---
title: How MetaFleet and QuickBooks Work Together
description: "Learn what MetaFleet sends to QuickBooks Online, what it reads back, and when each record syncs: right away, every night at 11:00 PM, or never."
---
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# How MetaFleet and QuickBooks Work Together
## See which records move between MetaFleet and QuickBooks Online, which way they go, and when, so you know what to expect in your books.
**For:** Owners, managers and bookkeepers · **Permission:** Manage account settings · **Time:** ~6 minutes
MetaFleet is where jobs, invoices and payments are created. QuickBooks Online is your ledger. MetaFleet sends the money documents to QuickBooks and reads back a few facts: customers, vendors, parts, payments made in QuickBooks, and QuickBooks' own copy of each invoice so the totals can be compared.
This is not a live mirror. Money documents go at the moment something happens, such as sending an invoice. Most things that are checked both ways wait for the nightly sync, and a sync can be refused for a kind until your existing links are updated.
*Before you connect, the **QuickBooks** tab under **Settings › Integrations** shows one button: **Connect to QuickBooks**. No **QuickBooks** tab at all? MetaFleet turns QuickBooks on for each account: contact MetaFleet support.*
### What syncs, which way, and when
Direction is from MetaFleet's point of view. Tab names in the last column are the tabs on the QuickBooks card. **Right away** means when you send, record or receive. **Every night** means the nightly sync, or **Sync now** if you start it yourself.
| In MetaFleet | In QuickBooks | Direction | When it syncs | Where you set it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Invoice (repair, towing, PM, inspection) | Invoice | To QuickBooks. QuickBooks' copy is read back to compare totals. | Right away when the invoice is sent. Read back after each send and every night. A balance that differs from QuickBooks shows **Off by $X** on the order. | **Settings** tab; [How Invoices Map to QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-invoice-reference?hsLang=en) |
| Invoice PDF | Attachment on the invoice | To QuickBooks | With the invoice. A re-send swaps the PDF. | **Settings** tab |
| Customer (company) | Customer | Both ways | When the first invoice is sent, and every night | QuickBooks card on the company page; [Link a Customer to QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/link-a-customer-to-quickbooks?hsLang=en), [How Customers Map to QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-customers-reference?hsLang=en) |
| Payment recorded in MetaFleet | Payment | To QuickBooks | Right away. The nightly sync sends any that failed or waited. | **Posting accounts**; [Payments, Refunds, Credits and Late Fees in QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-payments-reference?hsLang=en) |
| Payment recorded in QuickBooks | Payment | To MetaFleet | Within about a minute. An order paid in full closes, the same as **Record payment**. The nightly sync catches any that were missed. | Nothing to set |
| Refund, credit, write-off, late fee on a sent invoice | Refund receipt, credit memo, or an invoice line | To QuickBooks | When you save it. The nightly sync sends anything still unsent. | [Refund, Credit or Write Off an Invoice](https://support.metafleet.ai/refunds-credits-and-write-offs-in-quickbooks?hsLang=en) |
| Part | Item | Both ways. Cost only, never the sales price. | Every night | **What syncs** on the **Settings** tab; [How Parts, Labor and Fees Map to QuickBooks Items](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-items-reference?hsLang=en) |
| Labor, fee, surcharge, travel | Service item for its posting account | To QuickBooks | Right away, with the invoice | **Posting accounts**; **Fees & Surcharges**; **Global Rates** |
| Vendor | Vendor | Both ways | Every night | [How Vendors, Bills and Purchase Orders Map to QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-vendors-bills-reference?hsLang=en) |
| Purchase order | Purchase order (does not post to your books) | To QuickBooks. The balance is pulled back. MetaFleet closes the QuickBooks order when you cancel the order or receive and bill everything on it. | When you submit the order, in the background. The nightly sync also sends any order that did not go, and closes finished orders still open in QuickBooks. **Sync now** on the Purchase orders row of the **Sync** tab does the same. | [Receive Parts and Bill Purchase Orders with QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/purchase-orders-and-bills-in-quickbooks?hsLang=en) |
| Items received and paid at the counter | Expense | To QuickBooks | Right away, when you receive | [Receive Parts and Bill Purchase Orders with QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/purchase-orders-and-bills-in-quickbooks?hsLang=en) |
| Vendor bill | Bill | To QuickBooks | Right away, when you record the bill | [Receive Parts and Bill Purchase Orders with QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/purchase-orders-and-bills-in-quickbooks?hsLang=en) |
| Stock counts, shop use, receipts with no PO | One inventory adjustment per night | To QuickBooks | Every night, after the parts step | [How Stock Adjustments and Inventory Value Reach QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-stock-reference?hsLang=en) |
| Inventory value by location | Journal entry | To QuickBooks | Every night | **Inventory Locations**; [How Stock Adjustments and Inventory Value Reach QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-stock-reference?hsLang=en) |
| Tax groups and exemptions | Tax on the invoice (one QuickBooks Tax Code per Tax Group); customer marked taxable or not | To QuickBooks | Tax Codes: when you save a Tax Group, every night, and when an invoice needs one. Exemptions: right away; a failed update is retried. | [How Sales Tax and Exemptions Work with QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-sales-tax-reference?hsLang=en) |
| (Your chart of accounts) | Accounts | Read from QuickBooks to fill the account pickers | When setup opens, or when you click **Refresh** | [How Posting Accounts Map to Your Chart of Accounts](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-accounts-reference?hsLang=en) |
### What waits for the nightly sync
These do not move right away: part and item changes, vendors, stock adjustments, inventory value, and the nightly re-check of every invoice.
