no email goes. **Sync now** and sending still work.
### Contact support with the Support ref
When QuickBooks refuses something, the row shows a **Support ref**. Copy it and send it to MetaFleet support with the invoice or record number. It lets support find QuickBooks' own log of the refusal.
To look up what a message means and how to fix it, see [QuickBooks Error Messages and How to Fix Them](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-error-messages?hsLang=en).
### Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Invoice shows **Skipped** and Needs attention says the customer isn't linked | The customer has no QuickBooks match yet | Click **Map customer…**, choose **Confirm**, then click **Re-send**. |
| **Out by** shows an amount | QuickBooks holds a different total: the invoice was edited there, QuickBooks worked out its own tax, a charge is missing, a payment or credit is on one side only, or it was voided or deleted | Click the amount, open the order and read the banner on its Billing tab. Fix it in QuickBooks or credit the difference in MetaFleet, then click **Read back now**. |
| A row sits in **Needs a home** | The account is missing, inactive or deleted in QuickBooks | Click **Choose an account** and save. It then goes on its own. |
| QuickBooks didn't take an invoice's sales tax | The Sales tax account was refused | On the invoice, choose **Send without the tax** or **Choose another Sales tax account**. See [How Sales Tax and Exemptions Work with QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-sales-tax-reference?hsLang=en), "When QuickBooks refuses the tax". |
| A payment is skipped | Its invoice isn't in QuickBooks yet, or its customer isn't linked | Fix the invoice or customer, then click **Sync payments now**. |
| A row says the refund was made in Stripe | A refund happened outside MetaFleet | Record it in QuickBooks, then click **Done in QuickBooks**. |
| Failed pushes says QuickBooks refused a bill or invoice because it's dated before the start date of an inventory item on it | The item's start date in QuickBooks is later than the document's date | In QuickBooks, set that item's start date on or before the date the message shows, then click **Retry now**. |
| **Retry now** fails again | The cause isn't fixed, or the failure is permanent for that record | Read **Why it failed**, fix what it names, then retry. If the reason is unclear, contact MetaFleet support with the **Support ref**. |
| A sync or the list of records to include refuses with a message that links "don't record their QuickBooks company yet" | Some links from before the QuickBooks company was recorded haven't been updated yet. Running anyway would create a second copy of records that are already linked. | Don't retry. Contact MetaFleet support with the message and finish the update there. Nothing syncs for that kind until then. |
| Nothing synced overnight, and **Sync runs** says *Nightly sync is turned off. Turn it on in Settings on the QuickBooks card.* | **Nightly sync** is off on the **Settings** tab | Turn **Nightly sync** back on. It runs again that night. To catch up now, click **Sync now** on the **Sync** tab. |
| The card says MetaFleet couldn't read the sales-tax setting | QuickBooks didn't answer | Click **Try again**. Nothing syncs until it's read. |
### FAQs
**Do I have to retry failed sends myself?**
No for the first 2 tries. MetaFleet retries a failed send on its own, unless QuickBooks refused it. After that, a person has to fix the cause and click **Retry** or **Retry now**.
**Will fixing a problem in QuickBooks update MetaFleet?**
Some of it, at the next nightly sync or when you click **Read back now** on the order. Use **Sync now** on the **Sync** tab to pull sooner. On **Invoices**, it tries only invoices that were sent.
**Can viewers see these screens?**
Users who can view account settings can read every screen. Fixing needs **Manage account settings**, and without it the buttons are off. A user with the **QuickBooks queue** permission can also click **Retry now**, **Retry** and **Read back now**.
**How long does Activity keep history?**
24 months.
### Related articles
- [How MetaFleet and QuickBooks Work Together](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-sync?hsLang=en)
- [Send an Invoice and Check It in QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/send-an-invoice-to-quickbooks?hsLang=en)
- [Link a Customer to QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/link-a-customer-to-quickbooks?hsLang=en)
- [Choose Where Your Money Posts in QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/choose-quickbooks-posting-accounts?hsLang=en)
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