How to use General Journal Entries mode

ProperConvert converts a CSV or Excel file with journal entries into a file QuickBooks Desktop imports: QBJ or IIF. This guide shows how. To convert bank transactions instead, see Getting started with ProperConvert.

1. Prepare the file

Each line of the file is one line of a journal entry: the date, an entry number that groups the lines of one entry, the account and a debit or credit amount. It can also have a memo, a name, a class and other details. Use the account names (and, for QBJ, the account numbers) exactly as they are in QuickBooks.

The easiest start is the sample file: download sample-gje.csv, see its columns, and put your entries in the same layout.

2. Switch to General Journal Entries and open the file

1. Start ProperConvert. To install it, go to the home page and click Download.
2. In the drop-down at the far left of the top bar, choose General Journal Entries.
3. Click Browse and select your CSV or Excel file. The entries appear in the grid.

3. Choose QBJ or IIF

On the right, Convert for: shows QuickBooks Desktop, the only app for journal entries. Under File format:, choose:

• IIF: easier and less strict. QuickBooks imports it through its IIF import.
• QBJ: QuickBooks' own journal entry file. It needs the account numbers too, and QuickBooks shows a preview before the import.

4. Fix the issues

ProperConvert checks the entries, for example for a missing account name or number, a negative debit or credit, or an account name longer than 31 characters. If it finds problems, an Issues (N) button appears above Convert, where N is the number of issues. Click it to see each issue with its row.

For QBJ and IIF, Convert stops until the issues are fixed. Correct them in your file, then open the file again. A date before 1900 is only a warning: you can review it or convert anyway. See Issues found before you convert for the full list.

5. Convert

1. Uncheck Open after save if you want to import the file yourself later. When it is checked, QuickBooks opens the file right after it is saved.
2. Click Convert, choose the folder and file name, and save.

Convert CSV to QBJ

Step by step, for a CSV or Excel file converted to QBJ:

1. Make sure you have the latest ProperConvert: choose Help > Check for updates.
2. Open your CSV or Excel file with Browse.
3. Review the entries in the grid before you convert.
4. On the right, below File format:, set Company name and Company ID if you know them. Usually you can leave them as they are: if the Company ID does not match your company file, QuickBooks asks you to confirm before it imports the file.
5. Click Convert to create the QBJ file.
6. Confirm the file name and folder, and save.

6. Import into QuickBooks Desktop

Back up your QuickBooks company file before you import.

An IIF file: in QuickBooks, choose File > Utilities > Import > IIF Files and select the file. QuickBooks offers two ways to import:

• the legacy import, which is faster;
• the new import, which is stricter. If some entries fail, QuickBooks saves them to a new IIF file with a timestamp in its name. Open that file in Notepad to read the errors.

A QBJ file: in QuickBooks, choose File > Utilities > Import > General Journal Entries and select the file. QuickBooks shows a preview of the entries before it imports them.

If the QBJ import says it failed while handling conflicts, something in the file does not match your QuickBooks company file:

• an account number in the file belongs to an account with a different name or type in QuickBooks;
• a name (vendor, customer or employee) in the file exists in QuickBooks with a different name type.

Correct the file to match QuickBooks, convert it again and import the new file.

After the import, review the entries in QuickBooks: choose Company > Make General Journal Entries.