Use the Payroll Snapshot to seamlessly export time cards into the Weekly Timesheets section of QuickBooks. With the click of a button, send the calculated shift hours (including overtime) to QuickBooks with absolutely no file handling. Sound good?
A Couple of Pointers
Employee names and job names in Chronotek must match exactly with the names in QB. This includes spaces, middle initials and all characters. Just copy/paste from QB. Your QB company file needs to be open anyway. (If you have one customer in QB, but many locations/jobs for that customer, just ask us about that. We can handle it.)
Ok, there's only one pointer and that was a big one. So, do you want to go ahead and do that one and come back later?
Setting Up the Payroll Snapshot and Your QuickBooks File
Okay, now that your employee names and job names match between QB and Chronotek, let's set up the Payroll Snapshot. This is the report that enables the integration magic.
Go to Snapshot Settings>Payroll Settings>Default Pay Types.
Fill in the Regular, OT1 and OT2 fields. The QB default names are the ones we used above. If you aren't in California, you can enter NA for the OT2 field but don't leave it blank. Enter that info and save.
On the same screen, go to the Work Week Settings tab. This is where you will define your work week start day. It should be the same that you have in QB at Edit>Preferences>Time & Expenses>Company Preferences. Save your settings.
Now let's stroll over to the Export Settings tab on the same screen in Chronotek. Generate an integration key and save. Be sure that your QB company file is open and click Install Now and the magic will begin.
You may be prompted, "Do you want to open QBInterface.application from secure.chronotek.net?". Of course, you do! Or in Chrome, it may be in a box at the bottom left corner. Then you will see something like this:
It's all good. Go ahead and install. Be patient. It may take a minute for the next prompt. You will need to enter your 4- or 5-digit account number (circled below) and then your integration key. You can copy/paste it from the Export Settings screen. You are probably still on that screen anyway. At this point, our pin drop icon will be in your taskbar. Then sign in.
Now QB will start talking to you. You may notice your QB icon in the taskbar starts flashing. Go ahead and click on it. You should see this certification screen. This is an important screen.
Select "Yes, whenever this QuickBooks company file is open." Then check the box to "Allow this application to access personal data..." That box must be checked. Don't worry. QB considers the timesheet section personal data. We don't access SSNs or anything else. Then, follow the prompts.
Running the Payroll Snapshot
Now it's time for the magic! Go to Payroll Functions, Change Payroll Period, and set the pay period that you want to send to QB.
Next, go to Payroll Functions, Edit Time Cards, and fix any time cards that need to be edited. A red "A" indicates that someone didn't clock out. Click that employee's name and edit that time card. For more info on how to edit time cards, try this article.
Now go to Payroll Functions, Payroll Snapshot, and click on New Snapshot.
It will process and cue up at the top of the list. Go ahead and click on it.
Integrating With QuickBooks
You're almost there. This next screen has basic info on the General tab. But click on the Summary tab and do a quick scan of employee hours to make sure they are correct. Then come back to General. With your QB company file open, let's click the QB Validate button.
If using Chrome, you will see the QBInterface Application download file in the bottom left corner. Don't be afraid. Go ahead and click it. 😊 But be patient. It is working in the background. And don't go into QB to do anything.
Congrats! You made the magic happen. Chronotek and QB got acquainted with one another. But there are some data discrepancies to fix. Click "Ok" in the small box and start working on the list in the bigger box. You can also export the discrepancy list to Excel.
If the discrepancy box disappears on you, it's controlled by the QBI icon:
Great, now that you have fixed the discrepancies, close the discrepancy box and delete that Payroll Snapshot.
Run a new one and try to validate again. Remember the small QBI box down in the bottom left corner.
Yaaahh! You validated. Go ahead and close out these 2 boxes, and you are ready to export your hours into QB. Click the QuickBooks Export button. It will validate first. Activate the download box again.
Almost there! Now, it's time to pull the rabbit out of the hat. Click "Yes" and take your hands off the mouse. You don't want to do ANYTHING in Chronotek or QB while the import is happening (or while validating).
You did it!
You will find the hours in the weekly timesheet section of QB, and the hours should appear in the scheduled payroll section of QB.
If you need more advanced help with the QBI, we have another guide for you. Yes, the Advanced Guide.
Take a peek at our new platform, Chronotek Pro.