The nightly sync runs at **11:00 PM** in your shop's time zone. The **Automatic daily sync** card on the **Settings** tab shows **Runs at** and the time. The **Activity** tab lists each run under **Sync runs**. The nightly sync, and opening the card, also re-read whether QuickBooks uses Automated Sales Tax, so a change in QuickBooks is picked up.
### Your choices
**Sync now.** On the **Sync** tab, rows such as Customers, Parts and Vendors each have a **Sync now** button, so you don't wait until 11:00 PM. On the Invoices row it sends only invoices that were already sent. An invoice skipped because its customer is not linked counts as Skipped, not Failed. A kind that is switched off shows **Off** and a **Turn on in Settings** link instead. Until account setup is finished, the setup replaces the tabs.
*The **Sync** tab lists each kind with its flow, what was sent and received, when it last synced, and its **Sync now** button. The **Bills** row has no button.*
*While setup is unfinished the card shows **Setup not finished** and the current step in place of the tabs.*
**When a sync is refused.** A sync of customers, vendors or parts does not run while some of your existing QuickBooks links are still being updated, because it could create second copies of records that are already linked. The **Sync now** for that kind then shows a failed line with the reason, and the nightly sync does the same. Contact MetaFleet support to finish the update. A sync that did not run is counted first in the review row and the email, and the email still goes out.
**QB Sync.** Once an invoice is sent, the **Invoice** tab of the order has a **QB Sync** button that sends that one invoice to QuickBooks. It needs Manage account settings. See [Send an Invoice and Check It in QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/send-an-invoice-to-quickbooks?hsLang=en).
**Switch a kind off.** Turn a kind off and its sends are held. They go out when you turn it back on.
**Turn the nightly sync off.** On the **Settings** tab, turn off **Nightly sync** under **Runs at** on the **Automatic daily sync** card. Nothing syncs at night for that QuickBooks company, and no review email goes. **Sync now** and the sends as you work still go. That night's run under **Sync runs** says *Nightly sync is turned off. Turn it on in Settings on the QuickBooks card.* A brand with its own QuickBooks company has its own switch on the **Brands** tab.
**Exclude a record.** An excluded record is never synced in either direction. Nothing is deleted in either system.
**Stop syncing a company.** Invoices and payments for that customer company are skipped. Nothing waits to be sent later.
**Review email.** After each nightly sync, everyone with Manage account settings gets a QuickBooks review row in the Action Center and one email saying how many items need review or were skipped. You can turn the email off with **Email me when a nightly sync leaves items needing review** on the **Settings** tab. The Action Center row, the **Needs your review** total on the card and the **Review** tab all show the same number: what is open now. Parts that QuickBooks skips because your plan has no inventory items are not counted.
**Where the money posts.** Each kind of income, payment and cost posts to an account you choose. Ask your accountant which account to use. [Choose Where Your Money Posts in QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/choose-quickbooks-posting-accounts?hsLang=en) shows each row.
### What QuickBooks never gets
- Running stock quantities. MetaFleet owns stock. Only a new item's opening count, the adjustments and the value by location go over.
- The sales price of a part. Only cost syncs. The Parts row on the **Sync** tab lists price; MetaFleet sends cost only.
- Statements. The invoices inside a statement go over one by one.
