Convert to Quickbooks compatible formats (QBO, IIF, QBJ)

QuickBooks accounting software is offered as QuickBooks Desktop (QBD) or QuickBooks Online. Both variants import the QBO format as a common format for bank transactions under Bank Feeds, and each of them imports its own set of formats. The QBO format applies to bank transactions files and credit card transactions files. See below options and Desktop and Online versions.

Use the ProperConvert app to convert your file to a format compatible with Quickbooks.

Import bank transactions and credit card transactions into QuickBooks 2021-2024 and Quickbooks Online through the QBO format or the IIF format (all QuickBooks Desktop versions are supported). QBO and IIF formats are different: QBO (Web Connect) is to import bank transactions, and IIF is more ‘low level’ import allowing to create of various transactions between QuickBooks accounts. Both formats have limitations – read below to choose the most suitable format for you.

Which formats does Quickbooks import?

QBO (web connect) format (QuickBooks 2021-2024 for Windows or Mac and Quickbooks Online)
IIF format - Quickbooks desktop only, but all versions even discontinued ones
QBJ format - Quickbooks desktop 2013 or later
QBO files are for bank and credit card transactions only
QBJ files are for general journal entries only
IIF files can be both for bank transactions and credit card transactions and for general journal entries (the ProperConvert app can switch from Transactions to General Journal Entries mode)

For QuickBooks desktop, convert to QBO (Bank Feeds or web connect) format or IIF format if you have QuickBooks 2021-2024. QBO and IIF files are importable by QuickBooks Enterprise as well.

For older QuickBooks Desktop versions, convert to the IIF format.

QBO (web connect) transaction files are imported the same way as transactions downloaded directly from your bank. After import, open imported statement under Bank Feeds, match vendor records and assign expense/income accounts and add transactions to the register.
IIF transaction files are imported directly into the Quickbooks Desktop register and require exact vendor names and expense/income accounts. The Transactions app provides interface to map payee names to vendor names and assign categories (expense/income accounts) based on payee names or direct edit.

Quickbooks imports transactions in original formats. Depending on the source of transactions (online banking download, accounting service export, transfer data between two computers), a specific format should be used for a particular purpose. Quickbooks file extensions to import transactions are:

Import into QuickBooks through the QBO format

The QBO format is a QuickBooks Web Connect format used to import bank transactions into QuickBooks (under Bank Feeds). ".QBO" does not mean "QuickBooks Online".

Banks and credit card companies provide QBO files to download transactions. QBO files have account details like account id, bank id, currency, ending balance, and date. QBO file have the following transaction details:

date
amount
payee
description
check number
unique transaction ID

Quickbooks imports the .QBO files under Bank Feeds. As banks do not have specific accounting details for their clients, the .QBO files do not have Categories or expense/income account details. Once transactions are imported under the Bank Feeds, Quickbooks does matching to vendor records and expense/income accounts.

Import a QBO file into Quickbooks Desktop (Windows or macOS)

Quickbooks Desktop must not older than three years to import QBO files (QuickBooks 2021-2024)
Import QBO files through File-Utilities-Import-Web Connect format.

quickbooks-import-web-connect-file

quickbooks-successfully-import-complete

Import a QBO into Quickbooks Online

QuickBooks Online (except Self Employed) imports QBO files (OFX, QFX as well)
The QBO (and OFX and QFX) format is the best format for Quickbooks Online as it imports the most bank transaction details (date, amount, payee, memo, check number, unique transaction id to exclude duplicates).
Quickbooks Online (including Quickbooks Self-Employed) imports CSV files (date, amount, description only).

Import into QuickBooks Desktop through the IIF format

IIF format is the format to use for all QuickBooks versions. It allows supplying more details about transactions like expense/income account or class. Unlike the QBO format, which requires "matching" under the Bank Feeds after QBO import, the IIF format requires vendor names, account names to be exact to what you have in Quickbooks otherwise Quickbooks will create new vendor and account records during IIF import.

Quickbooks Online does not import IIF files.

The IIF format is considered a "low level" or "system" format and QuickBooks imports it right into its database, so you have to be precise with the data you provide. Typos and mismatches will result in new vendor records and accounts created. Always do a backup (as with any other import) for the QuickBooks company file before any IIF import. Putting aside the scary part, this is a great format widely used and you can import data quickly. If you just figuring out QuickBooks, start with the QBO format (see above).

Intuit developed the IIF format for its QuickBooks products and many software packages support export in this format for transactions, sale receipts, bills, invoices, and other data lists. As IIF is considered a "system-level" format where data are imported directly into Quickbooks data file.

For transactions, IIF format supplies the following details:

date
amount
vendor or customer[:job]
description
main account
expense/income account
class

CSV files must have exact vendor names and category (expense/income) account names matching account names in QuickBooks. All QuickBooks versions are supported as long as they import IIF files (except QuickBooks Online). For QuickBooks Enterprise the user must have exclusive access to import IIF files.

Use the ProperConvert to convert your transaction files to the IIF format.

What are the main differences between QBO and IIF import into QuickBooks?

QBO import requires an Internet connection with QuickBooks allowed to access the Internet, IIF import is completely offline
QBO import allows to apply renaming rules to assign payee or vendor even if it is different on supplied QBO file from the record in QuickBooks, and assign the expense account during import. IIF must have expense accounts supplied as you have them in QuickBooks. Bank2IIF allows to do that through the category column or provide a default expense account.
Imported QBO transactions go first into the Online Banking Center, where you can review, delete, match and finally include them into the register. QuickBooks provides two Online Banking Center modes, completely be their user interface and actually how transactions are imported. IIF import is done directly into the QuickBooks transaction register.
QBO import requires QuickBooks to be no older than three years. IIF keeps importing without asking you to upgrade.
QuickBooks Online imports QBO files only, QuickBooks Online does not import IIF files.

What is the QBJ format?

The QBJ format is the latest format supported by Quickbooks to create General Journal Entries. Quickbooks accountant edition allows your accountant to create general journal entries for you, export them as IIF files, send them to you and import them into your Quickbooks.

Each Quickbooks journal entry contains two or lines (debit and credit) that must balance within the entry. Each line carries an account, optional or mandatory name (depending on the account), class, description, document number.

The QBJ format requires account numbers to be activated in your Quickbooks chart of accounts.

How is the QBJ format different from QBO and IIF formats?

The QBJ format is for General Journal Entries. QBO and IIF files are for transactions.

The QBJ files can have one or more general journal entries.
Each entry is for a specific date
Entry lines belonging to the same entry have the same date
Each entry line is either debit or credit
Each entry balances within itself (total debit amount equals total credit amount for all lines)
Details from the Chart of Accounts (account name and account number and parent account details as well) are required to complete the conversion

The ProperConvert app converts general journal entries from CSV/Excel to QBJ (and to IIF as well) and import them into Quickbooks. Working in Excel with general journal entries is faster than directly in Quickbooks. In addition, importing QBJ files creates the audit record in your Quickbooks, so you can review easily created entries.

Summary

The ProperConvert app is a one-stop solution to convert bank and credit card transactions and general journal files you have to a format comaptible with your Quickbooks version.

If you have bank transaction files where each transaction takes one line (CSV or PDF) or you have QFX, OFX, QBO, MT940, QIF (without splits) file and your Quickbooks version is not older than three years, use the QBO (web connect) format first
If you have "discontinued support" Quickbooks version or have QIF with splits, conver to the IIF format
If you have CSV/Excel with entries with debit and credit lines (each entry has at least one debit and one credit line), convert to general journal entries IIF or QBJ format