> **Held is not dropped.** If a kind is switched off or setup is unfinished, MetaFleet keeps the document and sends it once the problem is fixed. The same holds while QuickBooks is not answering: the card says **Waiting for QuickBooks** and lists what is on hold, including sending invoices. Reconnect to release it (see [Disconnect, Reconnect and Use Brands with QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/disconnect-reconnect-and-brands-in-quickbooks?hsLang=en)). A record you excluded, or a company you stopped syncing, is skipped for good.
### When a send fails
MetaFleet tries a failed send again after 1 minute, then after 5 minutes. After 3 tries it lands under **Failed pushes** on the **Review** tab. The strip at the top of the card shows **Needs your review** and **Failed pushes**, with a **Retry now** button, whichever tab is open. See [Fix What Needs Attention in QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/fix-quickbooks-sync-problems?hsLang=en).
### Where to start
The how-tos come first, in the order most shops need them. The references follow.
1. [Connect QuickBooks Online to MetaFleet](https://support.metafleet.ai/connect-quickbooks-online?hsLang=en)
2. [Choose What Syncs with QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/choose-what-syncs-with-quickbooks?hsLang=en)
3. [Choose Where Your Money Posts in QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/choose-quickbooks-posting-accounts?hsLang=en)
4. [Link a Customer to QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/link-a-customer-to-quickbooks?hsLang=en)
5. [Send an Invoice and Check It in QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/send-an-invoice-to-quickbooks?hsLang=en)
6. [Fix What Needs Attention in QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/fix-quickbooks-sync-problems?hsLang=en)
7. [Refund, Credit or Write Off an Invoice](https://support.metafleet.ai/refunds-credits-and-write-offs-in-quickbooks?hsLang=en)
8. [Receive Parts and Bill Purchase Orders with QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/purchase-orders-and-bills-in-quickbooks?hsLang=en)
9. [Disconnect, Reconnect and Use Brands with QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/disconnect-reconnect-and-brands-in-quickbooks?hsLang=en)
10. [How Customers Map to QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-customers-reference?hsLang=en)
11. [How Parts, Labor and Fees Map to QuickBooks Items](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-items-reference?hsLang=en)
12. [How Posting Accounts Map to Your Chart of Accounts](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-accounts-reference?hsLang=en)
13. [How Invoices Map to QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-invoice-reference?hsLang=en)
14. [Payments, Refunds, Credits and Late Fees in QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-payments-reference?hsLang=en)
15. [How Sales Tax and Exemptions Work with QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-sales-tax-reference?hsLang=en)
16. [How Vendors, Bills and Purchase Orders Map to QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-vendors-bills-reference?hsLang=en)
17. [How Stock Adjustments and Inventory Value Reach QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-stock-reference?hsLang=en)
### FAQs
**Does MetaFleet or QuickBooks win when they disagree?**
MetaFleet is the system of record for jobs, invoices and stock. If QuickBooks shows a different invoice total, MetaFleet shows the difference on the order and lists it for review. It does not overwrite QuickBooks.
**Is there a Send to QuickBooks button on an invoice?**
No button is needed. The invoice goes when you send it. Once sent, **QB Sync** on the **Invoice** tab sends it again if it didn't arrive.
**What happens if I void an invoice?**
MetaFleet voids its copy in QuickBooks too, and a voided payment on a visit invoice follows. The number stays and the amount becomes $0. Until QuickBooks shows the void, the order shows an **Off by** amount and sits on the **Review** tab. If the QuickBooks invoice was linked at setup instead of sent by MetaFleet, void it in QuickBooks yourself. Refunds, credits and write-offs on a sent invoice are covered in [Refund, Credit or Write Off an Invoice](https://support.metafleet.ai/refunds-credits-and-write-offs-in-quickbooks?hsLang=en).
**Who can see the QuickBooks tab?**
Anyone with Read account settings can open it. Only people with Manage account settings can change anything on it.
### Related articles
- [Connect QuickBooks Online to MetaFleet](https://support.metafleet.ai/connect-quickbooks-online?hsLang=en)
- [Choose What Syncs with QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/choose-what-syncs-with-quickbooks?hsLang=en)
- [Fix What Needs Attention in QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/fix-quickbooks-sync-problems?hsLang=en)
- [How Invoices Map to QuickBooks](https://support.metafleet.ai/quickbooks-invoice-reference?hsLang=en)
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